Secret Recipe: Burdock Latkes with Winter Fruit Compote

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As the darkness of early winter descends, it often brings with it a more spiritual darkness - a fear or heaviness that sits in the body and weighs on the bones. It’s this time of year that we can get lost in our fears or our sadness. We long for a triumph of light over dark, good over evil, and for the hope in our hearts to prevail and carry us through the long nights ahead. Illumination, both literal and metaphorical, becomes all-important, whether you reach for colored lights or old-fashioned candles to add atmosphere to long evenings or cozy dark mornings. 

It makes sense that there are several holidays that focus on those particular themes of light and triumph this time of year. They feed our collective humanity with what it is craving and the stories that we need to hear. Whether you celebrate Diwali, Hanukkah, Santa Lucia Day, the Winter Solstice, or something else, the symbolism of light illuminating the darkness likely plays a big part in your celebration. While each individual celebration is rooted in specific spiritual beliefs and each have their own traditions, at their heart they are about what we are all craving in the darkness of winter: the triumph of illumination of a dark world as we wait for the return of the sun.

The Hindu festival of Diwali is all about celebrating light. In fact, Diwali means “series of lights,” derived from dīpam "light, lamp" and oli "glow of light". The plentiful lamps that are lit over this four to six-day festival can be seen to symbolically represent the sun. They can be interpreted as something more, too, representing the importance of knowledge and metaphorical illumination in a world of ignorance. The glowing lamps act as a metaphor for resisting evil and dispelling all kinds of darkness. Today, homes are decked out in sparkling lights and there are fireworks, feasts, gifts, and celebrations. The main day of Diwali is celebrated on the New Moon, when the sky is at its darkest and the illumination provides the greatest contrast.  

The Swedish “Santa Lucia Day” holds illumination as a central theme as well. It is a Christian celebration with symbolism adapted from ancient Winter Solstice traditions. It falls on December 13th, which is said to have aligned with the Winter Solstice on the old calendar. (Some still celebrate it on December 21st instead for that reason.) It is in honor of St. Lucia, a young Christian girl with a legacy of goodwill and kindness; legends say that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians hiding in the catacombs under Rome. She would wear a crown of candles to keep her hands free to carry the food. Still in her youth, she was killed for her religion and became a martyr, then a saint. Today, this day is celebrated in her honor by a girl dressing in a white dress and wearing a crown of candles, delivering saffron-infused golden bread or traditional spiced cookies. These celebrations can take place within one household, or can involve the entire town in an early-morning parade! 

Hanukkah, too, is about celebrating the light. Have you ever lit a candle in a dark room and watched the space spring to life, all warm glow and dancing shadows? I think of how inspiring that simple action can be every year when Hanukkah rolls around. I am not Jewish, but my dear friend is and I love learning more about her traditions and sharing them with her. I love the layers of symbolism in every action of her faith and heritage; how specific foods tell the story of her people throughout the centuries. Food is elevated from mere sustenance or even pleasure to a tool of memory (smart, since culinary traditions are easily shared in the ritual of remembrance each year.) 

I have always loved the crispness of potato pancakes complemented with tangy applesauce, but I view them in a far more reverential way now that I know the significance they hold to so many people in the world. Latkes are fried in oil for a reason; that oil represents a miracle of faith and triumph. This annual celebration commemorates the rededication of the Temple during the second century B.C., when the Jews had risen up against their oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. After a long period of oppression and the destruction of the Jewish Holy Temple, this victory was a huge cause for celebration! (In fact, the world “Hanukkah” means “dedication” in Hebrew.) 

Hanukkah specifically celebrates the miracle witnessed there: even though there was only enough olive oil to keep the lanterns burning for a single day, the flames kept glowing for eight miraculous nights. This was seen as an omen and a triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. That’s why, today, Hanukkah is an 8-day festival of celebration. Eight candles are lit, one more each day, because the miracle grew in greatness every day.  (The ninth candle is used to light all the others.) Foods fried in oil, like latkes (potato pancakes) or sufganiyot (jam-filled donuts) are eaten in memory of the miracle of the oil. 

As my friend and I sit in a little cabin in the woods of Oregon, I watch her eyes fill with tears as she shares the story of her people. Her face is illuminated by the first two candles of the menorah and I feel honored to be included in her celebration. I think about the oppression and suffering that her ancestors have survived and feel a deep sense of gratitude that she is there with me on that chilly winter evening, far removed from her ancestor’s homeland that they fought so hard to hold onto. 

Hearing her speak about the miracle of the oil brings a tear to my eyes, too, as I understand the significance of that spiritual illumination. I picture a world of darkness suddenly animated by a glowing lantern. Oh, what comfort that light must have brought, what a feeling of triumph and hope! Making (and eating) latkes will never be quite the same for me again. I find myself pausing in gratitude as I grate the root vegetables or slice up quinces. I know that this is about so much more than celebrating light for the sake of light. Former President Obama captured the message of Hanukkah perfectly when he said "students teach us an important lesson for this time in our history. The light of hope must outlast the fires of hate. That’s what the Hanukkah story teaches us. It’s what our young people can teach us— that one act of faith can make a miracle, that love is stronger than hate, that peace can triumph over conflict.”

This holiday season, let there be peace, tolerance, hope, and latkes. 

Burdock latkes with winter fruit compote

These beautiful golden latkes are adapted to the seasonal wonders of the Pacifiic Northwest. I’ve added burdock root to the traditional potato which adds a slight nutty sweetness and delightful crunch, then paired them with a spiced winter fruit compote in the place of applesauce. 

Burdock is seen as an annoyance by many - you have probably pulled its round burrs from your socks at some point. But burdock is a symbol of resilience, providing food security in the darkest days of winter. Beneath the snow-dusted soil, burdock offers up a long taproot that’s been used for centuries as both food and medicine. Burdock root is often used by herbalists to support the lymphatic system and liver function, but it also makes a wonderful vegetable to cook with! It has a slightly bitter and earthy flavor that mixes well with more mild root vegetables. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is known to help clear away heat, anger, and irritability as it acts on liver meridians. Though this isn’t a medicinal preparation, I like to think that it promotes peace in its own subtle way. A pinch of turmeric and saffron turns it into a cheerful golden color. 

A compote of apples, cranberries, and spices is a festive accompaniment to these latkes, paired with a little sour cream. It reminds us of the sweetness of life and adds a fun textural component to the experience of eating these lovely latkes. The recipe makes extra; jar it up and give as a gift, or pull it out with a cheese board, pancakes, or some yogurt!

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