Latke Eggs Benedict And Mazel Tov Martinis: Chef Manouschka Guerrier Celebrates Hanukkah (VIDEO, RECIPES)

WATCH: Vodka And Latkes: How L.A. Chef Manouschka Guerrier's Celebrating Hanukkah

We're in the home stretch of Hanukkah -- the eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem circa 2nd century BCE -- and Los Angeles chef Manouschka Guerrier's cooking up a yummy holiday brunch.

On the menu: Vodka and latkes, of course. Hanukkah's traditional potato pancakes represent one of the most miraculous events in Judaism -- the eight days of light God's people received from a single vat of oil -- hence, the deep fried goodness Guerrier's paired with briny capers and salmon caviar.

For a proper Hanukkah toast she's let cilantro, cucumbers and lemon work their magic inside a container filled with vodka before serving the infusion up dirty martini style.

Watch her make it in the HUNGRY Holiday Kitchen video above, and check out the recipes below.

Latke Benedict with Cream Cheese Hollandaise, Fried Capers and Salmon Caviar
Makes 12 Latkes Benedict

4 Yukon gold potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled
1 large Vidalia onion
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
1 2-ounce jar Salmon Caviar
Mixed green salad seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil

Fried Capers
1 4-ounce jar capers, drained
Olive oil

Cream Cheese Hollandaise
4 egg yolks
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 stick butter, melted
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons warm water

Poached Eggs
2 teaspoon white vinegar
12 large eggs
Ice

For Latkes:
1. Preheat oven to 250F.
2. Use a box grater to grate potatoes and onion, put mixture into a colander lined with cheese cloth and squeeze until potatoes and onion are dry. Transfer to a clean bowl and add eggs, flour, scallions, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Scoop about a 1/3 cup of potato/onion mixture for each latke and fry in the oil until golden brown on each side. Place finished latkes on a cookie sheet and put in warm oven until ready to serve.

For Fried Capers:
1. In the same pan used to fry latkes, heat remaining oil until hot. Add capers and fry until they become crisp and begin to open up slightly. Remove capers to a paper towel lined plate.

For Cream Cheese Hollandaise:
1. In a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice until the yolk mixture thickens.
2. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue whisking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat and add salt, cayenne pepper and cream cheese. Whisk until the cream cheese is melted into the sauce, if too thick add warm water a half a tablespoon at a time.

For Poached Eggs:
1. Fill a wide saucepan with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the vinegar and stir to combine.
2. Prepare an ice bath.
3. In batches, carefully crack eggs into simmering water and cook 3-4 minutes for runny eggs. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon into a bowl filled with iced water. Continue to cook all the eggs.

To Assemble:
1. Place latkes on a plate and top with sliced red onion, tomato, poached egg, hollandaise, fried capers and salmon caviar. Serve with a light mixed green salad on the side.

Mazel Tov Martini
Makes 1 Martini

Infused Vodka:
1 bottle vodka
3 Hothouse cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 Meyer lemons, thinly sliced

Martini:
3-4 ounces infused vodka
1 pint Feta cheese stuffed olives with brine
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 jar cocktail onions

For Infused Vodka:
1. In a large container with a tight fitting lid combine vodka, cucumber, cilantro, and lemon. Close tightly, store in a cool, dark place and allow to infuse for at least 3 days. When serving, strain out the chopped cilantro.

For Martini:
1. Combine the infused vodka with olive juice, to your taste, in a martini shaker with ice and shake. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Thread a feta cheese stuffed olive, cherry tomato and cocktail onion onto a skewer and garnish the martini. Serve.

Before You Go

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