# Schmaltz-Fried Eggs over Potato Latkes with Braised Greens, Gribenes, and Kraut > Crisp potato latkes catch the rich yolks of over-medium eggs fried in schmaltz. Soft winter greens get a generous scattering of gribenes, while cold, sharp kraut cuts through the golden edges and chicken fat—a good way to carry Hanukkah into a New Year’s brunch. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/late-hanukkah-potato-latkes-with-schmaltz-fried-eggs-braised-kale-with-gribnes-a - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-01-01 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Schmaltz-Fried Eggs over Potato Latkes with Braised Greens, Gribenes, and Kraut](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fcf13591111794ec1.jpg) ## Gribenes and Rendered Schmaltz Slow rendering produces both crisp chicken-skin cracklings and the flavorful fat used for the eggs and greens. Adding onion after the skin begins rendering keeps it from burning before the skin becomes crisp. ### Ingredients - 12 oz chicken skin with attached fat, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch pieces - 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced - 1/4 cup water - to taste kosher salt ### Instructions 1. Place the chicken skin and water in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the skin begins to fry in its own fat, about 15–20 minutes. 2. Add the onion and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring more frequently as the pieces brown. The skin should be deep golden and crisp, and the onion browned but not black. 3. Lift the cracklings and onion onto a fine-mesh strainer set over a heatproof bowl. Drain well, then spread on a plate and season lightly with salt. 4. Strain the remaining schmaltz into the bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon for the greens and 3 tablespoons for the eggs; keep the gribenes uncovered until serving. ### Notes - Fat yield varies with the skin. Have a little purchased schmaltz available if the batch yields less than 1/4 cup. - Keep the heat gentle toward the end: browned onion adds sweetness, but scorched onion makes the fat bitter. ## Traditional Shredded-Potato Latkes Thoroughly squeezed russet potatoes and their recovered starch make latkes with crisp, lacy edges and tender centers. A small amount of cassava flour binds without turning the mixture into a heavy batter. ### Ingredients - 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled - 1 medium yellow onion, peeled - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten - 2 tbsp cassava flour - 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 3/4 teaspoon fine salt - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 3/4 cup ghee, for shallow-frying, adding more as needed ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 225°F and set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. 2. Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion. Place them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over a bowl until very little liquid remains. 3. Let the liquid stand for 5 minutes, then carefully pour it off, retaining the white potato starch settled on the bottom. Add the squeezed vegetables, eggs, cassava flour, salt, and pepper to the starch and mix thoroughly. 4. Heat a 1/4-inch layer of ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat to about 350°F. A strand of potato should sizzle immediately without scorching. 5. Divide the mixture into eight portions. Fry in uncrowded batches, flattening each portion into a roughly 4-inch round about 1/3 inch thick. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply golden, crisp, and cooked through. 6. Transfer to the rack and keep warm in the oven. Let the ghee return to temperature between batches, adding more as necessary. Stir the remaining potato mixture before portioning and leave behind any excess liquid. ### Notes - Fry a small test piece first and adjust the seasoning. - Keep the latkes in a single layer, uncovered, so steam does not soften their crust. ## Braised Winter Greens A short covered braise softens sturdy winter greens, then reducing the liquid leaves them rich rather than watery. Gribenes are added only at serving so they stay crisp. ### Ingredients - 2 large bunches kale, about 1 1/2 pounds before trimming - 1 tbsp rendered schmaltz from the gribenes - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 3/4 cup gluten-free unsalted chicken stock - 2 tsp apple cider vinegar - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Strip out tough kale stems and cut the leaves into 1-inch ribbons. Wash well and drain. 2. Warm the schmaltz in a wide pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. 3. Add the kale in handfuls, turning until wilted. Add the stock and a small pinch of salt, cover, and simmer gently for 12–18 minutes, until tender. 4. Uncover and cook for another 3–5 minutes, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the greens look glossy rather than soupy. 5. Stir in the vinegar and adjust salt and pepper. Keep warm and add the gribenes only when plating. ### Notes - For collards, cut into narrow ribbons and allow an additional 10–15 minutes of braising, adding stock if the pot becomes dry. ## Schmaltz-Fried Eggs, Over Medium Schmaltz gives the whites crisp, savory edges. A brief cook after flipping sets the surface of the yolk while leaving the center thick and creamy. ### Ingredients - 8 large eggs - 3 tbsp rendered schmaltz from the gribenes - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the schmaltz in two large nonstick or well-seasoned skillets over medium heat, dividing it evenly. 2. Crack four eggs into each skillet, spacing them as well as possible. Season lightly and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the whites are nearly set and the undersides are golden. 3. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently flip each egg with a thin spatula. Cook for another 45–90 seconds, until the whites are fully set and the yolks feel thickened but still yield gently when touched. 4. Transfer immediately onto the hot latkes and serve. ### Notes - If using one skillet, cook in two batches; finish each batch just before serving. - For diners who need fully cooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs for a soft center or cook until both white and yolk are firm. ## Kraut Cool fermented cabbage provides the sharpness and crunch that balance the fried potatoes, eggs, and chicken fat. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 cups plain fermented sauerkraut ### Instructions 1. Drain the sauerkraut lightly without squeezing it dry. 2. Serve cool or at room temperature, allowing about 1/3 cup per person. ### Notes - Do not rinse unless excessively salty; its acidity is important to the balance of the plate. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Rendering the chicken skin first supplies the schmaltz for the rest of the meal. Latkes tolerate a short oven hold, while the eggs should be cooked last. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Start rendering the chicken skin. Slice the onion for the gribenes, wash the greens, and prepare the latke ingredients. 2. 0:20 — Add the onion to the rendering skin when the water has evaporated. Heat the oven and set up the latke holding rack. 3. 0:35–0:50 — Finish and strain the gribenes. Start the greens with 1 tablespoon of the rendered schmaltz. 4. While the greens braise, grate and squeeze the potatoes and onion, mix the latke batter, and fry the latkes in batches. Hold them uncovered on the rack in the oven. 5. Drain the kraut and reduce the greens until no loose broth remains. Have the plates and gribenes ready. 6. Cook the eggs last, then plate immediately so the latkes remain crisp and the yolks stay creamy. ## Plating Eggs directly over the latkes let the yolks become their sauce. Keeping the greens and kraut beside them preserves the crisp potato crust. ### Instructions 1. Place two hot latkes on each plate and top each with an over-medium egg. 2. Spoon the greens alongside and scatter generously with gribenes and browned onion. 3. Add a separate mound of kraut, leaving its brine behind so it does not soak into the latkes. Serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Separate storage and dry reheating restore the potatoes and cracklings without overcooking the greens. Fresh eggs make the best second serving. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate latkes, greens, gribenes, and any cooked eggs separately within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days; keep kraut refrigerated according to its package instructions. 2. Reheat latkes on a rack in a 400°F oven for 10–15 minutes, until hot and crisp. Re-crisp gribenes on a separate tray for the last 3–5 minutes, watching closely. 3. Warm the greens in a small covered saucepan with a splash of water, then uncover to evaporate excess moisture. 4. For the best texture, fry fresh eggs for the reheated latkes. Reheat any saved eggs until fully hot, accepting that their yolks will firm up. ### Notes - Freeze cooled latkes in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen on a rack at 400°F until crisp and hot. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.