Recipes by Myron Cohen: Potato Latkes; Red Pepper-String Bean Stew

Myron Cohen's Potato Latkes

5 large potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt
A few gratings freshly ground black pepper
Sweet butter

Peel, grate and drain potatoes. Add eggs, matzo meal and seasonings, mix well.

Drop batter by spoonfuls in melted butter deep enough to cover the pancakes. Brown on both sides over moderate heat. Serve piping hot with sour cream or chilled applesauce. Serves four.

Myron Cohen's Red Pepper-String Bean Stew

3 lbs. boneless lean beef chuck, cut in 2-inch cubes
1/16 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup tomato sauce
About 2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon crushed tarragon
2 small yellow onions, peeled
4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut in large pieces
8 small carrots, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 pound string beans

Roll meat in blended red pepper, salt and black pepper. Brown meat in heated vegetable oil in heavy kettle. Add tomato sauce and enough water to barely cover meat. Cover and simmer slowly 1 1/2 hrs. or until meat is quite tender. Watch carefully so meat does not burn or stick. Add water as needed.

Add tarragon, onions, potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer 30 minutes (or until potatoes begin to soften). Meanwhile, wash beans thoroughly, rejecting any limp or shriveled beans. Remove blossom and stem ends, pull off strings. Add whole beans to kettle, cook over medium heat about 20 minutes (or until beans are barely tender). Correct seasonings. Serves 8-10.

Thoughts: Select small, garden-fresh string beans for best flavor. Ad lib the quantity of cayenne to suit the palate, but be sparing on the quantity of liquid used. The stew should be thick and vegetables barely tender to insure optimal flavor and texture.