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Use tonight (in advance of Hanukkah, which begins at sundown Friday) to try out this unusual latke combo: meat, potatoes and oniony goodness all in one. It might not be quite as crisp as a classic potato pancake, but the flavor's great. The recipe comes from Vered Guttman, an Israeli-born caterer in Washington, whom we profiled in this 2008 article.

There's enough time and space in this recipe to make a quick raw beet salad, which provides a fresh bit of crunch and color. And if latkes are new to you, this dish makes a fine introduction to the genre.

Leek and Beef Latkes With Beet Salad
Makes 28 to 30 latkes (4 to 5 servings)

6 medium leeks

1 medium potato (about 6 ounces; preferably not red bliss)

2 raw beets

1/2 medium red onion

1 lemon

1 teaspoon ground sumac (optional)

Vegetable oil, for frying

Leaves from 4 stems flat-leaf parsley

2 large eggs

8 ounces lean ground beef

1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs