Confetti Latkes: Parsnip and Carrot Pancakes

I'm generally a bit of a purist about Ashkenazi Jewish food. When a Jewish holiday comes around, I want to eat foods that taste exactly how I remember them from childhood - Simple, hearty, with no gourmet ingredients or avant-garde interpretations. For this year's Chanukah Party, however, I decided that to mix it up a little. In addition to a gluten-free version of the standard potato latkes, I created a recipe I have nicknamed "Confetti Latkes"... Colorful vegetable pancakes made with carrots, parsnips and chives. They are delicious with sour cream (but save the applesauce for the potato latkes!)

PARSNIP AND CARROT LATKES

1 pound parsnips
1/2 pound carrots
1 large onion
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup of chives, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup Rice Flour Mix
Olive oil for frying

Peel and remove ends from parsnips and carrots. Grate parsnips and carrots by hand or with your food processor's grater attachment. Place in large bowl. Puree onions and garlic in food processor and add to vegetable mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Heat 1/2 inch of olive oil in a heavy pan until right before the oil's smoking point. Add 1/4 cup of batter at a time to the hot oil, pressing gently with the back of the spatula until each pancake is 1/2 inch thick. Cook until the exterior is crispy and a dark golden brown in color (approximately 2 minutes), flip and cook on the second side. Remove with slotted spatula and place on plate lined with several layers of brown paper or paper towel. Serve hot.