Cooking with Olive Oil

The Festival of Lights is often not associated with lighter foods. Limiting the doughnuts and latkes are the best way to lighten it up. I’m making other Hanukkah favorites that feature olive oil. Olive oil is not only a healthy type of fat but also serves to remind us how the oil lasted during Hanukkah. And in case you cannot resist, a baked doughnut recipe for a special treat.

Chai Tea and Roasted Garlic Spiced Chicken

Serves 8

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons crushed loose chai tea, from 6 – 7 tea bags
• 1 head roasted garlic **
• 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• 2 chickens, cut into 1/8’s
• 2 lemons, halved
• 2 tablespoons honey, divided
• 1 cup white wine, divided
• Additional head roasted garlic, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mix olive oil, tea, roasted garlic pulp, salt and pepper. Stir well.

Place chicken in a single layer, skin side up, in 2 baking pans. Rub the chai mixture all over the chicken pieces and under the skin. Place 2 lemon halves in each pan snuggled between pieces of chicken. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Carefully, remove chicken from oven. Drizzle each tray of chicken with 1 tablespoon of honey and pour ½ cup white wine around chicken. Return to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes or until browned and thickest part of breast registers an internal temperature of 165°F.

Serve chicken on platter with pan juices. Squeeze caramelized lemons on top or serve alongside as garnish and additional head of garlic on platter.

How to Roast Garlic

• 1 head garlic
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• 1 teaspoon honey, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Slice the top off the head of the garlic. Set the garlic on a large piece of aluminum foil.

Drizzle oil and honey, if using, over the garlic, allowing the oil to cover the garlic completely. Wrap tightly with the foil and place directly on wire rack. Roast for 45 minutes, or until the garlic is softened. Remove from oven to cool, and then squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins

Olive Oil and Garlic Whipped Potatoes

Serves 8

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large head garlic, instructions in recipe above
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ cup soymilk
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

To prepare the potatoes: Place potatoes in a large stockpot; add enough water to cover and salt well. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes; transfer to a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until chunky.

Add reserved roasted garlic, ½ cup of the olive oil, soymilk, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to mashed potatoes; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Drizzle with remaining olive oil; stir in chopped chives.

Serve warm.

Lemon Olive-Oil Cake

Serves 10

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising) (If you do not have cake flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour, take out 2 tablespoons and replace it with 2 tablespoons cornstarch)

• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
• 5 large eggs, separated, reserving 1 white for another use
• 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for greasing pan
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Pareve whipped cream, garnish, optional

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch spring form pan, then line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Grease parchment.

In a bowl, mix flour with lemon zest.

Beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add olive oil and lemon juice, beating until just combined the mixture may appear separated. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, do not beat.

Beat the egg whites from 4 eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until foamy, then add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes.

Gently fold whites into yolk mixture. Transfer batter to spring form pan and gently rap against work surface once or twice to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until puffed and golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side of pan. Transfer cake to a serving plate.

Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Doughnuts

Makes 2 dozen

Batter

• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 1 cup pareve milk or milk

Topping

• 1/3 cup cinnamon-sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the margarine/butter, oil, and sugars until smooth. Add eggs, beating to combine.

Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.

Spoon the batter into the lightly greased doughnut pans, filling the wells to about 1/4" shy of the rim.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven; cool 5 to 7 minutes before turning them out of pans onto a rack.

Shake warm doughnuts in a plastic bag with cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.