Cooking for Chanukah

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From the Shomrei Kitchen

Every holiday seems to have its food traditions. The most familiar one from Hanukkah is that of frying foods in oil to remind us of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights.

However, there is another less well-known Hanukkah food tradition, that of eating dairy foods in tribute to Judith who wooed the enemy general Holofernes with wine and salty cheese. When he was drowsy with the food, she killed him and cut off his head. Gory, isn’t it? But dairy foods like cheesecake certainly aren’t.

The following recipe is a sophisticated form of the old standby, grilled cheese. Served with soup and salad this would make a hearty mid week supper during Hanukkah. Dessert could be olive oil cake.

MOZZARELLA EN CARROZZA
4 snack servings

Ingredients:
1 ball fresh mozzarella
4 slices white or, crusts trimmed
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 heaping tsp minced flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
Plain bread crumbs or panko
Olive oil, for frying
Serve with marina sauce or sriracha sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Cut mozzarella into enough ¼ inch thick slices to cover 2 slices of bread. Reserve remaining mozzarella
for another use. Top cheese with remaining 2 slices of bread, to make 2 sandwiches, and press down to
compact and seal.

2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, garlic, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs
on a plate.

3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, pour the in oil to a depth of 1/4-inch. When the oil is hot, dip each
sandwich into the egg mixture, dredge in the bread crumbs, and fry, turning once, until crisp and the cheese
has melted.

4. Cut each sandwich in 1/2 and serve, while still hot, with marinara or sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.

Yield: 8 servings

DIPPING SAUCE
Mix together 2 Tablespoons of ketchup and 1 teaspoon of sriracha sauce.

For a cake made with olive oil, try this Orange Olive Oil cake
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing the pan
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice and zest of 1 large orange (3T juice, 1tsp zest)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Or sprinkle sugar on bottom
of pan for a crackly texture.

2. Mix together the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended and
light.

3. Drizzle in the olive oil and vanilla and mix until light and smooth. Add the orange juice and zest and mix well.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl. Add the flour mixture
half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix on low just to incorporate.

5. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cake cool 15 minutes, dust with
confectioners’ sugar and serve.

For extra orange flavor, add a little orange extract

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