Loukoumades with Honey-Orange Sauce
Loukoumades with Honey-Orange Sauce might be just the hor d'oeuvre you are searching for. This recipe covers 3% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Watching your figure? This dairy free and vegetarian recipe has 155 calories, 2g of protein, and 6g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 24. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Hanukkah. If you have ground cinnamon, flour, orange juice, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.
Instructions
Dissolve yeast in 1 1/4 cups warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon orange rind, salt, and egg, beating at medium speed with paddle attachment. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. With mixer on low speed, add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing until a spongy, soft dough begins to form (dough will be very soft and wet). Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place (85), free from drafts, 1 hour.
Clip a kitchen or candy thermometer to the side of a large, heavy saucepan.
Add 5 cups oil to pan; heat oil over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 37
Reduce heat to medium, checking frequently to maintain oil temperature. Carefully spoon 4 (1-tablespoon) dough portions into hot oil; cook 2 minutes on each side.
Remove fried dough with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, orange juice, 1 cup honey, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until honey dissolves. Keep warm.
Serve sauce with loukoumades.
Wine note: A bold, unctuous dessert wine is the match for these fritters, and this California offering, Herzog 2007 Late Harvest Riesling ($20), fills the bill. Sweet but not cloying, it's got just enough acid to help even out the loukoumades' rich flavors. Its concentrated fruit notes are a great match for the accompanying citrus-tinged honey syrup. --Adeena Sussman