[1] Our mother and grandmother always served olive oil and vinegar in cruets, so people could serve themselves at the table. They’re becoming a thing of the past, as salads come pre-dressed from the kitchen—or as more people use commercial dressings (photo courtesy Flavor For Life).

[2] The easiest switch is to serve EVOO with bread, instead of cholesterol-packed butter. You can add a splash of lemon juice or seasonings to enhance the oil—that’s what commercial bread dippers do (photo THE NIBBLE).

[3] For tastier homemade chips, use olive oil instead of canola or other neutral oils (photo courtesy My Name Is Yeh | California Olive Ranch).

It’s still the month for resolutions, our annual hopes of changing parts of our lives for the better.

Adding more extra virgin olive oil to your life is one way, switching out less healthy fats.

EVOO is a heart-healthy fat, high in polyphenols. It can lends extra flavor and textures to your favorite dishes.

Olive oil is a versatile ingredient, and can replace other fats like butter and canola oil in almost all recipes, for a health boost.

Think bread with an EVOO dipping oil instead of butter. Eat salad with an EVOO vinaigrette instead of creamy, heavy dressings. Use it as a pasta sauce.

Here are three suggestions from California Olive Ranch to swap in extra virgin olive oil.
 
 
1. BAKING

Using olive oil in baked goods may seem strange to Americans, but it’s the fat used in Greece, Italy, southern France and the other olive oil-rich lands around the Mediterranean.

EVOO adds a nuanced flavor to sweet treats, keeps cakes moist, and adds a luscious crumbly texture to crumbles.

Some baking recipes will call specifically for extra virgin olive oil, but you can also substitute olive oil in recipes that call for butter for the flavor and health benefits.

Try these recipes:

 
 
2. HOMEMADE VINAIGRETTE

Homemade vinaigrette takes two minutes to make, at a mere fraction of the cost of buying bottled dressing. And no bottled dressing can beat the taste (or the quality of ingredients) of a simple homemade vinaigrette.

Here’s a recipe that uses lemon juice instead of vinegar. It’s more sprightly. You can substitute lime juice, which is a classic Mexican variation.

Homemade Vinaigrette Ingredients

 
Preparation
Just place all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake to combine. Is so easy: How can you not make your own vinaigrette?
 
 
3. SAUTÉ & FRY

It’s not true that you shouldn’t cook with extra virgin olive oil. It’s perfectly suitable for frying, poaching and sautéing.

The accurate statement is that you shouldn’t cook with your $20 bottles of it—save the pricey bottles for salads or drizzling.

Good olive oil will stand up well to high frying temperatures. A general rule of thumb is that the higher the quality of the oil and the fresher it is, the higher the smoke point will be.*

Quality olive oil has a high smoking point upwards of 425°F, well above the ideal temperature for frying food of around 350°F. See the comparison chart below.

In addition to frying eggs in olive oil, EVOO is a great choice for a simple stir-fry.
 
Can we entice you to make this recipe for Olive Oil Sweet Potato Chips?

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*A high quality oil loaded with antioxidants will hold its form longer, while a lower quality oil with high free fatty acid content will smoke at a lower temperature.
  

On a freezing day like today, cook something that will stick to your ribs. One option is the Mexican dish, posole (also spelled pozole).

While Americans eat lots of burritos, enchiladas, tacos and tostadas, not many outside the Southwest are familiar with posole, a dish made from hominy.

Posole means “hominy” in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs. It’s a cross between soup and stew (here’s the difference between soup and stew).

Hominy, which is cooked like beans, is made from shelled, dried maize (corn) kernels that have been treated with an alkali—lye or lime solution—in a process called nixtamalization, that makes the kernels puff up.

The kernels are then washed to remove the excess solution, the hull, and often the germ. The hominy (photo #3) has a chewy texture and is often likened to the flavor of a corn tortilla.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF POSOLE

The Aztecs believed that humans were made out of masa (cornmeal dough) by the corn gods. Since maize (corn) was a sacred plant for the Aztecs and other Mesoamericans, posole was a special-occasion dish.

There’s a gruesome bit about the origin of the dish, in the footnote* below.

Posole was mentioned in the Florentine Codex by Bernardino de Sahagún, a 16th-century Franciscan friar, missionary priest and pioneering ethnographer of the Aztec culture.

In modern times, posole remains a beloved dish throughout Mexico. It is considered festive and and is commonly enjoyed for special occasions—Christmas, Independence Day, weddings, etc.—but can also be dished up whenever you feel like it. You’ll find specialty restaurants called pozolerias in Mexico.

The dish is spelled pozole or posole in different parts of the country.
 
 
RECIPE: POSOLE ROJO (RED POSOLE) WITH CHICKEN

This recipe for classic Mexican posole (poe-SO-lay) comes to us from Rancho Gordo, our favorite source for dried artisan beans and related products.

It uses dried hominy. Don’t be tempted to use canned hominy: It cooks up with a rubbery or gummy texture.

Posole Rojo is Mexican comfort food, a stew of shredded pork or chicken and hominy in a red chile broth. Aside from the time it takes to soak and cook the hominy, the recipe is easy to make—and it’s loaded with authentic Mexican flavor.

Posole Verde is made with green chiles. Posole Blanco, has no chiles in the broth but is served with a salsa of manzano chiles on the side.
 
Ingredients For 6-8 Servings

[1] Posole typically is an overnight affair: up to 10 hours to soak the hominy. This recipe from Budget Bites gives you a version that takes just 30 minutes.

[2X] Posole with four garnishes. Here’s the recipe from Food & Wine.

[3] Hominy from heirloom corn, at Anson Mills.

 
Preparation

1. HEAT the oil in 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the tomato paste, chile powder and oregano, stirring until all ingredients are warmed through and well mixed.

2. ADD 4 cups water, the broth and the posole. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for half an hour.

3. ADD the chicken, stir, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in individual bowls with garnishes on the side, so each diner can use his/her favorite toppings.
 

To Cook Dried Posole

1. SORT through and rinse the posole/hominy. Soak from 6 to 10 hours in cold water, then strain. In a large pot…

2. ADD the soaked posole (about 2 cups), 3 quarts of water and a roughly chopped onion. Bring to a hard boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for about 4 hours. The posole will flower, like popcorn, when it’s finished.

3. STRAIN and use in any recipe calling for cooked posole. You can freeze any extra drained, cooked posole.
 
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*Mesoamerican people conducted ritual human sacrifice. Originally, pozole was made from the meat of prisoners whose hearts had been ripped out in ritual sacrifice. After the Spanish conquest in 1519, cannibalism was banned and the meat in the dish was replaced with pork [source].

†New Mexican red chile powder and Mexican oregano are available from RanchoGordo.com.
 

[1] Fried extras with extra dazzle from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

[2] Spring onions, not to be confused with green onions, a.k.a. scallions (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

How does the great Chef Jean-George Vongerichten enjoy his fried eggs?

With asparagus, bacon and crisp croutons. He recipe is quite simple. Since asparagus isn’t in season, feel free to substitute broccolini, broccoli rabe or green beans.
 
 
RECIPE: JEAN-GEORGE VONGERICHTEN’S FRIED EGGS

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
 
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*Here’s the difference between spring onions, green onions (scallions) and their relatives.
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1. COOK the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to separate the pieces, until golden and the fat is rendered, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. ADD the bread and asparagus and season with a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon and bread are evenly browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. BREAK the eggs into the pan, letting the whites run together. When the bottom just sets, sprinkle the chili, dill and a small pinch of salt over the eggs. Cook until the white are set and the yolks are runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.
 
 
>>>CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EGGS<<<