Teriyaki chicken wraps for an easy Oscar party
Whether you'll be hosting a crowd or watching solo, Oscar night calls for dinner with a bit of panache.
So let's reverse engineer this. To help you get in the mood, you'll want to drink something with bubbles. Sparkling wine is the obvious choice, though don't forget the sparkling cider for those abstaining. But you don't have to sip them straight up. Sparkling wine and cider are delicious when doctored.
For either, consider puréeing watermelon, then pouring the purée into ice cube trays and freezing. Drop one cube into each glass, then top with the sparkling beverage. Or for something more wintry, grab a jar of amarena cherries, an Italian treat of sour cherries packed in syrup. Drop one into each glass, then fill and sip.
With the drinks sorted, we need something that works with bubbles. Fried food is perfect, but who wants to deep-fry at home? The other happy companion to bubbles is Asian food. So I created a simple teriyaki chicken that is served in lettuce wraps. The recipe comes together quickly, but has wonderful savory, yet light, flavors that work perfectly with your cocktails.
• J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at LunchBoxBlues.com. Follow him on Twitter @JM—Hirsch or email him at jhirsch@ap.org.