Culinary adventures: Pastry-wrapped beef-mushroom bites steal the show at an Oscar party
Award season is in full swing and while I love seeing movies, I am equally intrigued and inspired by Oscar-themed party menus.
Hollywood has its share of after-parties that shine the spotlight on celebrity chefs and fancy food. The Vanity Fair and Governor's balls seem to be two of the most celebrity-studded parties; the latter catered by chef Wolfgang Puck who became a celebrity himself for his trendsetting, award-worthy appetizers and menus. Smoked salmon cut to resemble the iconic Oscar statue topped with caviar, lobster dumplings, mini chicken potpies and burgers have all risen to the level of “fancy food.” Last, and perhaps the best example of comfort food turned upscale are his petite crocks of bubbly macaroni and cheese topped with shaved truffles!
Far from the Hollywood lights my friend Barb Karon hosts an Oscar party in her suburban home and serves much more than popcorn and Raisinettes. Barb loves movies, but also enjoys good food, and asks guests to bring food related to a nominated movie, or its actors. Her previous spreads have included crabby snacks (“Silver Linings Playbook”), samosas (“Life of Pi”) and fruit kebabs and dip (“The Descendants”).
Barb was full of ideas for this year's party, tossing out recipes for everything from cocktails to dessert including British pub food like bangers and mash, think “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything,” and a decadent pastry tower from Mendl's bakery featured in “The Grand Budapest Hotel” complete with a how-to video. Other recipe ideas included pizza from the first date scene in “Whiplash” and mini biscuits and jam as seen in “Selma.”
I haven't seen all of this year's nominated movies, but I've come up with some ideas inspired by those I have seen, plus some inspired by Wolfgang Puck's menus.
Individual mini macaroni and cheese cups are easy; make your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe, generously spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray, fill with mac-n-cheese, top with buttered bread crumbs and bake until golden. Gently run a knife around the outside of each “muffin” to release. These remind me of the movie “Boyhood,” but you can also make them Wolfgang Puck-worthy by adding a tablespoon on truffle butter or flavored oil to your mac-n-cheese mixture prior to baking.
How about mini sandwiches made of egg salad or bacon-lettuce-tomato on mini biscuits (“Selma”), cocktail meatball in marinara sauce (“Feast”), hummus or mini burgers (“American Sniper”), or maybe a butter sculpture for a centerpiece (“Butter Lamp.”)
Beef Wellington Bites, with their British roots, serve in a perfect “supporting role” to best picture nominated “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything.” In addition to being tasty, they are also impressive, while being easy to make, and can be made ahead and frozen until party time.
They start with seared filet mignon cut into bite sized pieces and a mixture of mushrooms, shallots, garlic and herbs simmer with Madeira wine. The meat and mushrooms dotted with a bit of blue cheese and wrapped up in squares of store-bough puff pastry (look for it in the freezer aisles). After a quick brush with egg wash and about 20 minutes in the oven you will have beautiful bronze little packages of deliciousness that are sure to impress your family and friends.
Some like to make their Wellingtons with paté instead of mushrooms, and other recipes even add prosciutto, so feel free to substitute your favorite filling, the baking time and process is the same.
No party is complete without dessert and Barb often uses her Oscar-shaped cookie cutter to make sugar cookies topped with gold sprinkles, but you may also want to add cream puffs drizzled with colored icing and sparkling sugar, inspired by “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” or cupcakes as featured in the last scene of “Feast” where Winston the dog devours cupcakes that have been thrown on the floor. If you are a chocolate lover you might even want to take a trip to Morke's Chocolates in Palatine to pick up a life-size gold dusted Oscar statue, which would also make a great centerpiece.
I hope these ideas inspire you to roll out the red carpet and invite family and friends over for an Oscar-themed party. Popcorn optional.
• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge.