Red/Blue State Party Dishes, On A Budget
Whether you live in a red state of a blue state, and no matter which presidential candidate you support, you'll probably want to nibble on goodies as you watch the returns come in on Election Night.
And if you're throwing a party, you're sure to get the votes of your guests with an assist from Gail Simmons, special projects manager of Food & Wine magazine.
As The Early Show's "Chef on a Shoestring" Saturday, Simmons served up recipes for simple cocktail party food, all small plates and all bipartisan in nature! We gave Gail a special, but still thrifty budget of $80 to try to stick to for a party menu for eight people.
Menu
Food Facts
Thai Red Curry Paste: Curry paste is a moist blend of ground or pounded herbs and/or spices and other seasonings. Curry paste is primarily known an important ingredient in Thai cuisine. Red curry paste includes red chili peppers (fresh or dried), shallots, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, salt, shrimp paste and kaffir lime zest. The level of heat can be controlled by the amount of chili peppers added.
Fish Sauce is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, Cambodian, and Filipino cuisine and is used in other Southeast Asian countries. In addition to being added to dishes during the cooking process, fish sauce can also be used in mixed form as a dipping condiment.
Vinho Verde is a Portuguese wine from the Minho region in the far north of the country. The name literally means "green wine," referring to its youthful freshness rather than its color. The Vinhos Verdes wines are light, fresh, and intended for drinking within a year.
RECIPES
Red, White, and Blue Potato Cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds red, purple and yellow new potatoes, 1/2 inch in diameter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup sour cream
Cut chives, for garnish
METHOD:
Steam the potatoes over boiling water until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Let the potatoes cool slightly on a plate.
Cut each potato in half and use a small melon baller to scoop out an indentation, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each potato cup so it won't wobble.
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and season lightly with salt. Arrange the potatoes, scooped side down, on the baking sheet and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the undersides are golden. Let cool slightly.
Arrange the potatoes on a platter, mound each with sour cream and top with and chives. Serve immediately.
Three Cheese Mini Macs
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 packed cup)
4 ounces deli-sliced American cheese, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 425°.
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.
Brush four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.
Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.
Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 min¬utes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.
"Barack"olli & Cheddar Cheese Dunk
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets with about 2 inches of stem attached
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water
6 ounces sharp or mild white cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
Kosher salt
METHOD:
In a large, deep saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Fill a steamer basket with the broccoli, add it to the saucepan, cover and steam over high heat until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a platter.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the mustard and cheese and cook over moderately low heat until the cheese is melted. Season the sauce with salt, transfer to a bowl and serve with the broccoli.
For more recipes, go to Page 2.
Left & Right Wing Chicken Wings
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 pounds chicken drumettes (upper portion of the chicken wing)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Lime wedges, for serving
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 450° and position a rack nearest the top.
In a large bowl, whisk 1/2 teaspoon of the red curry paste with the oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread the chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven; preheat the broiler.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar and the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons of red curry paste and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Add the coconut-curry sauce and toss to coat. Pour off any excess fat on the baking sheet. Return the chicken to the baking sheet, pouring any excess sauce over it. Broil for 5 minutes, turning once, until browned. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with lime wedges.
Waffles with Bananas & Pecans
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, separated
2 large ripe bananas, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sugar
Maple syrup, for serving
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Spread the pecans in a pie plate and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Lower the oven temperature to 225°.
Preheat a waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk, melted butter and egg yolks. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just until moistened; lumps are okay. Fold the bananas into the batter.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat until firm peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Fold the whites into the batter until no streaks remain.
Oil or butter the waffle iron. Pour 1 1/4 cups of batter into the iron and bake until the waffle is golden, about 6 minutes, depending on the iron. Transfer the waffle to an oven rack to keep warm. Continue to cook the remaining batter in 3 batches. (There should be no need to regrease the iron between waffles.) Separate the waffles and serve with the toasted pecans and maple syrup.
Bi-Partisan Punch
INGREDIENTS:
2 navel oranges
4 bottles (750 ml each) white Vinho Verde
1 cup Rosemary Syrup*
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup mint leaves
Ice cubes, for serving
METHOD:
Using a knife, peel the oranges, removing all of the white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections into the bowl.
In a punch bowl, mix the wine and Rosemary Syrup. Add the oranges and cucumber slices; let stand for 1 hour. Garnish with the mint and serve over ice.
*Rosemary Syrup
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
4 rosemary sprigs, rinsed
METHOD:
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup and chill.
How did Gail do with our $80 budget?!
Swing State Salsa
Salsa $2.69
Tortilla Chips $2.49
Red, White, and Blue Potato Cups
potatoes $3.99
sour cream $1.19
chives $1.49
Left & Right Wing Chicken Wings
red curry paste $2.49
chicken drumettes $9.01
coconut milk $1.79
Asian fish sauce $1.99
lime .49
Three Cheese Mini Macs
elbow macaroni $1.69
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese $2.24
cheddar cheese $2.79
American cheese $3.00
paprika .79
Barack-oli with Cheddar Cheese Dunk
1 pound broccoli 2.99
1/4 cup heavy cream 1.19
6 ounces sharp or mild white cheddar cheese 2.79
Waffles with Bananas and Pecans
pecans $2.69
cornmeal $1.29
bananas .62
maple syrup $4.49
vanilla ice cream $1.99
Bi-Partisan Punch
navel oranges .5
white wine $15.6
cucumber .66
mint leaves $1.99
rosemary sprigs $1.99
FINAL COST = $76.92