I’m not sure when it started. I was fairly young and remember begging my mother to let me stay up for the whole show. I brushed my teeth and put on my “fanciest” nightgown and was allowed to watch until 9 p.m. The next year, my bedtime was stretched to 10 p.m. And, finally, when I was a preteen, I was given permission to watch the entire show. I hadn’t seen any of the movies — unless it was a year when a musical or a Disney movie received nominations — but it didn’t matter. My obsession with the Academy Awards, the Oscars, the night of glitz and glam, knew no bounds. I loved it all: watching the women in flowing gowns, the men in fancy suits and tuxedos, the lights, the gold statuette, the clips of the movies, and watching as the stars hobnobbed with one another, pecking the left cheek and then the right.
Suffice it to say, I don’t think I’ve ever missed watching the awards show. I root for my favorite movies and actors as if they are my closest friends, as if I somehow have a role in this industry and my cheering matters.
These days, I think about what to eat as we watch, what foods will satisfy but not pull me away from the show. Sure, we could get takeout. But it’s almost easier to make something really simple where all the work is done ahead of time so you can run into the kitchen during the commercials and heat something up, grab a few bowls and plates, and dig in without missing any of the action.
These three dishes pay tribute to some of the nominated films and stars. But, even more importantly, they are recipes that can be prepared entirely, or almost entirely, ahead of time.
First up is a play on words: “Song Sung Blue” cheese dip for Kate Hudson, nominated for her work in the movie “Song Sung Blue.” The dip is made in a bowl (no equipment needed except a spoon) and is an ideal way to start the show; serve the dip with raw vegetables, chips, or chicken wings.
Next is a nod to the beautiful movie, “Hamnet.” I created a ham in a net and cheese turnover with wild herbs, a kind of savory turnover using frozen puff pastry, cooked deli ham, cheese and “wild herbs.” The ham in a net turnovers can be put together a day ahead of time and baked just before you want to eat them, or you can bake them before the show begins and serve them warm or room temperature. The “wild” herbs can be a mixture of anything you have access to: chives, parsley, dill, thyme, fennel fronds, etc.
Next up: almond and honey cake as a tribute to the film “Bugonia.” Honey plays a key role in the movie and its title. This cake uses ground almond flour and slivered almonds and has a pronounced honey flavor. It can be made a day ahead of time. In fact, some people in my household claim it tasted even better the next day.
Other culinary inspirations from this year’s nominees
- A lightly toasted bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon and thin slices of raw onions and capers to pay tribute to the Lower East Side life portrayed in “Marty Supreme.”
- One apple after another: An apple pie or tart to play off the powerful film “One Battle After Another.”
- A Norwegian open-faced sandwich with brown bread, creme fraiche (or sour cream), smoked trout or salmon, and fresh dill sprigs for “Sentimental Value.”
- “Frankenstein” and beans, anyone?
- Gumbo would be the perfect ode to the much-nominated movie “Sinners.” Director Ryan Coogler says his family is famous for their gumbo. “Sinners,” a multiple-genre film, is, according to Coogler, “like a home-cooked pot of gumbo.”
- Much of the film “Blue Moon” takes place in the bar of New York City’s legendary restaurant Sardi’s. Cocktail anyone? A blue moon is a Prohibition-era cocktail combining gin, creme de violette and fresh lemon juice.
‘Song Sung Blue’ cheese dip
Kate Hudson received a Best Actress nomination for her role in “Song Sung Blue.” That Neil Diamond song has been playing incessantly in my head for a few months now, so it seemed only natural to come up with “Song Sung Blue” cheese dip.
Blue cheese is mashed and mixed with sour cream, a touch of mayonnaise, lemon juice and scallions. What gives it extra depth are scallions sauteed over high heat in olive oil and then chopped and added to the dip. Serve with chicken wings, chips, and/or crudite (think carrots and celery slices, fennel wedges, radishes, etc). The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. Serves 4.
Pro tip: Find a recipe for sweet and spicy wings here.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ounces blue cheese (I love Point Reyes Farmstead Blue Cheese from Northern California, but you can use your favorite brand)
- 1 scallion, very finely chopped
- ½ cup sour cream
- About 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For a garnish:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 scallions, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces
- Crudites (raw sliced carrots, celery, radishes, fennel, etc.)
- Potato chips
- Chicken wings, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, mash the blue cheese with the back of a kitchen spoon or fork. Mix in the scallion, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and lemon juice.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the scallions and cook, spooning the oil on top of the scallions, for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until they char and look crisp and brown along the edges. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Finely chop two of the scallion pieces and mix into the dip. Serve the remaining two scallion pieces on top of the dip. Serve with chips, vegetables, and/or chicken wings.
Ham(net) and cheese turnovers with “wild” herbs
“Hamnet” has been nominated for multiple awards, including Best Picture and Jessie Buckley for Best Actress. The story of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, who spends hours in the woods foraging wild herbs, is the inspiration for this savory turnover. If you use frozen puff pastry (look for Dufour or an all-butter brand) this turnover comes together very quickly. The “wild herbs” here can be chives, parsley, dill, fennel fronds, etc. The pastry in this turnover acts as a metaphor for the “net,” as in “Hamnet,” that wraps around the ham, cheese and herbs. Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
- Flour for rolling the pastry
- 14 ounces all-butter frozen puff pastry, slightly thawed
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 6 ounces (about ⅓ pound) sliced cooked ham (from the deli)
- ½ cup shredded cheese, like sharp English cheddar, Gruyere, Parmesan, or your favorite hard cheese
- 4 tablespoons fresh “wild” herbs like chives, dill, parsley, thyme, fennel fronds, chopped
For a garnish:
- About ¼ cup “wild” herbs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie or baking sheet and set aside.
- Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll out one square to about 8 inches by 6 inches. Lightly brush the inside of the pastry with some of the melted butter.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese on top of the butter. Place ¼ of the chopped ham on the bottom half of the pastry square. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the herbs on top of the ham.
- Using your hands, fold the top half of the pastry down over the ham and herbs and press down to seal the pastry. Pinch the pastry around the bottom and sides to make sure it’s tightly sealed. Brush the top of the pastry with a touch of the melted butter and sprinkle on another tablespoon of cheese, pressing down gently to make sure it adheres to the butter and pastry.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of pastry and ingredients, making sure the turnovers don’t touch on the baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pastry on the middle shelf for about 22 to 30 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown. None of the pastry should look raw or undercooked. Serve the garnish herbs scattered on top and the sides of the pastry. Serve hot or warm.
Pro tip: The pastry can be prepared a day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Honey and almond cake
Yorgo Lanthimos’ award-winning movie, “Bugonia”, opens on a scene of bees flying around a field of wildflowers. Honey plays a role in this strange and compelling film. When you search the word “Bugonia,” you find: “Bugonia refers to an ancient Greek, pseudo-scientific practice and belief that honeybees could spontaneously generate from the rotting carcass of a sacrificed ox or cow. Deriving from the Greek words for “ox” (boûs) and “progeny” (gonē), it symbolized the creation of new life from decay.”
So it seems in keeping to bake a honey cake to top off your Oscar watching party. Look for a full-flavored honey (yes, there is a huge difference between the mass-produced grocery store squeezable teddy bear stuff and farm-raised honey). The cake can be made an hour or a day ahead of time, covered, and kept at room temperature. Top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice cream. Serves 6 to 8.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (the butter should be quite soft)
- ¾ cup slivered almonds
- 1¼ cups white flour (140 grams)
- ¾ cup (90 grams) almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup good quality honey
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream (or creme fraiche, or whole fat plain yogurt)
For a topping:
- Confectioners’ sugar, creme fraiche, Greek yogurt, ice cream, or whipped cream
Pro tip: If you don’t have almond flour, you can make your own by placing 1 cup blanched or raw almonds in a food processor or blender and pulsing until the almonds are coarse, but not pasty. Scrape down the sides and pulse again. Remove and place through a sifter. You could also use all white flour, but you’ll miss out on the nutty flavor.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom with the 1 tablespoon of butter. You could also use a regular 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with a round sheet of parchment, and then grease it or use a springform pan. Sprinkle the almonds on the bottom of the pan, using your hands to press them into the butter, so they adhere to the bottom; set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the white flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer), beat the butter until soft. Add the honey and mix until incorporated with the butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream. Add the reserved flour mixture and beat for just a minute until fully incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the cake pan over the almonds, smoothing the top. Bake on the middle shelf for about 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Use a kitchen knife to loosen the cake by working around the edges. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and let cool completely.
- Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar through a fine sieve to decorate and/or serve with any of the toppings.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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