Oscar Movie Menu

I found this link when I was searching the internet for some clue of what to make for the Oscars. Genius.

There is a lot of French influence in some of the nominees for Best Picture. For a menu inspired by The Artist and Midnight in Paris, I'm doing a champagne cocktail. Here's two recipes:

Classic Champagne Cocktail
Soak a sugar cube in bitters, drop it into a flute, fill the flute with Champagne and garnish with a twist of lemon. This classic drink dates back to at least the mid-19th century.

French 75
There are a number of French 75 recipes floating around; the only thing people agree on is that it's a serious drink with serious ramifications. Here's the classic: a splash of simple syrup, a bigger splash of lemon juice, an even bigger splash (about an ounce) of gin, topped off with a glassful of Champagne.

For a menu inspired by The Descendants, I made a terrific creation from Hotel Hana-Maui in Maui, Hawaii: Crab Cakes with a creamy chili sauce.

Ingredients

Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Crab Cakes
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
8 ounces fresh crabmeat, picked over
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


For Sauce:
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chili garlic sauce and stir 1 minute. Add cream, sake and lime juice. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.

For Crab Cakes:
Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk egg and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons egg mixture into crab mixture (mixture will be dry). Discard remaining egg mixture. Form crab mixture into four 2 1/2- to 3-inch round patties, using about 1/2 cupful for each.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

I didn't see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so I skipped it.

For The Help, I did a good Southern favorite: deviled eggs.

12 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons brown or yellow mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet pickles (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
Garnish: paprika

Cover eggs with cold water by 1 1/2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook eggs, covered completely, 30 seconds. Remove pot from heat and let eggs stand in hot water, covered with lid, 15 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold water 5 minutes to stop cooking.

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, celery, and salt and pepper to taste to yolks and stir with fork until combined well, then spoon into egg whites.

I didn't see Hugo either. Skipped.

So, I'm making a lot it seems and for Moneyball, I would have made this if I wasn't already doing crab cakes. Maybe next time.

Oh boy, The Tree of Life - that's a family dinner inspired by the 50s. As much as I'm sure there are good meatloaf recipes out there, I bailed on making one. I also didn't see War Horse. Skip.

Enjoy your Oscar night!