Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "The Hangover"

"The Hangover" was one of those movies that I initially didn't want to see. I like "Dude Flicks" as much as the next girl, but you've seen one, you've seem 'em all, ya know? I was sadly mistaken, the movie was hysterical, and I know I'm not the only one who will be going to see "The Hangover 2",which opens later this month.







To celebrate the sequel, I have crafted a menu that the sizzling, succulent and with an alcohol content that could possibly get you sauced!

The Menu:
Bourbon-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp
Roast Salmon with Pinot Noir Syrup
Penne alla Vodka
Frozen Cocktail Pops- Margaritas, Mango Daiquiri, Blue Martini

Bourbon-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp

Recipe Courtesy of Monkey Dish


Ingredients:

1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup olive oil
36 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. bourbon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine garlic, basil, pepper, and oil; add shrimp. Marinate 1 hr. refrigerated.
Melt butter, add brown sugar, bourbon, salt, and pepper and cook 3-5 min., or until the mixture foams; set aside.
Working with six shrimp at a time, lay the shrimp flat, side by side, and all turned the same way. Push 2 soaked wooden skewers through each set of six, sliding one skewer through at the point where the meat and tail meet and the second skewer through at the other end. This will keep the shrimp from twisting.
Grill shrimp 2-3 min. per side, basting with bourbon butter, and again when they come off of the grill. Serve immediately

Roast Salmon with Pinot Noir Syrup

Recipe Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups pinot noir wine
1 fresh rosemary sprig, plus 1 teaspoon chopped
4 salmon steaks (about 1/2 pound each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the sugar in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick and with rounded sides, and turn the heat to medium. Cook, without stirring (just shake the pan occasionally to redistribute the sugar) until the sugar liquefies and begins to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully add the wine.

Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the caramel dissolves again. Then add the rosemary sprig and reduce over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to just over 1/2 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper, then put it in the pan; immediately put the pan in the oven. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn the salmon and cook for another 3 minutes. Check to see that the salmon is medium rare or thereabouts (it should be), remove it and keep it warm, or cook for another minute or two if you like.

When the sauce is reduced, stir in the balsamic vinegar and butter and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the butter melts, add some salt and pepper and remove the rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve over the fish, garnished with the chopped rosemary.

Penne alla Vodka

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Ingredients
1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce, blended until smooth
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound penne

Directions
Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.

Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Frozen Cocktail Pops


Margarita Popsicles - Recipe Courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Kosher salt, for garnish

Special Equipment:
4 small cups (recommended: Dixie), 4 popsicle sticks

Directions:
Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth. Pour into the cups and cover the top of each cup with foil. Place the popsicle stick in center of cup (down through foil, which will hold it in place). Freeze until hard, preferably overnight. Remove from freezer and run cup under warm water to loosen popsicle. Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Mango Daiquiri Ice Pops - Recipe Courtesy of Yummly

Ingredients:
3 cup mangoes (chopped peeled, 2)
6 tbsp light rum
1/2 cup granulated sugar (superfine)
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then force through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup
Pour into molds and add sticks
Freeze at least 24 hours

Blue Martini Ice Pops - Recipe Courtesy of Epicurious

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
6 strips fresh lemon zest (1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons gin
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
1 tablespoon blue Curaçao

Special equipment: 5 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds and 5 wooden sticks

Directions
Simmer water, sugar, and zest in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup, then stir in gin, vermouth, and Curaçao. Discard zest. Pour into molds and freeze at least 24 hours. Add sticks when mixture is slushy, about 1 hour.