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Impromptu Cocktail Party |
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August can drag on like one of the hot, sticky nights it’s known for, particularly if you’ve already burned your vacation time and half of your friends are out of town. Good news! It’s the perfect time to have an impromptu cocktail party. So, you make the call or send out the email “Yeah, Wednesday night, around 8 o’clock.” Now, what are you going to serve? You don’t want plain burgers and hot dogs (bo-o-o--r-i-i-n-n-g-g!), and to be frank (no pun intended), your culinary creativity is at a minimum. But, since it’s summer, you want to be outside in the yard or on the roof. No problem. Here’s what Be Better Guys suggests all you need for an impromptu summer cocktail party.
August can drag on like one of the hot, sticky nights it’s known for, particularly if you’ve already burned your vacation time and half of your friends are out of town. Good news! It’s the perfect time to have an impromptu cocktail party. So, you make the call or send out the email “Yeah, Wednesday night, around 8 o’clock.” Now, what are you going to serve? You don’t want plain burgers and hot dogs (bo-o-o--r-i-i-n-n-g-g!), and to be frank (no pun intended), your culinary creativity is at a minimum. But, since it’s summer, you want to be outside in the yard or on the roof. No problem. Here’s what Be Better Guys suggests all you need for an impromptu summer cocktail party. Since it’s a cocktail party, you can do something simple. You don’t even need to call in your buddy the DJ – besides, he’s at Dewey Beach for the next week. We’re talking some libation and something to nibble. First, let’s talk about the food. Part 1: The Food Before you reach for the bag of chips and order some wings, let me suggest two things: Bird Burgers and Grilled Flank Steak. Both can be prepped in advance, so all you’re really doing is slapping it on the grill while you catch up with your guests. Both of these can be done on a stove top using a grill pan or in your broiler. And you can keep the chips around, if you want. They’ll go nicely with the guacamole. Bird Burgers with Tomato-Hoisin Sauce 1 lb ground chicken or turkey 1 egg ¼ cup bread crumbs ½ tsp ginger, minced 1 tsp garlic, minced 1 small onion, diced, or ¼ cup green onions, diced Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce - 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 1 small tomato, chopped and seeded (or ½ can of diced tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- ½ tsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp ginger minced
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
 Start with the sauce. Put the Hoisin sauce and tomatoes in a small pan over medium heat, bring to a boil. Add the garlic and ginger and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice wine and salt and pepper, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. It should thicken up, near the consistency of honey. Cook until tomatoes are almost completely broken down, then add the red wine vinegar and remove from the heat. While the sauce is working, combine the ground chicken and the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead. Shape a palm-sized ball of meat mixture into a 4 in. patty. You should get 4-6 patties out of the mixture. Place patties on hot grill for 5 minutes, then turn the patties over. Cook the other side for 5 minutes. Serve on a bun and use the sauce like ketchup. As an alternative, you can make meatballs (about 12 to the mixture) and toss them in the sauce.
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
- 2-2 ½ lb. flank steak
- 4 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes’ worth)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all of the seasoning into a shallow bowl or dish and place the steak in to marinade for at least 30 minutes. The longer it can sit, the more flavor the meat will have. Place flank steak onto hot grill for 4 minutes per side. Then move to a cooler part of the grill for an additional 2 minutes a side. Remove from the grill, let sit 5 minutes before serving. Cut the meat against the grain (perpendicular to the direction the striping of the meat) into thin slices.
This will feed @ 6 people. It’s quick and tasty and nothing tastes as good grilled beef. After you make this, you’re ready to face Bobby Flay on Smackdown. Serve both of these with some grilled summer vegetables like squash, peppers, onions, or even tomatoes, and you’re set.
Now, the drinks. Truthfully, any drink with lime in it works for grilled foods. Something about the acidity and tartness of lime that works nicely, I can’t explain it. However, David loves the Dark ‘N Stormy. If you can find the ginger beer in a 2-liter bottle, you can make a batch in advance; just pour the mix over ice and you’re set. Dark ‘N Stormy
- 2 oz Dark rum. David prefers Gosling’s, but Betancourt 4 year, or Bacardi Gold will work
- 4 oz Ginger beer, which you can find in any Latino neighborhood. Hell, in DC, many of the larger supermarkets carry multiple brands (Inca Cola, Goya, or Reed’s)
- A squeeze of lime
Combine ingredients in a Collins glass, over ice. Stir with a spoon. Sip leisurely. If you’re truly bold, rub the rim of the glass with a piece of fresh ginger. That’ll clear you sinuses.
You have a tasty menu, a good cocktail paring and suggestions for beer and wine. Now all you need to do is pick up the phone and figure who’s around. The great thing is that you get to control the guest list, you call the time. Isn't it better than waiting in line to pay someone to dictate your slow summer evening?
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