Two Parties, Two Nights, Two Different Worlds

This weekend we had two parties at the Madison house. The first one featured top-end gourmet food. The second one I themed "junk food for Super Bowl". Talk about contrasts!

Part of the reason I did it this way is because I knew I was going to have to work my fingers numb on the first party. I wanted to do the second one, but would not have time to cook, so I was going to go with a fun potluck idea. Very rarely is a party at my house potluck, so I had to make it extra fun somehow. And besides, the Super Bowl is a great excuse to eat junk food anyway.

Party #1, on Saturday, was a benefit for Hospice. Each year I offer to do a dinner or two that are auctioned off at the annual Hospice Butterfly Gala. This year the Frank family was the highest bidder. The Frank's own one of the biggest liquor distributors in the area. The amount they bid does not include liquor, so I tell people I'll provide liquor and wine at cost or they can bring it. Needless to say, if you are in the liquor business you are probably going to offer to bring the drinks. And they did.

Everything from champagne to port. I can't even tell you how many different wines there were to try. I think there were two or three for each course at a minimum. If you didn't want to have a whole glass of whatever they were offering a "tasting" was offered. There were 14 people in total. If you are my friend Pete you start counting the glassware. Pete is always one of the good sports who stays after to help clean up so he would have been able to see the sea of glassware coming. By the end of the night we were joking that we might have broken the record for the largest number of glasses we could have gotten dirty. It took us over an hour the next day just to wash the glassware. But boy, it was fun. What a fun group of people. Each of them generous with fun stories and lots of laughter. Everything at dinner went off well and they all left with full tummies.

Party #2, the next night, was the Super Bowl party. That party started at 4PM so we barely had enough time to pick up from the last party, run the vacuum, put the dishes away and take a shower before the next group arrived. Then we took dishes back out and set up the junk food buffet. There was everything from popcorn chicken to a beefy-cheesy hot dip that could make you swoon. The dip was the biggest hit of the night. Lots of appetizers to eat during the game. At half time we served more. The theme idea here revolved around the Chicago Bears. Since we live much of the time in Chicago we are newly indoctrinated Bears fans. The hotdog of Chicago is called a Vienna Red Hot, so I set us up to eat those. The Vienna Red Hot isn't hot. That's the brand name, and I knew I would not be able to buy them in Wisconsin, so I brought them up on the trip. I had to bring the buns too. Poppyseed hotdog buns are a rarity up north.

When you make an official Chicago Red Hot you have to put on the ingredients in a special order and there are very specific things involved. If you want to make your own Chicago Red Hots here's what you do. Put the hotdog in the bun. Then pile on mustard and chopped onions. Do not put on ketchup! They will kick you out of some hotdog joints here if you dare ask for ketchup. (I must say I am partial to ketchup on hotdogs so I snuck some on mine). After the mustard and onions you add bright green sweet pickle relish. Regular pickle relish will do but somehow I think they dye the stuff a bright green here. On top of that you add wedges of small, ripe tomatoes and then sport peppers on top with a final sprinkling of celery salt.

I told a couple of people on Saturday night what the menu was for Sunday. One guy, I am convinced, wanted to come the second night just for the Chicago Red Hots.

With the Red Hots, one woman brought her "Ooey Gooey Potatoes" as a side dish. There were a couple of salads, and of course things like Rice Krispie Treats drizzled in hot fudge, a cake, themed cupcakes and more. No one left hungry. Most of us were sad because the Bears lost the game but one little boy, 11 years old, left very happy. His beloved Colts won and he had a pocket full of newly won spending money. He was one happy camper.

You'll be one happy camper after you eat today's featured recipe. At party #1, I served this polenta. Instead of the shrimp involved, I served it with Roasted Beef Tenderloins and a porcini red wine reduction sauce. This version is cheaper to make and, I think, a more southern, fun food. Fast enough for a weeknight. Gourmet enough for a party.

By the way, this would be PERFECT for a Mardi Gras event!

Enjoy! Cheers, Zola

Cajun Shrimp on Jazzed-Up Polenta

Serves 2 - 4 depending on hunger levels

For the Polenta

6 pieces lean bacon. Cut crosswise into little strips
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup corn kernels (preferably frozen but canned will do)
1 cup polenta (try to find Italian polenta instead of cornmeal but either will work)
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp
2 Tbl butter
1 Tbl olive oil
3/4 pound shrimp deveined and uncooked. I use medium-large shrimp
1 Tbl Emeril's Essence spice mixture or use other Cajun spice mix
1/8 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Sauté the bacon until browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Don't wipe out the pan after you drain off the fat. Add the onion and garlic powder and sauté the onions on medium high until the onions are soft. A few minutes will do it. Add the chicken broth and water. Add the corn. Now, very slowly, add the polenta in a stream while you constantly stir the mixture. Don't add too fast or your polenta will be lumpy. Cook on medium, stirring often until polenta is creamy. It will thicken up too. This takes up to 20 minutes. Take the polenta off of the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until they are well mixed in. The cheeses will melt and make the polenta more gooey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Now add the bacon bites and stir again.

In another sauté pan add the butter and olive oil. Heat on medium high until butter melts. Add shrimp and the spices. Stir until shrimp are cooked through. This will take about 3 minutes. You don't want pink in the middle of your shrimp.

To serve put a puddle of polenta on the plate and top with a scoop of shrimp. Drizzle the butter/oil mixture left in the pan over the shrimp too.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola