POTLUCK PIZZAZZ
Make food worth sharing
I think of myself as a potluck expert. In the past six years, I’ve participated in approximately 250 potlucks.
Why so many? I belong to a community engagement group of spoon and instrumental horn carvers who get together once a week.
Participants get access to the tools and knowledge, and are asked to bring a dish to share for dinner.
We sometimes are bursting at the seams with 18 people. On average we usually host about 10.
After keen observation, I’ve determined that these are things not to bring to a potluck: stale buns or bread, burnt food, undercooked food, underseasoned food, food that looks like sludge, a jar of relish or jam, hummus, raw vegetables with dip, a bottle of kombucha, or come with raw ingredients expecting to cook them.
Also frowned upon are desserts from grocery stores.
What has been popular? Meatballs, shepherd’s pie, fried rice, borscht, fish curry, quinoa salads, interesting salads, chickpea curry, caesar salad, chicken wings, grilled or roasted vegetables, pakoras, Scotch broth, salmon casserole, crustless spanakopita, storebought rotisserie chicken, roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes with gravy, chicken or vegetable soups, cut up seasonal fruit, kale salad, good cheese, cooked bacon, ice-cream and homemade desserts.
I plan ahead because I know the dinner is happening. There’s no last-minute cooking panic or a box of frozen spring rolls in my domain.
You may think I’m extreme and snobby. It’s just a potluck after all, right?
To my way of thinking a potluck shows your character. If sharing food with others is an afterthought, it definitely shows.
ITALIAN-STYLE MEATBALLS
Makes: 48 meatballs
2 lbs (907 g) ground beef
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1 lb (454 g) mild Italian sausage meat
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped onion
3 oz (86 g) Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped parsley
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 cups (500 mL) panko bread crumbs
1 jar passata (strained tomato purée)
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands until well blended. If you have a stand mixer large enough to hold the ingredients, use it with the paddle attachment.
2. Heat the oven to 350 F
(175 C). Form the mixture into 2-inch (5 cm) balls (approximately 2 tbsp/30 mL)) and place in two 9-by-9-inch (22.5-by22.5-cm) large baking dishes. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and drain off the fat. Combine the passata with the water and pour over the meatballs. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool. Can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Note: This makes quite a few meatballs. You can halve the recipe or freeze half for another meal.
CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CRACKERS
Makes: 40 pieces
40 salted Saltine crackers
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1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter 1 cup (250 mL) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup (250 mL) toasted almonds, chopped
1. Heat the oven to 350 F
(175 C). Line an 11-by-17-inch (28-by-43-cm) baking sheet with foil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Arrange the crackers with the edges touching to cover the pan completely.
2. In a heavy, medium sized pot, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir until the mixture boils; continue stirring and boiling for 3 minutes. Quickly pour over the crackers and spread it out immediately. Bake for 15 minutes, watching carefully for burning. Reduce the heat to 325 F (160 C) if this occurs.
3. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, then spread out evenly across the caramel. Sprinkle with the almonds.
4. Cool and break into individual crackers. Store in an airtight container.