Hamilton
I don’t really like musicals. Yep, I said it. But I LOVE Hamilton. I saw it twice—the first time as a favor to a person unloading a ticket in LA (the fool! Sorry Jess), and the second time with my Ma in Chicago.
If you’re familiar with Hamilton, you probably know that it focuses on seminal moments in American history during and just after the country’s revolution against the British. Despite Lin Manuel Miranda’s admitted failure to fully acknowledge some huge issues (slavery, hi hello), at the time Hamilton put a spotlight on America’s immigrant heritage and supplied a musical counterweight to the xenophobic and anti-immigration rhetoric that, btw, is still a huge <expletive> problem.
So, for this menu I chose what many view as quintessentially “American” dishes and tried to acknowledge their often non-American (or otherwise TRULY American) origins.
And now, without further ado, I give you the inimitable, original (and only sometimes off-key when it comes to Lin Manuel): HAMILTON.
The Movie
The Menu
Apple pie is a staple at most American holiday tables, and I'm not complaining. BUT, apples aren't from America at all-- they actually originated in Asia. In honor of the apple's true birthplace, I've created a cocktail that combines sake, apple cider, and bourbon that tastes suprisingly like apple pie. It's time to take a SHOT. Combine all ingredients over ice and stir with cinammon stick. Did you know: fried chicken has origins in Scotland and in West Africa. Though, the latter version was enhanced by all sorts of spices. In this recipe, I've incorporated jerk seasonings in acknowledgement of Alexander Hamilton's Caribbean birthplace Nevis, and the little-to-never acknowledged Taino and African slave populations who brought these marinades to America. On the night prior to cooking, or early in the morning on the day of, assemble the jerk marinade. Whisk ingredients 2-16 (that is, the pepper, scallions, spices, and liquids through to the vegetable oil) until fully incorporated. Taste, and add more bonnet pepper if you feel you can handle the spice! Place the chicken pieces in a plastic bag and pour the marinade in-- seal tightly, making sure to squeeze as much of the air out of the bag as possible. Refrigerate overnight or at the very least for 8 hours before cooking. After you've prepped all you can for your other meal items (hint hint, look at the other recipes in this Hamilton menu), preheat the oven (if it's not heated already) to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and place a wire rack over it. You can now set up your fry station! Remove the chicken from the marinade and set it aside to come to room temperature. Do not throw the marinade away! Strain it into a bowl, and discard the solid materials-- this will be your base for your fry wet mix. Whisk an egg into the marinade liquid until fully incorporated. Then, on a plate or in a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and enough salt and pepper to flavor the dry mix. First, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then dunk into the wet mixture, then re-dredge in the flour mixture. You should see a stubstantial amount of crust forming. Work piece by piece, setting your fully breaded pieces onto the pressed cookie sheet once finished. Let the pieces rest for as long as you can prior to frying, as the more air time they get, the crustier they become! Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat-- you'll know it's ready when drops of water cause it to pop! Add your chicken pieces, tryjng not to overcrowd them. If you can't fit them all, don't worry, you can work in batches. Fry each side for 4-5 minutes each, turning as the crust becomes golden brown. You may need to adjust the heat if the chicken seems like it's browning too fast. Once golden on both sides, place the chicken pieces back on the cookie sheet and finish off in the oven. This should taken about 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of around 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving. This recipe is great for leftovers-- just reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until the skin recrisps! So, the obvious link here is to Angelicaaa, ElIIIIza (and Peggy), the Schyler sisters who at various times challenge and bolster Alexander Hamilton throughout the production. But the more subtle tie is actually to traditional Native American cuisine. Who needs corn on the cob when you could have the "three sisters"-- beans, corn, and squash, the staple ingredients for numerous Native American tribes. Insted of a traditional soup, I've made a light salad to help compensate for the fried and cheesy parts of this menu, with a few southwestern spices to kick the flavor up a notch. First, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, cumin, jalepeno, and a pinch each of salt and pepper until fully combined. Vinaigrette can be made in advance and refrigerated until salad assembly, up to a week. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add corn and boil for 5-7 minutes until kernels are brightened and tender (but not mushy!). Remove corn from water and cool. Next, using a sharp knife, cut kernels away from the ear, if possible keeping the pieces attached. Set aside. Using a mandolin, very thinly slice zucchini at a slight angle-- slices should be almost transparent. Also set these aside. When you are ready to assemble, toss together the corn, zucchini, beans, parsley and vinaigrette. Top with feta cheese, sprinkle with flaky salt and add a healthy squeeze of lemon juice. Apparently Thomas Jefferson introduced macaroni to America whaaaaaat. As a widely regarded Euro-snob, Jefferson brought many of the foods and trends he enjoyed overseas back to the States, including an early recipe (and pasta making machine) for macaroni. But he was only one of many who contributed a distinct European flair to origins of the USA-- this one also goes out to everyone's favorite fighting Frenchman LAFAYETTE (Daveed Diggs in both roles omg amiright?). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the 3-quart baking dish with butter. Melt butter in a medium-sized pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk (it should turn a nice golden brown and smell kinda like popcorn). Whisk in the milk and half and half and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Remove the pot from the heat, add the cheese, pepper, and mustard. Add the cooked macaroni, half the pancetta, and stir well. Salt to taste. Pour into the baking dish. If you can't locate lardons or pancetta, you can always chop up some bacon!
Not So American As Apple Pie Cocktail
Ingredients
Instructions
Fried Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Three Sisters Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Mac & Cheese with Gruyere and Bacon Lardons
Ingredients
Instructions
Add the macaroni to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the bread crumbs. Off heat, add reserved parmesan, and sprinkle in the pepper/salt. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture on top of mac, together with the remaining pancetta. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Notes
EPILOGUE
If you liked this meal, you’ll probably appreciate one of my favorite cookbooks “The Immigrant Cookbook: Recipes that Make America Great”. Collected by Leyla Mousabeck, the book features the recipes of renowned chefs from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia. Enrique Olvera’s Scallop Aguachile is especially delightful…
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For more menus, check out my movie directory here!