So, the Emmy Awards are happening on Aug. 25.Just as television buffs raced home from work for their favorite series' premieres, hosted viewing parties for every new episode or binged watched entire seasons solo (this reporter is guilty as charged), the same living-room-crowding sentiment will be echoed during the awards show next week.
Watching it without TV-themed food and booze just seems wrong, though. Thus, NYC-native Liz Neumark, who founded the Great Performances catering company, shared her recipes for pumpernickel "dirt" and spicy pineapple margaritas with CL.
The "dirt," called Red's Secret Garden of Crudité, conjures thoughts of Orange is the New Black's latest season, while The Yellow King cocktail, Neumark's second recipe, is inspired by True Detective.
Red's Secret Garden of Crudité
Pumpernickel "Dirt"
Ingredients
1/2 loaf day-old pumpernickel bread
6 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt
Method
Tear or roughly chop the bread into bite-sized pieces. Toast on a sheet pan until dry and crumbly, then allow to cool.
Pulse bread crumbs in food processor for about 20 seconds until they resemble the consistency of dirt.
Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse to the point that the dirt can be packed but is not soggy.
Season to taste, then use as a "soil" base for crudités, or sprinkle over pasta or roasted veggies, particularly cauliflower and broccoli.
The Yellow King
Spicy Pineapple Margaritas
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz vodka
4 1/2 oz yellow pepper purée (see below)
1 oz pineapple syrup (see below)
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon
Black pepper, for garnish
Thai basil, for garnish
Method
Make the yellow pepper purée and pineapple syrup. Then combine all of the ingredients. Shake and serve on ice. Garnish with a black pepper rim and a sprig of Thai basil.
Roasted Yellow Pepper Purée:
Yields 2 cups
2 roasted yellow peppers, skin and char peeled off
1 oz water
Salt
Blend yellow peppers and water with a pinch of salt.
Pineapple Syrup:
1/4 pineapple, sliced into chunks
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
Boil all ingredients together for 15 minutes on medium heat. Blend and strain through a fine sieve.