Food On A Stick: Kobe Beef Lollipops & Chicken Lollipops
 [1] Not another pig-in-a-blanket: Kobe/wagyu beef hot dog lollipops (photos #1 and #5 © Elegant Affairs Caterers).
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July 20th is National Lollipop Day. But lollipops are more than sugar-on-a-stick. There are also savory lollipops—not the hard kind you lick, but more popularly known in catering circles as hors d’oeuvres at cocktail parties and snacks at kids’ parties. Or as some like to call it, food on a stick. The difference between savory lollipops and other food-on-a-stick—such as corn dogs and kebabs—is the size: single bites, in the case of lollipops. Lollipops add a touch of whimsy, a new way to present the classics. Just in time for weekend fun, here are two recipes from Andrea Correale, owner and founder of Elegant Affairs Caterers, a company in metropolitan New York that is one of the leading Hamptons caterers and event planners (she has catered events for L.A. Reid, Mariah Carey, Russell Simmons, and P. Diddy, among others). While the two recipes below require preparation, you can make simple variations without planning ahead. If you don’t have wheatgrass or other food to anchor the sticks, put them in a short jar, or lay them on a tray. Following the Kobe/wagyu hot dogs are recipes for White Sesame Chicken Lollipops and Miso Dipping Sauce. The famed Kobe beef of Japan is imported at very high prices. Instead, most Americans substitute Wagyu, a beef made from the same breed of cattle that are farmed in the U.S. Here’s the difference between Kobe and Wagyu. Ingredients 1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Flour the puff pastry sheet and add Cheddar to one side of the sheet. Evenly distribute and flatten with your hands. 2. PLACE one end of the pastry dough over the cheese end and fold over. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough. 3. MIX mustard and eggs and brush Dijon egg wash all over the dough. 3. TAKE a hot dog, place it at the edge of the dough. Take puff pastry and roll around a hot dog. Use the egg wash to adhere. 4. CUT away the excess dough and pinch the ends together. Repeat with each hot dog. 5. PLACE on a carving board and cut the ends off. Slice into 3/4″ thick pieces. 6. PLACE on a parchment-covered baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a skewer into each piece and place it in a wheatgrass-filled tray. You can also make these with tofu for vegetarian guests.
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Preparation
1. SIFT the flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix together the soy sauce, water, vegetable oil, and a pinch of sesame oil; stir into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the chicken pieces until coated with the batter, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 2. HEAT the oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375°F. Drop in the battered chicken pieces and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. 3. SPRINKLE with toasted sesame seeds to garnish. To serve, skewer chicken pieces using long wooden skewers. Lie on a platter with the dipping sauce, or stick into a 2-day-old loaf of round bread. Ingredients 1. WHISK together in a small bowl the miso, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and salt. While whisking… 2. GRADUALLY ADD the peanut and sesame oils until you have a creamy dressing. 3. SERVE with the White Sesame Chicken Lollipops. |
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