I was browsing a book from the library (Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook: Official Holiday Recipes From a Galaxy Far, Far Away by Jenn Fujikawa.) There I saw a recipe about a soup being topped with octopus in oil. I thought the idea was excellent because in every adventure there is almost always a scene in a tavern where some kind of soup or porridge is being served to the heroes before they get into trouble somehow. And I happened to find an amazing seafood salad at Costco, that included a few whole octopuses and tasted amazing. I made my own version of shrimp and clam chowder, served it in rustic looking sourdough bread bowls , and topped it with the seafood. The seafood, specially the octopus, looked like alive creatures trapped in the soup and waiting to be eaten. Just like Jabba the Hutt when he ate a creature alive.
You will need:
4-5 Sourdough bread bowls. Make them or buy them at you nearest bakery. I bought the bread bowls at Panera Bread.
Your favorite soup. I made my version of clam and shrimp chowder.
Wild toppings that brings you and your guests out of your comfort zone. I used Renna Seafood Salad from Costco.
Instructions:
Open the bread in the top and scoop some bread out to make room for the soup.
I wanted to have some kind of veggie in our party and this technique resulted in an alien looking veggie, almost like a pill bug. It was perfect for our party since Pill bugs are now part of the Star Wars World. I chose to hasselback tomatoes and stuff them with pesto and cheese but this dish is so versatile that you can choose what to hasselback and what toppings to use.
I did not know what Hasselback or Hasselbacking was (It turns out the word is now being used as a verb because you can hasselback almost everything). Hasselbacking is cutting thin slices on a fruit or vegetable but leaving the slices attached at the bottom (no cutting the slices completely through). Then the fruit or vegetable is topped with desired toppings and drizzled with some fat. Some are baked, some are not, but baking creates a crispy top that is the best part and the reason why hasselbacking is special.
You will need:
8 Roma Tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese or Gruyère cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Bead crumbs
1/2 cup Pesto, I used store bought
Baking tray and wire rack
Instructions:
Line rimmed baking tray with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet. Cut 1/4-inch-thick slice from 1 long side of each tomato. Turn tomatoes onto cut sides so they sit flat, then slice each tomato but leave the slices attached at the bottom.
Mix 1 cup Mozzarella, bread crumbs and pesto in a bowl.
Open tomato slices and spread cheese mixture evenly between tomato slices (about 2 tablespoons per tomato). Sprinkle remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan on top of tomatoes.
Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
Arrange tomatoes on prepared wire rack. Broil until cheese is golden brown, about 7 minutes.
Our guest Pete brought this drink to our party and it was a hit. Who would have thought that lemon and coffee would go well together? But it does! This drink is refreshing and consider making a large batch to keep your friends hydrated and focused while paying the game(s).
Right on time for Star Wars Day (May 4th) we are playing Star Wars: The Clone Wars from Z-Man Games. The dinner party starts with the Qui-Gon Gin-Zinger cocktail. For food we have Admiral Ackbar “It’s a Trap” Soup, Porg on a Stick, Roasted Pill Bug, and Galaxy Cakes. So get a drink, grab a bite and get ready to play Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
I got inspired by the actual “board” of Star Wars: The Clone Wars board game. The board shows a collection of planets from Star Wars galaxy. I decided to bake miniature cakes that will resemble a hemisphere of a planet protruding from the board. The dark and the light sides of the force are also integrated in the flavors of the cake. A dark chocolate cake represents the the dark side of the force and a white chocolate buttercream and glaze represent the light side of the force. As a little detail, these mini planets have chocolate ganache centers that, while optional, will surprise your guests with a delicious planet core.
Mini Galaxy Cake
Here’s how to make this galactic dessert perfect for the upcoming May 4th or any Star Wars related activity.
Your favorite frosting recipe or store-bought frosting. I made White Chocolate Swiss buttercream.
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghirardelli*)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp confection sugar *
2 tbsp unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup of water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup of white chocolate
gel food coloring in different colors. I used pink, black, turquoise and purple
baking tray with wire rack
fine-mesh strainer
Instructions:
For the ganache centers: Place bittersweet chocolate, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator for 20 mins.
For the cakes: Prepare cake batter according to your recipe or box mix instructions. Place the silicone molds on top of a baking sheet to help moving the silicone molds in and out the oven easier. Fill the semi-spheres of the mold with cake batter. Gently place dollops (about 1 tsp) of chocolate ganache in the center of each cake. Bake cakes according to recipe and rotate half way through baking. Since these are small cakes check doneness in 18-20 mins. Use the force and you’ll know when they are ready! Also, you can insert a toothpick in the center of a cake and if it comes out clean, the cakes are ready. Let the cakes cool in molds for 10 mins, then transfer to the wire rack and let cool for 1 hour.
For the frosting: Prepare frosting batch according to your recipe or do nothing if you are using store-bought frosting.
To frost: Spread frosting throughout each cake with a small spatula. Place wire rack inside baking sheet, and you can place a piece of parchment paper between the baking sheet and wire rack to help with cleanup. Place frosted cakes on wire rack and place the baking sheet with cakes in freezer while making glaze or in refrigerator for a longer period of time.
For the gelatin glaze: In small bowl, use spoon to stir together gelatin and ¼ cup water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
In small saucepan, combine sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and remaining ½ cup water. Cook sugar mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula, until mixture starts to bubble around edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat and slide saucepan to cool burner.
Scrape gelatin mixture into sugar mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add white chocolate chips and stir until melted and mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
Place fine-mesh strainer in medium bowl. Pour chocolate mixture through strainer; discard solids. Let glaze cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour ½ cup glaze into liquid measuring cup. Pour another ½ cup glaze into second liquid measuring cup. Add gel food coloring to each glaze and combine in bowl according to your preferences.
Remove cakes from freezer/refrigerator. Working quickly, pour glaze over top of chilled cakes.
Let cakes sit for 5 minutes, allowing extra glaze to drip off cake. Slide spatula under cakes and carefully lift glazed cakes. Transfer glazed cakes to serving platter and place in refrigerator to chill until glaze is set and no longer sticky, about 20 minutes.
Remove cakes from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before serving.
