Vote for your party — then come to the party. Election night is a great time to invite friends for a casual dinner in front of the television. You don’t want to miss a thing, so create a spill-proof menu that requires a minimum of silverware and can be eaten on your lap. Start by passing a platter of caponata-filled Romaine leaves — not even a spreader is required.
For the main dish, what could be more patriotic (and easier to eat) than the all-American kosher hot dog? Serve with an assortment of relishes and condiments on lightly toasted buns, and add caramelized onions to elevate it to gourmet status.
While coleslaw and potato salad are the requisite sides, some unusual salads crafted from seasonal produce can make this informal dinner more interesting. For dessert, top your slice of cake with either a “red state” raspberry or “blue state” blueberry puree — or both, for bipartisan leanings.
May the best man win.
Caponata (Eggplant Salad) in Crisp Romaine Leaves
Serves 8-12
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup imported black olives, pitted and halved
2 Tbs. capers, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
1⁄2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1⁄2 cup golden raisins, soaked in 3 Tbs. red wine for 1 hour
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 heads fresh Romaine lettuce
Caponata: In a large skillet heat oil. Sauté eggplant and onion about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except lettuce) and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Let cool and season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Arrange Romaine leaves (use the unblemished inner leaves) in a spoke-like fashion on a large round platter. Place about 2 Tbs. caponata on curly end of each leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.
Olive Oil Cake with Berries
Serves 8
4 eggs
3⁄4 cup sugar
2⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
4 Tbs. sugar
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Beat the eggs in a mixer for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is very foamy and pale in color. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The cake is done when it is golden brown, springs back when touched, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool briefly in the pan, then tip out onto a cake rack to continue cooling.
Puree raspberries with 2 Tbs. sugar. Puree blueberries with remaining sugar. Serve with cake.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].