This month Wendy of A Day in in the Life on the Farm is hosting the Movies & Munchies group.
On the Screen
I am just going to go out on a limb and admit that I am not much a fan of musicals. When I shared that little tidbit, my friends' responses ran the gamut from - 'I don't even like plays' to 'You just haven't seen the right one'. I hunkered down and watched this one. Then my sister-in-law told me to have Jake sing-shout No Name City for me. I didn't get the reference, but he laughed and it spawned him to put on Paint Your Wagon. And that did not help my conclusion that I am not a fan of musicals!
Before you think me uncultured, I might just have unrealistic standards. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Aida in Verona's amphitheatre; but I walked out at intermission from an opera in the redwoods, wondering if I could get a refund. I will, of course, suffer through any musical production if I have a friend in the cast. And, as an ardent ABBA fan, I will watch any and all version of Mamma Mia!
But back to the movie assigned. La La Land is a throwback to the musicals of old. Think Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Think starry nights, street lamps, and people who are destined to be together dancing on air. Literally. None of that is my cup of tea.
Quick summary: Mia, a striving actress played by Emma Stone, slings lattes between auditions while Sebastian, a struggling jazz pianist played by Ryan Gosling, scrapes by playing gigs in dingy bars. Their lives collide and they fight to balance their affair with their aspirations.
On the Plate
There wasn't a lot of food in the movie, but I was inspired into the kitchen by the exchange Sebastian and Mia have when talking about his dream jazz club. He tells her it's going to be called 'Chicken on a Stick.'
Mia: Sebastian, no one’s going to a club called 'Chicken on a Stick'.
Sebastian: You don’t get it. Charlie Parker got the name 'Bird' because he loved chicken. So my club’s gonna be old-school jazz and beer and chicken. 'Chicken on a Stick.
Mia: No. Drop the chicken. Drinks and jazz.
And my offering is based on a little bit of Seb's hypocrisy. Earlier he tells his sister that a new tapas-Samba place is ridiculous because it mixes two unrelated activities. Samba is an Afro-Brazilian dance and tapas are Spanish. I wouldn't call that a natural pairing, but I would go to the tapas-Samba joint!
Then, as I mentioned, he wants to open a chicken-jazz spot. I considered making tapas, then opted to make a Brazilian-inspired chicken wings recipe: Frango à Passarinho.
Translated literally as ‘little birdie chicken’, Frango à Passarinho is a typical Brazilian appetizer consisting of chicken marinated with lime juice and seasonings, breaded, and deep fried in oil. Then they are topped with garlic, olive oil, and parsley. I decided to make my own version, skipping both the breading and the frying. I made these in the oven and they were delicious, but definitely not traditional.
Ingredients
juice from 3 organic limes, divided
1 Tablespoon mustard (I used yellow mustard)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons minced garlic, divided
2 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded and cut at the joint
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 organic lime
Procedure
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice from 2 limes, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and 1 Tablespoon minced garlic. Place chicken wings in the bowl and massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate overnight or for, at least, an hour.
Remove chicken from the fridge and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place wings - skin side up - on the prepared baking sheet. Roast them for 45 to 50 minutes. They will be cooked through and the skin nicely browned and crisped.
To finish, place juice from 1 lime, 2 Tablespoons parsley, remaining 1 Tablespoon minced garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cooked wings and toss to coat. Place wings on a serving platter and place lime wedges on the side.
That's a wrap for my offering for February's Movies & Munchies flick, La La Land.