Movie Night

Meal Plan Occasions 3: Even More Special Occasions

Occasion 6 · Movie Night

Today at a glance. A finger-food feast for 4 people, for a film or a big match at home. The wings go in the oven first, the nachos are assembled while they finish, and the cookie bars are baked earlier in the day. Everything is for eating with your hands, so you may want a big pile of napkins. Quantities are for the whole table, in metric with UK names.

Main meal

Main meal · Serves 4 · Beef and chicken

Loaded Beef Nachos and Sticky Chicken Wings

Prep: 25 minutesCooking: about 50 minutesAbout 50 minutes of hands-on workServes 4

Ingredients (4 portions)

  • 1.2 kg chicken wings (about 16 whole wings, or 24 wingettes)
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil, for the wings
  • 4 tbsp runny honey, for the glaze
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce, for the glaze
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, for the glaze
  • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed (for the glaze)
  • 500 g beef mince (10 to 15% fat)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed (for the beef)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tin (400 g) kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp oil, for the beef
  • 300 g tortilla chips (a large bag)
  • 200 g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 tomatoes, diced (for the salsa)
  • ½ red onion, finely chopped (for the salsa)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, for the salsa
  • 150 ml soured cream, to serve
  • 1 small jar pickled sliced jalapeños, to serve (optional)
Make it ahead
Make the beef topping and the salsa the day before, and reheat the beef until steaming hot. Marinate the wings in the glaze overnight if you like. On the night, the wings go in the oven first, and the nachos are assembled while they finish.

Method

  1. The wings: heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Pat the wings dry with kitchen paper and toss them in the oil, a pinch of salt and pepper on a large baking tray, in a single layer. Roast for 35 minutes, turning once.
  2. The glaze: in a small pan, mix the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, chilli flakes and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Simmer for 3 minutes, until thick. After the wings have had 35 minutes, take them out, pour the glaze over, toss and roast for 10 minutes more, until sticky and dark at the edges and cooked through.
  3. The beef: while the wings roast, heat the 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the mince for 6 minutes, breaking it up, until brown all over and no pink is left. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin and tomato purée for 1 minute. Add the beans and tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes, until thick. Season.
  4. The salsa: mix the diced tomatoes, red onion, lime juice and coriander in a bowl, with a pinch of salt.
  5. The nachos: turn the oven down to 200°C (180°C fan) once the wings are out, or use a second oven shelf. Spread half of the tortilla chips on a large baking tray lined with baking paper, spoon over half the beef, and sprinkle with half the cheese. Add the rest of the chips, beef and cheese in a second layer. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
  6. Top the nachos with the salsa, soured cream and jalapeños. Put the wings on a separate plate or board, and serve everything while hot, with lots of napkins.
Cook the chicken and beef through
Chicken wings must be cooked right through, with no pink near the bone, and the juices running clear (75°C). The beef must be cooked until no pink is left and steaming hot. Wash your hands, the board and the tongs after handling raw chicken. Chill leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 2 days, reheated once until steaming hot.

Swaps

Pulled pork or shredded chicken on the nachos. Chilli sauce in the glaze for heat. Guacamole on the side. Vegetarian nachos with extra beans and sweetcorn.

Shopping list for this recipe

Dessert

Dessert · Makes 12

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Prep: 15 minutesOven: 22 to 25 minutesAbout 20 minutes of hands-on workCuts into 12 bars, so serves 4 with leftovers

Ingredients (4 portions)

  • 125 g butter, melted, plus a little for the tin
  • 150 g light brown soft sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175 g plain flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 150 g chocolate chips (or a chopped chocolate bar)
Make it ahead
Bake them in the morning or the day before. They keep for 3 days in an airtight tin, and can be warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave to make the chocolate gooey again. Vanilla ice cream on warm bars is the right way to watch a film.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 20 cm square tin and line it with baking paper, leaving some hanging over the edges.
  2. In a large bowl, stir the melted butter and sugar until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  3. Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt until just combined, and then fold in about two thirds of the chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and sticky.
  4. Press the dough into the tin with the back of a spoon (wet your hands if it sticks), and scatter the rest of the chocolate chips on top.
  5. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top but still slightly soft in the middle. It will firm up as it cools.
  6. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then lift out using the paper and cut into 12 bars.

Swaps

Chopped nuts, mini marshmallows or pretzels pressed into the top. Peanut butter swirled in. Milk or white chocolate in place of the dark.

Shopping list for this recipe
Coming up next
Occasion 7 is a dinner party for 6, with slow-roast lamb shoulder, dauphinoise potatoes and green beans, followed by a banoffee pavlova.