Decorate These Frozen Foods for Your Next Party.
There is no shame in eating frozen prepared food. And while it’s true that my appetite is as wide and all-encompassing as a garbage troll, I’d go so far as to say there’s no shame in serving other people frozen prepared foods. The freezer may be the home cook’s greatest resource for catering events large and small, but that doesn’t mean your food has to look like it just rolled out of a box.
The benefits of eating frozen boxed foods are that the quality of boxed foods is constantly improving, there is a wide variety available, and the hard part is often done for you. Plus, we’re currently in the glory days of air frying, and there’s honestly nothing better for that little box of fish fingers or falafel balls. It’s like they were all born for air frying.
Whenever I throw parties, I tend to overdo it with things made from scratch and run out of time. The best time saver for me is to add a few frozen air fried pieces like below, but you could seriously cook the whole batch this way. The idea is to make a regular frozen slice look perfect by adding a couple of well-planned ingredients.
How to turn frozen food into gourmet food
My equation for success is: base item + sauce + contrasting texture. You can always garnish here with a pinch of flaky salt or chopped peanuts, but always add whatever is needed. Think of sauce as an opportunity to highlight a balance of flavors, such as acidity, saltiness, or spiciness. The ingredients you use to create contrasting textures can be anything from crunchy raw vegetables to chalky cheese or juicy soft olives. Just aim for something that contrasts with the main texture.
I love the variety at Trader Joe’s so I mostly featured their items here, but you can use these ideas with any brand’s version. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Unusual fish nuggets
Who knew fish fingers or fish nuggets could be made cute? Any fish product with a crispy coating on the outside will do. Place them in the air fryer to crisp them up. Meanwhile, slice the red onion as thinly as possible. You don’t need much. Add it to a small bowl and pour vinegar over the slices to marinate faster.
I get fancy with some Melinda Jalepeno Ranch Sauce on the plate. After the nuggets had cooled a bit, I tossed them into the sauce and topped each fish nugget with a pinch of pickled red onion.
2. Colorful falafel pieces
Falafel always inspires me to bring in other Mediterranean flavors, and the crispy crust offers a softer contrast to the fillings. Heat falafel balls in air fryer according to package directions. Meanwhile, thread halved cherry tomatoes and salted Kalamata olives onto desired number of toothpicks. Mix feta cheese crumbles with a cup of plain yogurt to make a tangy, creamy sauce. Once the falafels are hot, place them on a plate and top with the yogurt sauce. Alternatively, you can spread the sauce on the bottom of the plate and place the balls on top of the sauce layer. Insert a tomato-olive toothpick into each piece.
3. Steamed star dumplings
Trader Joe’s gyoza dumplings can also be pan-fried to crisp them up, but I like to steam them. To add a little crunch, I quickly blanched some bok choy leaves and used them as a vehicle to transport the dumplings. Drizzle with soy sauce or sweet and sour vinegar sauce for the dumplings if you have it. Add a pinch of crispy fried garlic and serve. (My deepest apologies, they were eaten before I took the photo.)
4. Frozen pizza with a twist
Pizza is a little different because it is a large pie that, in addition to the crust, cheese and sauce, already has a different texture. Take this as an invitation to have fun. I used Tarte au Brie et aux Tomate from Trader Joe’s and baked it in the oven according to the instructions on the box. After it had cooled for a few minutes, I tossed a handful of arugula on top, tossed in some torn prosciutto, and cut into a ball of burrata. To add some sweetness and tartness, I drizzled with a balsamic glaze.
If you’re a person who likes to host but doesn’t particularly like to cook, or you just don’t have much time, get rid of the stereotypical thinking. You won’t have to bread cutlets, roll meatballs, or deep-fry anything today. Take advantage of the freezer and add your homemade touches for the win.