Jurassic Park
An industrialist invites some experts to visit his theme park of cloned dinosaurs. After a power failure, the creatures run loose, putting everyone's lives, including his grandchildren's, in danger. Source
This is one of those movies where every food scene—from the sea bass the crew eats after the brutal devouring of a live cow, to the jello jiggling at the footsteps of a velociraptor, to the pie Dennis Nedry eats as he meets with Dodgson—is so integral to the plot and tension building that they can hardly be seen as just passing moments in the film.
“Alejandro's prepared a delightful meal for us. Chilean sea bass, I believe.”
The Scene: After the group witnesses velociraptors feasting on a live cow, Hammond announces, the arrival of lunch for the expedition team. Despite the beautifully plated dish of Chilean sea bass, the tour attendees appear to have lost their appetites, understandably so.
Fun Fact: Chilean Sea Bass is a marketing term first used in the 1980's for the sale of Patagonian Toothfish; a decidedly less sexy name for a fish. Toothfish is in no way related to Sea Bass, but does have somewhat similar characteristic to Sea Bass—being a slightly oily, semi-firm fish. Because of the cost of regular Sea Bass, “Chilean” Sea Bass was a popular alternative that had quickly become a hot-buy at a steep cost; ironically for a less than ideal fish.
So "Spare No Expense" Hammond was serving a cheaper alternative to real Sea Bass that has no actual relation to REAL Sea Bass at all. Yes, John Hammond was serving up a phony with a fancy name and everyone was LITERALLY eating it up - except for Ellie; who was visibly repulsed by the meal and interestingly enough, was the first person to openly question the integrity of the creations themselves (While Malcom questioned if the park itself would fail, Dr. Sadler was the only person to state that the eating of local fauna was questionable behavior for the "dinosaurs") Ellie was both figuratively and literally unable to stomach Hammond's lies. Source
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Today we will be making:
Jurassic Park
Chilean Sea Bass
This recipe brings a bit of Isla Nublar to your dinner table. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter about the quirky history of the Patagonian toothfish and Hammond’s questionable spending habits.
Ingredients
For poaching the fish:
4 Chilean sea bass 4 fillets (5-6 oz each), skin-on works best
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/12 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For the lemon butter sauce
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1/2 large lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels. Generously season both sides with salt and pepper
Use a large skillet and heat 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter and 1 1/2 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat
Add the fillets skin-side-down and pan-sear for 3-4 minutes per side. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillets
When ready to flip, if the fillets stick, let them cook for 10-15 seconds more, and then try again
The fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of 140-145ºF
To make the lemon sauce, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until lightly browned. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix well
When everything is ready, spoon the lemon butter sauce over the pan seared Chilean sea bass, serve, and enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
If you’re looking for a dish that’s sophisticated enough for a dinner party, impressive enough for date night, and super quick and simple to prepare, this quick pan seared Chilean sea bass recipe is a must-try
Restaurant-quality pan-seared Chilean sea bass recipe in 15 minutes
Sea Bass is high in protein and low in carbs, and it’s famously known for its rich yet delicate, almost buttery flavor (not overly fishy!) and tender, flaky texture. Often likened to black cod but even softer and slightly sweeter, it’s considered a premium-quality fish, fairly hard to overcook, and very versatile, perfect for enjoying with all sorts of seasonings, sauces, and sides
It’s crisp outside, tender, juicy, and flaky in the middle, and served with rich lemon butter sauce!
Pro Tips
You can use fresh or frozen (thawed first) fillets. When purchasing fresh, look for skin-on, bones-removed fillets of a similar size and, especially, thickness (for even cooking)
Choose the right Chilean sea bass: Opt for fresh and skin-on fillets of similar size to ensure even cooking. When pan seared, the skin turns wonderfully crispy and delicious. If you prefer not to eat the skin, that’s fine—just remove it after cooking. The skin helps keep the fish moist, juicy, and firm during cooking
Pat the sea bass dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then generously season with salt and pepper
Make sure the pan is hot before adding the fish. A hot pan locks in flavors and creates a crispy exterior
Don’t move the fish too soon: Let it sear without moving it for a few minutes to form a crispy crust. It’s ready to flip when it releases easily from the pan
Pan-sear skin side down first: Start with the skin side down. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of about 140-145ºF
If preferred, ghee could replace butter, and avocado oil could replace olive oil
Serve with an option of sides, including roasted potatoes, arugula salad, tabbouleh, cooked spinach or asparagus
“Dodgson. We got Dodgson here!”
The Scene: While “covertly” meeting at a small cafe in Costa Rica to discuss their plans to steal dinosaur embryos, Dennis Nedry yells out “Dodgson. We got Dodgson in here!” followed up with “See nobody cares.” Nedry then demonstrates the modified bottomless Barbasol can to Dodsgon, even dispensing the shaving cream on his pie to show how realistic the device is.
Fun Fact: Barbasol partnered with Universal Pictures Jurassic World to develop a promotion focused on the brand's cameo in the 1993 original Jurassic Park film.The partnership included the release of limited-edition Barbasol/Jurassic World collector cans, a national TV campaign, and consumer sweepstakes. Source
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Today we will be making:
Ricotta “Barbasol-Whipped” Ice Cream
Delicious homemade ice cream with orange zest and fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
1 pound full-fat ricotta cheese
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 oranges, zested
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt, optional
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
Directions
Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a food processor (gradually start at low and increase to medium/medium high). Process until stiff peaks form, for about a minute and a half, making sure to not over whip, as it will be harder to mix later
Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl
Return the food processor bowl to the base (no need to clean)
Add the ricotta, sweetened condensed milk, orange zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes
Using a rubber spatula, add the ricotta mixture to the bowl of whipped cream and fold in gently
Transfer to a freezeproof container with a lid and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours
Serve topped with a few raspberries and the chopped pistachios
Why This Recipe Works
Your guests will be impressed that this is homemade!
You can customize it with other fruits such as strawberries or additional toppings such as sliced almonds
Pro Tips
This takes over 6 hours to make, so plan wisely!
[Sharp Inhale] “HUHHHHH!”
The Scene: While eating green jello, Lex Murphy freezes in the middle of eating, suddenly seeing the looming silhouette of a velociraptor approaching. Her hand and the spoon—along with the Jello in it—start to shake in fear.
Fun Fact: Another food sponsorship! When it came to turning the "biggest movie of all time" into "a big video event," Jurassic Park and Jell-O made history at supermarkets.The multilayered promotion, which involved MCA/Universal Home Video's top grossing film and Kraft General Food's Jell-O brand as its exclusive packaged goods partner, achieved unprecedented leverage at 80,000 to 90,000 retail locations. Source
Image and Recipe Source
Today we will be making:
Jiggly Jello Shots
with “Barbasol” Whipped Cream Topping
This easy green jello shot recipe is a delicious blend of tart lime jello mixed with sweet apple vodka
Ingredients
For the shots:
3 ounces lime gelatin
1 cup water boiling
½ cup Apple Vodka
To Garnish (optional):
Whipped cream
Gold sanding sugar
Directions
Whisk together the lime gelatin and boiling water in a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl until gelatin has completely dissolved
Add in the apple vodka and whisk to combine
Place plastic dixie cups or shot glasses on a large baking sheet
Fill each cup or shot glass about three-quarters full leaving a little room for whipped cream and/or dusting
Refrigerate for 3 hours, until the Jello has set up completely
Top each shot with whipped cream and gold sanding sugar
Why This Recipe Works
This easy recipe can be made ahead of time which makes jello shots perfect for parties and celebrations
You can make them in advance. These shots can be stored for 4 days so you can easily make the batch ahead of time and then pop them out to serve
You can buy gold sanding sugar on Amazon
Pro Tips
While this recipe uses lime jello, any flavor of jello can be used
Same with the vodka, you can really use any flavor or brand
For a nonalcoholic version, replace the alcohol with water or juice
Store any leftover Jello Shots in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure each container has a lid or store them in a large container that can be sealed. Don’t freeze them
