The Hand is the focus of Marvel’s The Defenders as much as the superheroes. This Marvel’s The Defenders dinner menu with recipes reflects the eclectic culture and origins of members of The Hand.

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After Media Medusa’s Outlander dinner menu blog post was such a bit hit, Mariannette Calon-Munoz, our contributor, was anxious to create another pop culture-themed dinner menu. She and her husband had just finished watching Marvel’s The Defenders on Netflix, so she was hot to cook up some dishes from the far-flung countries where members of The Hand came from.

Initially, she wanted to cook five different dishes, one for each member. I confess that I don’t have the cooking stamina she does, so I negotiated her down to three.

Also, she did pretty much all the work this time around. I just provided my kitchen, of which she bemoaned my lack of utensils. I’m all “if that slotted spoon can’t serve three purposes, it’s outta here!” She, however, would prefer to have Williams-Sonoma’s entire inventory on hand at all times. (Look out for more “hand” references!)

Here’s another confession: I’m not nearly as food-adventurous as Mariannette. She lived in China! And loved it! Meanwhile, if my food has even the slightest resemblance to something with tentacles, it finds its way into my napkin after some stealthy mouth-wiping.

Lucky for me, she chose recipes that were relatively familiar for three members of The Hand.

  • Chimichurri Meatballs
  • One Pot Beans and Plantains
  • Apple Pie Cups

Bakuto

Bakuto in The Defenders

Bakuto in ‘The Defenders’

Bakuto was the curly-haired, soft-spoken member of The Hand who, in Marvel comics, ran the South American crew.

Mariannette chose Chimichurri Meatballs to represent Bakuto’s South American roots. Chimichurri sauce is popular in South American countries, like Brazil and Argentina.

Chimichurri Meatballs

Chimichurri Meatballs

Like the Jo Cooks recipe says, it’s the sauce that makes these meatballs so tasty. They’re rather bland without it.

Sowande

Sowande in The Defenders

Sowande in The ‘Defenders’

Ah, Sowande. We hardly knew ya! Sowande was the West African leader of The Hand. His role on Marvel’s The Defenders wasn’t nearly as meaty (see what I did there?) as his counterparts.

Beans are one of the most common foods in West Africa, because it is fairly easy to grow in their hot and arid climate. Marianette chose to make One-Pot Beans and Plaintains by Recipes from a Pantry to represent Sowande’s stomping grounds.

One-Pot Beans and Plaintains

One-Pot Beans and Plaintains

The plaintains provide a smooth and sweet complement to the hearty black-eyed peas. Very filling!

Alexandra

Alexandra in 'The Defenders'

Alexandra in ‘The Defenders’

For all of Alexandra’s talk of K’un-Lun, she was very much an American. And, after seeing her penthouse digs and her love of the arts, I would say she was very much a New-Yawker.

Mariannette chose apple pie to represent Alexandra, but not just any apple pie. This is a deconstructed Apple Pie Dessert Cup by Tatyana’s Everyday Food, served in a martini glass, to represent Alexandra’s refined tastes.

Apple Pie Dessert Cup

Apple Pie Dessert Cup

The Hand

Although our Marvel’s The Defenders dinner menu and recipes is all about The Hand, as you can see in the photo, The Defenders were on hand to keep them in check. (Daredevil’s suit; Jessica’s whiskey; Luke’s hoodie; and Danny’s lamp.)

The Defenders Dinner Menu

The Defenders Dinner Menu

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Mariannette Calon-Munoz is a licensed Nurse Practitioner who works in a cardio thoracic unit. Cooking is her passion. Look for more themed food posts from Mariannette, a Media Medusa contributor.

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The Defenders Dinner Menu and Recipes. Get recipes from around the world that represent the members of The Hand.

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