Make your Super Bowl food a touchdown
With less than two weeks to the biggest sporting event of the year by North American viewership numbers, perhaps not spiritually in Canada, it’s time to start planning the game day fare.
What dish will score you a touchdown with friends and family? Wings, nachos, fries and chili are the staples of Super Bowl cuisine, but they don’t have to be mundane or come from packages. Jazz up the classics with some unique twists.
5 TIPS TO JAZZ UP YOUR CHILI
Chipotle in adobo - The easiest way to add a little smoky richness to your chili is to include a chipotle pepper or two. You’ll find these in the grocery alongside the packaged taco kits and salsa.
Toast your spices - If you want little extra fragrance, consider toasting your spices such as cumin before adding to your pot.
Make the most of meat Chili doesn’t have to be made from just ground beef. Try adding small cubes of stewing beef as well to give a little more texture and meatiness to your chili. Better yet, cut some short ribs off the bone and dice them up. Remember after the meat has been browned to drain excess fat and in the case of these other lesser cuts of beef be sure to have an extended cooking, braising time to ensure the meat becomes tender.
Day ahead cooking - The flavours of chili need time to come together. The best game day chili is often made a day in advance.
Fresh finishes - Give your chili a pop of flavour by adding some fresh chopped cilantro and little lime juice just before serving. Adding a dollop of tangy sour cream or crème fraiche on top of a bowl of chili will also cool the heat and perk up the flavour.
CHICKEN THIGH TACOS WITH AVOCADO, CITRUS CREAM SAUCE
6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients (tacos):
• 6 skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp each chili powder, cumin
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups salsa
• 2 cups water or stock
• Salt and pepper, pinch
• Small corn tortillas
• Avocado, Citrus Cream Sauce
• Fresh cheese, such as feta, to serve
• Pickled red onion, to serve Ingredients (sauce):
• 2 ripe avocado, peeled, halved, pitted, chopped
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes, juice, zest
• 1 tsp dried chili flakes
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Place chicken in baking dish. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Top with salsa and cups of water or stock. Cover pan with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 45 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool slightly. Pull chicken off bone and roughly chop. Discard bones. Toss chicken with the pan juices. Serve with corn tortillas, avocado citrus cream sauce, fresh cheese and pickled red onions.
To make the accompanying sauce, place all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth.
OVEN BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES WITH CURRIED MAYONNAISE
Ingredients (sweet potato):
• 2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¼-inch matchsticks
• ½ cup cold water, cornstarch
• Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp sea salt
Ingredients (curried mayonnaise):
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp curry powder*
• 1 lime, juice
• Salt, to taste
Directions: In a large bowl combine water and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Toss sweet potato matchsticks in cornstarch mixture. Place about a liter of vegetable oil in a pot or deep fryer. Heat oil until it reaches 350 F. Working in batches, fry sweet potato matchsticks for 2 minutes. Remove and place on paper towels. Once all the fries are dried. Return them in batches to the vegetable oil (still set at 350 F) and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Add to a bowl and toss with sea salt and cumin.
Make the curried mayonnaise by whisking together mayonnaise, honey, curry powder and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Serve along side the fries.
*For a richer yellow mayonnaise add a pinch or two of turmeric.
**For oven baked fries, place dried sweet potato matchsticks on a greased baking sheet and roast at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once.
MEATBALL SUBS
8 Servings
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups tomato sauce
• 4 subway buns
• 2 tbsp butter plus more as needed.
• 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, grated
• Toothpicks or skewers
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine pork, beef, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley in a bowl. Mix well. Form into 12 balls. Season outside of meatballs with salt and pepper. Place a large oven proof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When oil is warm, add meatballs and brown on all sides. Add the tomato sauce to the pan. Transfer pan to oven and roast for 15 minutes. While meatballs are roasting, slice bread rolls in half. Melt butter in large pan and place buns cut side down in the plan. Toast until golden brown. Work in batches as necessary. To serve place spoonful’s of tomato sauce on bottom of bun, add 4 meatballs to each bun. Top each with equal amounts of grated cheese. If you like return sandwiches to oven at this point to melt cheese. Add top bun. Slice subs in half. Secure the meatball subs with a large toothpick or skewer.
SIRACHA AND HONEY CHICKEN WINGS
4 to 6 Servings
Ingredients (wings):
• 3 lb wings, cut into 3 sections, discard tips
• 1 3/4 cups cornstarch
• 1 tsp each ground ginger, cracked pepper, salt
• 3/4 cup cold water
• Vegetable oil
• Sriracha and honey sauce, to serve
• Sesame seeds, lightly toasted, to serve
• Green onions, sliced, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve Ingredients (sauce):
• 1/4 cup Sriracha
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 lime, juice
• Salt, to taste
Directions: Pat dry wings with paper towel. Toss wings with 1 cup of corn starch. Set on wire rack to dry for 30 minutes. Place oil in deep pot or large, deep-side cast iron pan. Heat oil to 350 F. Carefully lower wings into hot oil. Fry wings, in batches, for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove wings and set on paper towels.
Make the sauce by combining sriracha, butter, ginger, honey, and lime juice in a pan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring with wooden spoon. When the ingredients are well combined, butter melted and the sauce warm and thickened, take off the heat. Season with salt to taste. Toss wings in Sriracha and Honey sauce. Place on platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onion. Serve with lime wedges.