The Super Bowl seems like a lot of fun. Yes I have to admit I’m a late starter noticing it but it might have to do with being surrounded by an all American team of colleagues. In the past I was around various other ethnicities in the kitchen since I worked in Italian, French, or Austrian restaurants. Frankly football was never on my radar – pretty ignorant many will say but since New York is this extreme melting pot of cultures I had a good excuse – but no longer. Now you wonder what does that have to do with food. Well for me it’s not that simple see every thing has to be connected to food.
(like these oat bran pretzels for a snack)
Am I a Jets fan or a NY Giant fan or do I favor the New England Patriots since I love lobster rolls, or does a Jambalaya type of dish steer me to the New Orleans Saints. I love myself a hunk of steak so are the Texas Cowboys my favorite or do I lean towards the Pittsburgh Steelers - gimme my Philly steak, the list goes on and indeed I have my pick of 32 teams spread across the US and 32 regional football foods to accompany. The seventeen-week schedule during which each team plays sixteen games gives enough opportunities to snack while watching.
NFL
The Super Bowl is the most highly attended domestic event with approximately 67,000 screaming fans and it’s the most watched annual sporting event in the US. Worldwide it comes in second behind the UEFA Champions League (European Champion Clubs’ Cup - soccer).
So naturally I wonder what do those hundreds of thousands of football fans eat while they watch? I don’t know but I have my suspicions. Wings, chips, pop corn, dips, nachos and of course pizza and the usual Bud (to wash it down (Budweiser has been the exclusive sponsor for over a decade). In fact it’s estimated that only three out of five people who watch the Super Bowl are actual football fans. That means the other two are there for the food and the party – I believe it. This means it’s the second largest day of food consumption behind Thanksgiving! So let’s make something and I promise you I’m not going to give you another recipe for guacamole.
Can you say Tzatziki, and crunch your teeth
(4 cups yogurt spread)
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
3 cups Greek yoghurt
¼ teaspoon sea salt
10 grindings black pepper
1 lemon, juiced
1. Peel cucumber then cut in half and scrape seeds out of the middle with a teaspoon.
2. Chop cilantro leaves finely.
3. In a bowl combine yoghurt, salt, pepper and lemon juice with a wire whisk. Add chopped cucumber, cilantro and stir with the whisk.
Spicyyy Pizza Pop Corn
(snack for 4 people)
1 pack microwavable popcorn
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
10 large leaves basil
2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped mozzarella
1. Combine oil and chili flakes in a small saucepot and heat on medium heat setting for five minutes.
2. Combine basil leaves and sundried tomatoes with hot oil and steep mixture on the side of the stove for 5 minutes.
3. Cook popcorn in the microwave.
4. In a bowl combine hot popcorn with oil/chili mixture and add salt and mozzarella. Toss mixture with a kitchen spoon. Serve immediately.
It’s crispy bacon
(snacks for 4 people)
12 slices of cured, smoked bacon, organic if you can get it
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Canola oil for wetting a kitchen paper towel
1. Cover a cookie sheet pan with parchment paper and spread bacon slices next to each other over it.
2. Sprinkle sugar over the bacon strips.
3. Cook bacon strips in a 350 degree Fahrenheit hot oven for 25 minutes.
4. Wet a kitchen paper towel with oil and wipe onto a plate.
5. With a rubber spatula transfer the bacon strips onto the greased plate and leave on kitchen counter to cool.
6. Cut bacon strips into 3-inch long pieces.
Chef’s Tip: Cut whole-wheat tortilla wrappers similar to a pizza into wedges and bake them in the 300 degrees hot oven for 15 minutes or until crispy.
(cheddar rice crispy - I love'em)
Enjoy the commercials – and of course the game too.
