Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Share
Super Snack Sunday
For many, the football game takes a back seat to great food
by Corey Young, Staff Writer
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, bringing with it all those world championship game traditions: an endless pregame ramp-up, cartoon characters and celebrities hawking soda, beer and fast cars, a perpetual line of party guests around the buffet table, cramming down snacks, snacks and more snacks.
A Super Bowl Sunday party can be a place where families and friends, both fans and non-fans alike, can relax, have a cold beverage and be entertained - either by the game itself, the silly commercials or the shouts and hysterics of the guy who's hoping for the sake of his bank account that the favored team covers the spread.
Of course, no party, especially a football gathering, would be complete without a sizable spread of fantastic food. That's why we asked some local chefs to supply our readers with their favorite party-time recipes that will keep guests satisfied through pregame, all four quarters and the inevitable dousing of the winning coach with Gatorade.
So let the snacking begin!
Renaud Kolpin, a chef at Bistro Ralph in Healdsburg and instructor at Relish Culinary School, offers a couple of mouth-watering recipes for great party-snack staples: chili and chicken wings.
No matter what type of weather Sonoma County has on Sunday, Feb. 1 his chili or wings are definite party favorites, said Kolpin.
"If it's a cold day, the chili will be great," he said. "And if it's a warm day, the chicken wings are great for a barbecue."
Black Bean & Chicken Chili
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into one-inch pieces
€ 2 red bell peppers, chopped
€ 2 green bell peppers, chopped
€ 2 onions, chopped
€ 4 cloves of garlic, minced
€ 3 tablespoons olive oil
€ One-quarter cup chili powder
€ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
€ One teaspoon ground coriander
€ One can of black beans, rinsed and drained
€ 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, cut up
€ One cup of your favorite beer
€ 10 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Sauté chicken in the oil, until golden brown in a Dutch oven. Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook for five minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and coriander; cook for three minutes.
Stir in beans, tomatoes (with their liquid) and beer. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about a half hour, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted.
Soy-Marinated Grilled
Chicken Wings
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 2 pounds chicken drummettes
€ 3 garlic cloves; chopped
€ One-third cup soy sauce
€ 3 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine
€ 2 tablespoons honey or sugar
€ One-inch piece of ginger; peeled and chopped
€ 3 green onions; thinly sliced
€ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Directions:
Combine chicken wings with the next seven ingredients. Place into a plastic ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to three days. Turn every so often while marinating.
Grill over an open fire and serve with a peanut dipping sauce.
Jeff Mall, chef at Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar in Healdsburg, says his spicy chicken wings are a simple but satisfying snack for the big game.
"My wife and I make this all the time at home. It's really easy to do," said Mall. "It works well for a crowd, it's done ahead of time, it's perfect."
Spicy Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
€ 5 pounds of chicken wings
€ 2 teaspoons salt
€ 3 teaspoons black pepper
€ 3 teaspoons chili paste with garlic (available in Asian foods section of grocery stores)
€ 2 tablespoons chopped onions
€ 3 cloves crushed garlic
€ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
€ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
€ 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
€ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
€ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
€ 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
Directions:
Combine ingredients to make a marinade, pour over chicken wings for at least one hour, cook in 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. Or, as an alternative, they can be grilled.
Fred Langley, executive chef at Langley's on the Green in Windsor, loves to share his recipes, especially the ones he holds most dear.
"I love baby back ribs, and the best possible time to enjoy them is with friends when you can be as messy and relaxed as you want to be - like during the Super Bowl, for example," said Langley. "Most of the prep will need to be done Saturday before the game so you're sure not to miss one snap or commercial."
Baby Back Ribs with Thai Peanut BBQ Sauce and Asian Slaw
Ingredients:
€ 3 racks of baby back ribs
Brine for the ribs needs:
€ 2 cups brown sugar
€ 3 tablespoons minced garlic
€ One teaspoon red pepper flakes
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One gallon water
€ One-half cup Kosher salt or one-quarter cup table salt
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients of the brine together in a large pot and bring to a boil. Then add the ribs to the brine and continue to cook for 12 minutes. Leave the ribs in the pot with the brine and refrigerate the whole pot over night.
Thai BBQ Sauce
Langley says to also make the sauce the day before the game.
Ingredients:
€ 10 Roma tomatoes peeled and seeded, or approximately 35 ounces canned tomatoes (which is a better choice during the winter months)
€ 6 cloves sliced garlic
€ One large yellow onion, diced
€ One cup dark brown sugar, packed
€ One-and-a-half cups raspberry vinegar (We make our own at the restaurant; rice wine vinegar will also work)
€ Three-quarters cup molasses
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One-and-a-quarter cups peanut butter
€ Salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste
Directions:
First sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, then add the tomatoes. Let this mixture cook until the tomatoes start to break down. Then add all the ingredients except for the peanut butter and cook on low for 25 minutes.
Transfer to a food processor, puree with the peanut butter and season. Put into a container and save for game day. If you really want to cheat, buy your favorite BBQ sauce and add peanut butter and soy sauce.
Asian Slaw
Slaw ingredients:
€ One head napa cabbage
€ One-quarter head red cabbage
€ 3 green onions, chopped
€ One julienne carrot
€ One-half bunch cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Chiffonade the cabbage and toss in a bowl with the other ingredients.
Spicy soy slaw dressing ingredients:
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One cup rice wine vinegar
€ 2 tablespoons sesame oil
€ 2 tablespoons sriracha (hot chili sauce found in Asian section at the supermarket)
Directions:
Dress the salad and serve with the ribs.
On game day, said Langley, roast the ribs in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, coat with the BBQ sauce and roast another five minutes. Serve with the slaw, sprinkle with honey-roasted peanuts and drink with Sapporo beer or your beer of choice. "Try adding chipotles to your sauce for an extra kick," said Langley, who wants to hear how the recipe works from folks who try it, at www.langleysonthegreen.com.
Greg Hallihan of Stella's Cafe in Forestville has a simple party recipe for seafood lovers - he makes seared Ahi tuna rolls, that, he adds "go great with an amber beer."
The Ahi rolls are best served with wasabi and soy sauce for dipping, says Hallihan. "It's like a traditional sushi," he said. "You get a nice texture and a nice favor."
Seared Ahi Rolls
Serves 12
Ingredients:
€ One package Dynasty egg rolls
€ One pound fresh, rare Ahi tuna
€ Wasabi
€ Soy Sauce
Directions:
Mix wasabi in two parts wasabi powder, one part water. Cut Ahi in four-inch lengths, three-quarter-inch diameter.
Peel off egg rolls, spread wasabi in center of roll, and place Ahi in center on roll.
Roll egg wrapper up, folding sides in, and seal edge with a tiny bit of water.
Sear the Ahi roll in a pan, medium heat, in canola oil. Sear on all sides until golden brown and crispy.
Cut at an angle and serve with soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.
Patty Facendini of Full Circle Living Center in Sebastopol, a natural foods cooking school, is planning her own Super Bowl party this year and says her "cheese" spread is a favored family recipe.
"I serve this with sliced vegetables such as celery and carrot sticks," said Facendini.
She notes that the spread, which doesn't actually have cheese in it, was named by her son.
"Because I'm a nutritionist, I want people to be healthier," said Facendini. Her 'cheese' spread is also great on triangle-cut baked pita bread, she said.
"It's really great and very nutritious," she said. "All made in the blender - what could be simpler?"
'Cheese' Spread
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 5 tablespoons olive oil
€ One small red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
€ One-and-a-half cups cashews
€ One-quarter cup sesame seeds
€ One-half cup water
€ One-third cup nutritional yeast
€ One-quarter cup lemon juice
€ One-quarter cup safflower oil
€ One tablespoon tamari sauce
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Makes two cups.
Also lending his name to a collection of football party recipes is a certain Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who wants to spread the word about heart-healthy snacks for Super Bowl Sunday.
Joe Montana, along with a cardiologist and a pharmaceutical company, has unveiled recipes for "Time-Out Chicken Tenders," "Championship Chili" and "MVP Hummus" as part of a campaign to educate football fans about the dangers of high blood pressure. These and others of his football-themed recipes can be found online at www.takethepressure off.com.
"I've learned that managing high blood pressure is a combination of eating healthy, being physically active and finding the right medication," Montana, who was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2002, states on the website.
by Corey Young, Staff Writer
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, bringing with it all those world championship game traditions: an endless pregame ramp-up, cartoon characters and celebrities hawking soda, beer and fast cars, a perpetual line of party guests around the buffet table, cramming down snacks, snacks and more snacks.
A Super Bowl Sunday party can be a place where families and friends, both fans and non-fans alike, can relax, have a cold beverage and be entertained - either by the game itself, the silly commercials or the shouts and hysterics of the guy who's hoping for the sake of his bank account that the favored team covers the spread.
Of course, no party, especially a football gathering, would be complete without a sizable spread of fantastic food. That's why we asked some local chefs to supply our readers with their favorite party-time recipes that will keep guests satisfied through pregame, all four quarters and the inevitable dousing of the winning coach with Gatorade.
So let the snacking begin!
Renaud Kolpin, a chef at Bistro Ralph in Healdsburg and instructor at Relish Culinary School, offers a couple of mouth-watering recipes for great party-snack staples: chili and chicken wings.
No matter what type of weather Sonoma County has on Sunday, Feb. 1 his chili or wings are definite party favorites, said Kolpin.
"If it's a cold day, the chili will be great," he said. "And if it's a warm day, the chicken wings are great for a barbecue."
Black Bean & Chicken Chili
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into one-inch pieces
€ 2 red bell peppers, chopped
€ 2 green bell peppers, chopped
€ 2 onions, chopped
€ 4 cloves of garlic, minced
€ 3 tablespoons olive oil
€ One-quarter cup chili powder
€ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
€ One teaspoon ground coriander
€ One can of black beans, rinsed and drained
€ 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, cut up
€ One cup of your favorite beer
€ 10 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Sauté chicken in the oil, until golden brown in a Dutch oven. Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook for five minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and coriander; cook for three minutes.
Stir in beans, tomatoes (with their liquid) and beer. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about a half hour, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted.
Soy-Marinated Grilled
Chicken Wings
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 2 pounds chicken drummettes
€ 3 garlic cloves; chopped
€ One-third cup soy sauce
€ 3 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine
€ 2 tablespoons honey or sugar
€ One-inch piece of ginger; peeled and chopped
€ 3 green onions; thinly sliced
€ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Directions:
Combine chicken wings with the next seven ingredients. Place into a plastic ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to three days. Turn every so often while marinating.
Grill over an open fire and serve with a peanut dipping sauce.
Jeff Mall, chef at Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar in Healdsburg, says his spicy chicken wings are a simple but satisfying snack for the big game.
"My wife and I make this all the time at home. It's really easy to do," said Mall. "It works well for a crowd, it's done ahead of time, it's perfect."
Spicy Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
€ 5 pounds of chicken wings
€ 2 teaspoons salt
€ 3 teaspoons black pepper
€ 3 teaspoons chili paste with garlic (available in Asian foods section of grocery stores)
€ 2 tablespoons chopped onions
€ 3 cloves crushed garlic
€ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
€ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
€ 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
€ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
€ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
€ 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
Directions:
Combine ingredients to make a marinade, pour over chicken wings for at least one hour, cook in 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. Or, as an alternative, they can be grilled.
Fred Langley, executive chef at Langley's on the Green in Windsor, loves to share his recipes, especially the ones he holds most dear.
"I love baby back ribs, and the best possible time to enjoy them is with friends when you can be as messy and relaxed as you want to be - like during the Super Bowl, for example," said Langley. "Most of the prep will need to be done Saturday before the game so you're sure not to miss one snap or commercial."
Baby Back Ribs with Thai Peanut BBQ Sauce and Asian Slaw
Ingredients:
€ 3 racks of baby back ribs
Brine for the ribs needs:
€ 2 cups brown sugar
€ 3 tablespoons minced garlic
€ One teaspoon red pepper flakes
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One gallon water
€ One-half cup Kosher salt or one-quarter cup table salt
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients of the brine together in a large pot and bring to a boil. Then add the ribs to the brine and continue to cook for 12 minutes. Leave the ribs in the pot with the brine and refrigerate the whole pot over night.
Thai BBQ Sauce
Langley says to also make the sauce the day before the game.
Ingredients:
€ 10 Roma tomatoes peeled and seeded, or approximately 35 ounces canned tomatoes (which is a better choice during the winter months)
€ 6 cloves sliced garlic
€ One large yellow onion, diced
€ One cup dark brown sugar, packed
€ One-and-a-half cups raspberry vinegar (We make our own at the restaurant; rice wine vinegar will also work)
€ Three-quarters cup molasses
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One-and-a-quarter cups peanut butter
€ Salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste
Directions:
First sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, then add the tomatoes. Let this mixture cook until the tomatoes start to break down. Then add all the ingredients except for the peanut butter and cook on low for 25 minutes.
Transfer to a food processor, puree with the peanut butter and season. Put into a container and save for game day. If you really want to cheat, buy your favorite BBQ sauce and add peanut butter and soy sauce.
Asian Slaw
Slaw ingredients:
€ One head napa cabbage
€ One-quarter head red cabbage
€ 3 green onions, chopped
€ One julienne carrot
€ One-half bunch cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Chiffonade the cabbage and toss in a bowl with the other ingredients.
Spicy soy slaw dressing ingredients:
€ One cup soy sauce
€ One cup rice wine vinegar
€ 2 tablespoons sesame oil
€ 2 tablespoons sriracha (hot chili sauce found in Asian section at the supermarket)
Directions:
Dress the salad and serve with the ribs.
On game day, said Langley, roast the ribs in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, coat with the BBQ sauce and roast another five minutes. Serve with the slaw, sprinkle with honey-roasted peanuts and drink with Sapporo beer or your beer of choice. "Try adding chipotles to your sauce for an extra kick," said Langley, who wants to hear how the recipe works from folks who try it, at www.langleysonthegreen.com.
Greg Hallihan of Stella's Cafe in Forestville has a simple party recipe for seafood lovers - he makes seared Ahi tuna rolls, that, he adds "go great with an amber beer."
The Ahi rolls are best served with wasabi and soy sauce for dipping, says Hallihan. "It's like a traditional sushi," he said. "You get a nice texture and a nice favor."
Seared Ahi Rolls
Serves 12
Ingredients:
€ One package Dynasty egg rolls
€ One pound fresh, rare Ahi tuna
€ Wasabi
€ Soy Sauce
Directions:
Mix wasabi in two parts wasabi powder, one part water. Cut Ahi in four-inch lengths, three-quarter-inch diameter.
Peel off egg rolls, spread wasabi in center of roll, and place Ahi in center on roll.
Roll egg wrapper up, folding sides in, and seal edge with a tiny bit of water.
Sear the Ahi roll in a pan, medium heat, in canola oil. Sear on all sides until golden brown and crispy.
Cut at an angle and serve with soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.
Patty Facendini of Full Circle Living Center in Sebastopol, a natural foods cooking school, is planning her own Super Bowl party this year and says her "cheese" spread is a favored family recipe.
"I serve this with sliced vegetables such as celery and carrot sticks," said Facendini.
She notes that the spread, which doesn't actually have cheese in it, was named by her son.
"Because I'm a nutritionist, I want people to be healthier," said Facendini. Her 'cheese' spread is also great on triangle-cut baked pita bread, she said.
"It's really great and very nutritious," she said. "All made in the blender - what could be simpler?"
'Cheese' Spread
Serves 10
Ingredients:
€ 5 tablespoons olive oil
€ One small red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
€ One-and-a-half cups cashews
€ One-quarter cup sesame seeds
€ One-half cup water
€ One-third cup nutritional yeast
€ One-quarter cup lemon juice
€ One-quarter cup safflower oil
€ One tablespoon tamari sauce
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Makes two cups.
Also lending his name to a collection of football party recipes is a certain Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who wants to spread the word about heart-healthy snacks for Super Bowl Sunday.
Joe Montana, along with a cardiologist and a pharmaceutical company, has unveiled recipes for "Time-Out Chicken Tenders," "Championship Chili" and "MVP Hummus" as part of a campaign to educate football fans about the dangers of high blood pressure. These and others of his football-themed recipes can be found online at www.takethepressure off.com.
"I've learned that managing high blood pressure is a combination of eating healthy, being physically active and finding the right medication," Montana, who was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2002, states on the website.
Share this Article
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of sonomawest.com.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
