GOURMET GAME DAY

Forget about the game for a moment:

The Super Bowl, like every great American holiday, is full of its own rituals and traditions, and they’re not to be taken lightly. I have been asked the past week or so “What should I cook?”.  Since I will be cooking at “Taste of the NFL” in Indianapolis the night before the Super Bowl I have collected a some thoughts that will have your guest calling you a winner before the game starts!

FIRST DOWN

Meatball Parmigiano Reggiano Sliders

• 2 slice white or sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 8 ounce ground beef, 85 percent lean
• 8 ounce ground pork
• 4 ounce ground veal
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 3 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large egg
• Coarse salt
• marinara sauce
• 24  small brioche rolls, split
• 1 1/2 cup or 5 ounces coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigino Reggiano cheese, for sliders
• Small basil leaves

Make the meatballs: Soak bread in milk for 5 minutes. Gently mix bread and milk with meats, 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, egg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll mixture into 24 one-ounce balls (each about the size of a golf ball).

Heat sauce in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Drop meatballs into sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook partially covered until meatballs are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Working in batches, arrange rolls, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Place 1 meatball, a spoonful of sauce, 1 tablespoon mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon Parmigino Reggiano cheese on bottom halves. Bake until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Top with basil and close sandwich.

SECOND DOWN

Braised Pork & Bean Nachos

• 1  1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Beans

• 1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoon h20
• 2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cans 15-ounces pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 slice(s) apple wood-smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

Topping

• 1 1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
• 1 cup diced avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped jicama
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Remaining ingredients
• 6 ounce 8 cups sturdy tortilla chips
• 1 1/4 cup 5 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

For meat, rub pork with 1 tablespoon evo, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Place pork in a shallow roasting pan coated with evo. Bake at 500 degrees for 23 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from pan; cool 10 minutes. Shred pork with two forks to measure 2 cups, place in a small bowl. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons juice and garlic.

For beans remove 2 chipotle chiles and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can, reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Drop chiles through food chute with food processor pulse 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Add adobo sauce, water and next 4 ingredients (through beans); process 5 seconds or until smooth. Stir in bacon.

Preheat broiler.

For topping combine plum tomato and the next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) and toss well to coat. Arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Top evenly with bean mixture then top with meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Broil 4 minutes or until cheese melts. Top evenly with topping, cilantro and jalapeño. Serve immediately.

THIRD DOWN

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Tenders

• 3 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, divided
• 2 pound chicken tenders
• 6 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
• 6 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• 2 cup peeled carrot sticks
• 2 cup celery sticks

Whisk buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a large bowl until combined. Add chicken, toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, whisk flour and cornmeal in a shallow dish. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and roll in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Discard remaining marinade and flour mixture. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with cayenne.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken placing each in a little oil. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and chicken, reducing the heat if necessary. Transfer to the platter. Drizzle the chicken with the reserved hot sauce mixture. Serve with carrots, celery and your favorite Blue Cheese Dip.

FOURTH DOWN

Manhattan Clam Chowder

(I’m from the NYC)

• 2 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons diced (1/3 inch) green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons diced (1/3 inch) celery
• 2/3 cup diced (1/3 inch) peeled boiling potato (1 small)
• 1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (8 oz), including juice
• 1 1/2 dozen small hard-shelled clams (1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; 2 pounds total), scrubbed well
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley