Tagged Super Bowl
Super Food for the Super Bowl: Sensational Super Green Caesar Salad
Recipe for a Sensational Super Green Caesar Salad with Spinach, Kale, Romaine, Dandelion Greens, Arugula and Tahini Dressing by Laura O’Brien of Josephine’s Feast!
Tom Brady’s Perfect (Meat) Balls:
Try these Perfect Meat Balls! I use veal or a 50/50 mix of lamb and veal with left over brioche from the She Wolf Bakery. Laura O’Brien, Josephine Feast!
The Red Hot Pepper Jam Buffalo Chicken Wings
I was in the kitchen last week with my assistant Sara who is ga-ga over Football and hosts an annual Super Bowl Party every season. Our conversation quickly turned to what she would be serving for her event. And once the conversation turned to Chicken Wings – everyone in the kitchen had an opinion. We all have our favorite bar, restaurant or recipe for chicken wings – but I prefer to stay close to the source and have updated traditional Buffalo Chicken Wings.
Generally speaking, Buffalo Wings are deep-fried, unbreaded, and coated in vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. They are served hot, along with celery sticks and/or carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing for dipping. So I think they hit 4 food groups – and yes I am pulling your leg.
There are a number of claims as to the origins of Buffalo Wings. One of the more prevalent is that Buffalo Wings were first prepared at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa & Frank Bellissimo. Several versions of the story have been circulated by the family. the one I like best was told by their son Dominic to Calvin Trillin for an article in The New Yorker. ”It was Friday night in the bar and since people were buying a lot of drinks he (Frank) wanted to do something nice for them at midnight when the mostly Catholic patrons would be able to eat meat again.” He stated that it was his mother, Teressa, who came up with the idea of chicken wings. Maybe so.
My go to recipe is adopted from my food hero Alton Brown, who just seems to do everything right. His method of steaming and roasting the wings adds much to the texture of the meat and dare I say cuts a bit of the fat. I use Josephine’s Feast Red Hot Pepper Jam in place of hot sauce and have tweaked the spices to add more depth of flavor.
His original recipe is at FoodNetwork.com.
The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Wing for the Super Bowl
Ingredients:
2 dozen Whole chicken wings
4 ounces Unsalted butter – clarified
1 small Clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup Josephines Feast Red Hot Pepper Jam
2 T Sweet Paprika or Josephine’s Feast South Fork BBQ Rub
1/2 t Sea salt
1 – Place a large saucepan with a steamer basket an inch or 2 of water of water. Over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
2 – Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Remove the tips of the wings and save for making stock. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.
3 – Remove the wings from the basket and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or over night.
4 – Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
5 – Remove the paper towels and replace with parchment paper or foil. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
6 – While the wings are roasting, clarify the butter in a small pot. Add the garlic, jam, salt and spice mix. Cook for 2 minutes.
7 – It is easiest to pull the wings from the oven & combine them in sauce pot – toss to coat. Serve warm.
Alternatively the wings can be refrigerated for two days and retuned to a 400 degree oven to reheat.
Traditionally served with celery and carrot sticks along with this delicious blue cheese dipping sauce.
Ingredients for the Blue Cheese Dip:
1/2 cup Sour cream – regular or low fat
1/2 cup Crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 Small clove garlic – minced
1 T Buttermilk or milk or cream
1/2 lemon juiced – the zest can be added for extra flavor
to taste Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 – Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a wand mixer or fork.
2 – Taste and add salt and pepper.
If you are looking for an equal delicious but lower fat version of a Blue Cheese Dressing. Please view my earlier post. This recipe would have to be reduced by half or even by three quarters depending on how many wings you are making.
Red Hot Pepper Jam Cheese Spread
Holiday afterglow: back to the basics: good friends and quiet get togethers
I am glad to have some down time – but I know that that once the tree is dismantled we’ll be enjoying the company of friends, working on those New Year resolutions and maybe even planning a Super Bowl something or other.
These quieter times are wonderful to experiment with food and try new dinner recipes. I have one recipe that I have been holding onto for a while. It was suggested simultaneously by two members of our extended family – both young woman who have moved from Louisiana to to NYC last year. You may know both Carra Jane & Eliza as they help out at the Union Square Green Market on Saturdays. They are both big fans of LSU, Cajun food and JF Red Hot Pepper Jam. They dually suggested making their mothers Hot Pepper Cheese Spread with our jam.
This recipe was shared by Carra Williams (Carra Jane’s mother) who certainly knows a thing or two about good food and entertaining. The cheese spread is perfect for a casual gatherings – easy to make and holds for a day or two in the refrigerator. The pecans I used are are from the Double Farm Pecan farm in Monroe La. They are a welcome holiday gift from Eliza’s mother Forrest and can be ordered by phone at (318) 343-6690. They are just about the most perfect pecans – extra large and fragrant. I changed the recipe slightly by adding a 1/2 cup of jam to the cream cheese base. We love it with a Dixie beer – better still if you can get your hands on a Parish Grand Reserve or a Parish Envie
Red Hot Pepper Jam Cheese Spread
Ingredients:
2 – 8oz. packages Cream cheese or Neufchâtel
1 cup Thinly sliced green onions or scallions
1 1/2 cup Toasted finely chopped pecans
1 cup Grated cheddar cheese
1 – 8 oz. jar Hot pepper jelly – we used JF Red Hot pepper Jam
1 -Toast the pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cool. Chop by hand or in a food processor
2 – Grate the cheddar cheese by hand or in the food processor
3 – Cream both cream cheese and 1/2 cup of hot pepper jam in a with a hand mixer. You can also do this with an egg beater or fork.
4 – Add 1 cup of the grated cheddar cheese to the cream cheese & blend. Add 1 cup of the toasted pecans, and finally the green onions,. Mix to just incorporate the nuts & onion.
5 – Form into a log, a ball or whatever shape you desire. The spread can also be served in a crock. For this Super Bowl a football shape is adorable.
6 – Put in the fridge until ready to serve.
7 – When ready to serve roll the log on the toasted pecan or sprinkle the additional nuts on top of the crock.
8 – spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the hot pepper jelly on top.Or add it to the side.
Carra serves the Cheese Spread with Wheat Tins or Vinta Crackers – and honestly it works beautifully spread in celery with a dollop of jam. It reminds me of an appetizer my grandmother would make for our family holidays.
Super Bowl Pulled Pork
What could be better than walking your local farmers market on a balmy winter’s day? Here in NYC the temperature just hit 60 degrees & the Union Square Market is glistening in the morning sun. I have my favorite Saturday vendors and today I was on a hunt for a pork shoulder.
Nothing says a lazy winter afternoon to me more than a slow cooked pork roast. The aroma of the spices and the warmth of the oven as filling your home is as good as it gets. I usually make a traditional roast but next week is Super Bowl Sunday & I decided to try something different. This recipe takes a bit of planning – but is has the Sartor family seal of approval and that is good enough for me.
My dear friend Forrest Sartor recently shared this recipe with me. She is an excellent cook – who has taught me a thing or two about Southern Fried Chicken, Cheese Grits, Pecan Pie and Life. Raising her family in Monroe, Louisiana she continues a long-standing tradition of good food and Southern hospitality.
Forrest explained that she & her husband would get up at 5:00 in the morning to cook a pork roast on a smoker for her pulled pork sandwiches. Her mother in law passed on this recipe to her and as Forrest said, “It is just as good and so much easier and quicker. I thought you may want to try it. It is great to have for a crowd, and both the sauces are good for sandwiches.” I feel like I have the Pope’s blessing!
One note, the recipe calls for pork shoulder but Forrest suggest pork butt. I prefer an organic pork butt preferably from your local farmer’s market. I have never matched the flavor and quality of pork from Violet Hill Farms or Flying Pig Farms. Each is unique and their sausages are sensational.
Sartor Family Pulled Pork
Makes 14 cups of Pork
Total Time: About 8 hours plus Resting
¼ cup kosher salt – JF Natural Gres Salt even better
¼ cup Ground Black Pepper – JF Butchers Grind Black Pepper
¼ cup Chili powder – JF Rough Rider Chili
1 T Dried Oregano
1 T Dried Thyme
1 t Cayenne Pepper
1 Bone in Pork Shoulder – or Pork Butt
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Combine salt, pepper, chili, powder, oregano, thyme, & cayenne in a bowl.
Place a large sheet of foil on a roasting rack, then layer another sheet on top of it perpendicular to the first. Place the pork in the middle of the foil; rub the spice mixture on all sides of the pork, crimping the foil closed at the top to ensure a tight seal. Crimp all sides of the foil closed
Roast the pork for 5 to 6 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Open the foil to expose the pork, roast until the crust is dark and crisp, another 20 minutes. Remove the roast from the oven. Let the pork rest until it is cool to the touch – about 30 minutes.
Transfer the pork to the cutting board and pull out the large bone from the roast. This should slide out easily with no resistance.
Using two forks, pull pork apart and discard any visible pieces of fat or gristle before serving. Serve pork with Mustard Sauce or Vinegar Sauce.
Mustard Sauce
Makes 1 3/4 cup
Total Time 15 minutes
1 cup Prepared Yellow Mustard – or Dijon
½ cup White Vinegar
1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 T Unsalted Butter
1 T Molasses
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
½ Cayenne Pepper
To Make: Simmer Mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, molasses, Worcestershire, & cayenne in a sauce pan over a medium heat stirring often.
Vinegar Sauce
Makes 2 cups
Total Time: 5 minutes
1 ½ c Cider Vinegar
½ cup Organic Ketchup
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Molasses
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 T Ground Black Pepper – – JF Butchers Grind Black Pepper
Kosher Salt to taste – – JF Natural Gres Salt
Whisk vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, pepper & salt until smooth.