Projo Football Food & Spirits

When the Patriots play the San Diego Chargers Sunday night, I’ll be thinking about my visits to that wonderful city that’s so close to the border of Mexico.

My first trip there was to the old Jack Murphy Stadium to see a San Diego Padres baseball game. Being a baseball fan, and in Los Angeles to cover fashion shows for the Journal, I couldn’t pass up a chance to visit a new ballpark. So off I went and there I had my first churro. I thought it the most outrageous treat ever to eat at a game. This was the late ‘80s and Fenway Park, my home ballpark, still only served franks so I was shocked, shocked that a pastry would be on the menu in San Diego.

And what a pastry. This long tube of fried dough was served warm and every groove was covered in cinnamon sugar. It wasn’t heavy like the fried dough saucers served at carnivals but delicate and airy. I could go for one right now.

But a what a treat it would be to enjoy them in my own living room for a Sunday night game. This recipe serves six but I say triple it to keep the kids at bay so you can savor every bite.

CHURROS
Vegetable or olive oil, for frying
1 cup water
4 ounces butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chocolate Dunking Sauce, recipe follows

Prepare to fry the churros by heating 1 to 1 1/2 inches oil in a deep pan to 360 degrees.

To make churro dough, heat water, butter and salt to rolling boil in 3-quart saucepan; stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from the heat. Beat eggs all at once; continue beating until smooth and then add to saucepan while stirring mixture.

Spoon mixture into a piping tube with large star tip. (See photo below.) Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Mix the sugar and cinnamon. Roll churros in the cinnamon sugar. Serve with Chocolate Dunking Sauce.

Miami Herald photo

CHOCOLATE DUNKING SAUCE
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk, divided use
1 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons sugar

Place the chocolate and half of the milk in a pan and heat on low. When the chocolate has melted, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the chocolate with the sugar. Cook on low heat, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add extra cornstarch if it does not start to thicken after 5 minutes. Remove and whisk smooth.

Pour and serve in cups for dipping churros.

Serves 6.

From FoodNetwork.com and a Melting Pot episode on Latin Street Food

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