Projo Football Food & Spirits

December 30, 2007 - January 5, 2008 Archives

As the McCormick spice folks put together their look at the world of taste for 2008, they shared some recipes that paired flavors. Rye whiskey and roast beef sound like football food to me. If you don't have a panini press, put a bit of olive oil in a skillet and warm it up. Put the sandwich on it and press down with a plate or bacon press. Flip over and do the other side and you have a panini sandwich.

RYE ON RYE ROAST BEEF PANINI
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) beef broth
1/3 cup rye whiskey
1 1/2 teaspoons sage, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
8 slices hearty rye bread with seeds (1/2-inch thick)
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
1/2 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
2 cups arugula leaves

Preheat electric panini maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Meanwhile, mix beef broth, rye whiskey and 1 teaspoon of the sage in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer on medium heat. Set aside, keeping au jus warm while preparing sandwiches.
Mix mayonnaise, horseradish and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage in small bowl. Lightly brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Place bread, oiled side down, on a clean work surface. Spread top of each slice with 1 tablespoon of sage mayonnaise. Top 4 bread slices with roast beef, red bell peppers and arugula. Top each with second slice of bread, oiled side up.
Place 2 sandwiches at a time on preheated panini maker. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until bread is crisp and dark golden brown. Cut each sandwich in half. Serve with au jus for dipping.
Makes 4 servings.
Test Kitchen Tip: Rye whiskey is an American whiskey with a flavor similar to a smooth, rich bourbon.

Andy Rogers / Seattle P-I
John Howie's Texas Chili. Recipe is below.

Here's the Wildcard Weekend TV schedule:

Saturday, Jan. 5

Washington Redskins (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
Qwest Field, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
Heinz Field, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

(The lowest-seeded survivor of these games plays the Patriots in Foxboro Saturday night, Jan. 12.)

Sunday, Jan. 6

New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Raymond James Stadium, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Tennessee Titans (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (11-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Over at the Seattle P.I., whose hometown Seahawks face the Redskins Saturday, they arranged a chili cookoff: Two recipes go helmet to helmet to see which deserves a spot at the playoffs.

A local sports bar won, and their chili is below. (The other, which included 1/4 lb. of slab bacon, was understandably judged too greasy.)

I've also included the meatless black-bean chili they found. Make it with black soybeans -- Whole Foods has 'em -- and it's low-carb. (Although John Howie's beanless chili might qualify, the sugar in the pineapple juice may be too much for you.) At the link above, you'll also find a recipe for skillet cornbread and one for making your own chili powder.

John Howie's Texas Chili
Makes 1 Gallon

* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 4 pounds white onion, diced
* 4 pounds chuck roast or other beef, diced in 3/4-inch by 1-inch pieces
* 1 pound pork, diced in 3/4-inch by 1-inch pieces
* 3 cups tomato sauce
* 2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup mild chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
* 1/8 teaspoon habanero chile powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground basil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
* 5 bay leaves

Place oil in a large stock pot or braising pan, add the beef and onions in small batches and sear until the onions are tender.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cook for three hours, stirring frequently. Serve with cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and salsa on top. Howie also serves it over nachos.

(Note: Habanero powder can be difficult to find. You could omit it, but it's easy to make by whirling a dried habanero in a mini-Cuisinart or spice grinder.)

-- Courtesy of John Howie

Quick Black Bean Chili With Goat Cheese
Serves 4-6

* 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper
* 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
* 4-ounce can mild chopped green chiles, drained
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
* 3-6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces

In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and hot pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute to toast the spices.

Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chiles and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season with additional hot pepper and salt to taste, bearing in mind goat cheese is salty.

To serve, ladle into warm bowls. Sprinkle cilantro and goat cheese on top.

-- From "One-Pot Vegetarian Dishes" by Amy Cotler

The Kansas City Star newspaper shared these three recipes as part of a package on New Year's Eve appetizers but I like them for game food. Enjoy the Beer Cheese Fondue, Crab and Cheese Puffs and Sausage Swirls.

BEER CHEESE FONDUE
Makes about 21/2 cups fondue
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash cayenne
3/4 cup beer
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 green onion, chopped
Suggested dippers (see tip)
Combine cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour, mustard and cayenne; toss to coat cheese evenly with flour; set aside.
Combine beer, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until beer begins to boil. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, in small portions, stirring until melted. Stir in bacon. Heat, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until melted and smooth. Stir in green onions. Transfer to fondue pot and keep warm while serving.
Cooking tip: If fondue becomes too thick, thin with a small amount of warm beer. For a stronger flavor, use dark ale or beer.
Serving tip: Suggested dippers can include crusty baguette, cubed; boiled small new potatoes; lightly steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus; cubed fully cooked ham or sliced smoked sausage; crisp bread sticks; pretzels; rye or pumpernickel bread, cubed; whole, trimmed mushrooms
Per 1-tablespoon serving: 52 calories (71 percent from fat), 4 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 11 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 78 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.
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CRAB AND CHEESE PUFFS
Makes 6 to 7 dozen puffs
1 (6-ounce) can crab, well-drained
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely minced shallot
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Dash freshly ground pepper
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Combine crab, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, shallot, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tarragon and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine; set aside.
Combine water, butter and salt in a 4-quart saucepan. Heat over high heat until water boils and butter melts. Remove from heat and immediately stir flour into hot water mixture in pan. Beat briskly with wooden spoon until mixture makes a ball and leaves the sides of the pan. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. (If saucepan is not coated with nonstick coating, beating the eggs is easily done with a portable electric mixer. If nonstick coated pan is used, beat very vigorously by hand using a wooden spoon.) Mixture should be glossy and very smooth. Stir in crab mixture. Drop, by very small teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, about 1-inch apart. (Do not make large puffs; one level teaspoon will make a nice, appetizer-size puff.) Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.
Per puff, based on 6 dozen: 26 calories (61 percent from fat), 2 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 25 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.
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SAUSAGE SWIRLS
Makes 16 appetizers
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed (1/2 of 17.3-ounce package)
3/4 pound bulk pork sausage, uncooked (see tip)
1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped black olives
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Carefully spread sausage over the surface of the rectangle to within 1/2- inch of all 4 edges. Sprinkle with cheese and black olives. Starting at the long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Press edges to seal; refrigerate roll several hours before slicing.
Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the roll into 3/4-inch slices. Place cut-side down, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart, on a jelly-roll pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and sausage is done.
Cooking tip: To avoid tearing the puff pastry, take the sausage out of the refrigerator so it comes to room temperature before assembling the recipe.
Per appetizer: 201 calories (75 percent from fat), 17 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 22 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 232 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.