No matter which team you support or whether you even like football, everyone has something in common on Super Bowl Sunday—it’s time to eat! This year’s Super Bowl is scheduled for February 5th, and a highlight of every party is the delicious food served. We have two recipes for you, straight from the pages of “Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home,” by Debbie Moose. So sit back, have fun cheering on the game, and may the best team win.
Marvelous Mole Chili
Serves 6
The mole sauces of Mexico and the dedicated all-beef (no beans) philosophy found at competitive chili cook-offs inspired this recipe. At a New Year’s Day chili tasting, one of my guests dropped some corn ead into her bowl and loved the combination—try it!
5 dried ancho chiles
4 dried pasilla chiles
5 dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 quarts chicken oth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Corn ead for serving (optional)
1. Place the ancho, pasilla, and guajillo chiles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Use a saucer to weigh them down if they float to the surface.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Lightly own the beef; do not overcook. Remove the beef from pan, draining any liquid, and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft, but not owned. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. When the chiles have soaked for 30 minutes, drain them, remove the stems and seeds (hold under running water to do this), and pat dry. Puree to a smooth paste in a food processor.
5. Replace the pan over the heat, add the tomato sauce and chicken oth, and ing to a boil. Stir in the beef, chile paste, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
6. Add the oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Let simmer, uncovered, for another hour. Add a little water or stock if the chili begins to become dry or overly thick.
7. Add salt and serve hot. Pass corn ead to crumble into individual bowls of chili, if desired. Extra Points: Like many types of chili, this one tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it ahead of time and reheat it on tailgate day.r
Goal-to-Go Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups
Some like jalapeños in their guacamole, but I'm a fan of the hotter bite of fresh Serranos. Add more to turn up the heat. To peel the tomatoes, use a slotted spoon to dunk them in boiling water for a minute or less. Hold them under cold running water to cool, and then slip off the skins.
2 small, ripe Hass avocados
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 green serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons canned chopped green chiles, drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips for serving
1. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh into a medium-size bowl, discarding the pit. Mash coarsely. Stir in the tomato, Serrano chile, green chiles, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. Add salt to taste.
2. Cover and keep cold until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.
Recipes reprinted with permission from “Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home,” by Debbie Moose. Published by Harvard Common Press, 2007.
