The NFL is almost 100 and this is the 53rd edition of the Super Bowl. Even the most casual fan will partake in the hoopla that is Super Bowl Sunday. Cases of beer will be consumed, and you can bet on the game day food groups being present – wings, pizza and dips. If you’re playing host or bringing something to your friend’s place, you may be wanting to provide a little extra pizzazz this year. Our friends Sara May and Laura Sutter stopped by COOK this week to share their elevated Super Bowl fare, and here are some recipes for you to try!
Asian-Themed Crudite Platter
Furikake Celery:
5 stalks celery, cut into 3” strips
1 tbsp furikake
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
toasted sesame seeds (for serving)
Toss celery, furikake, sesame oil and soy sauce in a small bowl to coat. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Korean Pickled Daikon:
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
3⁄4 cup rice vinegar
1⁄2 lb daikon radish, peeled & cut into 1⁄2” cubes
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Stir together sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until sugar is completely dissolved. Place daikon & garlic in a glass jar and carefully pour the hot brine over. Refrigerate uncovered until completely cooled, then cover and keep for up to 4 days.
Salted Cucumbers with Ginger and Chile:
2 English hothouse cucumbers
1 2-inch piece ginger, thoroughly washed and
finely grated on a microplane
1 small fresno chile, finely grated on a microplane
1 tbsp rice vinegar
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Trim ends of cucumber and slice into 3” batons. Place cucumbers in a colander set in the sink or over a large bowl and toss with a generous sprinkling of salt. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to draw out some of the moisture. Pat dry and discard any liquid that drained from cucumbers. Place cucumbers in a serving bowl and toss with grated ginger, half of the grated chile and rice vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with more chile and salt and pepper, if desired.
Pickled Egg and Fancy Salt
Hard-Boiled Eggs:
SARA’S METHOD: Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda. Carefully poke a small hole in the bottom of each egg and gently lower it into the boiling water. Cook eggs for 12 minutes. While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath.After the 12 minutes have passed, use a slotted spoon to gently remove the eggs from the boiling water and immediately deposit into the ice bath. Allow the eggs to cool in the ice bath for at least 10 minutes and then peel underwater.
LAURA’S METHOD: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Cover pot, remove from heat and set a timer for 9 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove eggs from pot and rinse with cold water.
Beet Brine:
1 1⁄2 cups white vinegar
1⁄2 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1 1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1⁄2 small red beet, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
4 peeled hard-boiled eggs
Combine vinegar, water, sugar and sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Place chopped beet and eggs in a glass jar. Carefully pour hot brine over. Allow the jar to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. Eggs will be ready to eat in an hour, but you can leave them in the brine for as long as you like. (Just keep in mind the dye will eventually penetrate & color the entire white). The beets can also be enjoyed as a pickle-y snack!
Pistachio-Goat Cheese Salt:
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp aged goat gouda, finely shredded
1 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir together salt, shredded cheese, and pistachios. Spread on an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, stir the salt mixture and bake until mix is dried and slightly browned, 5-10 minutes more. Allow to cool completely on a baking sheet. Break apart any chunks with your hands. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Curry Brine:
1 1⁄2 cups white vinegar
1⁄2 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1 1⁄4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp curry powder
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
Combine vinegar, water, sugar, sea salt, turmeric and curry powder in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Place eggs in a glass jar. Carefully pour hot brine over. Allow jar to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. Eggs will be ready to eat in an hour, but you can leave them in the brine for as long as you like. (Just keep in mind the dye will eventually penetrate & color the entire white).
Sour Mango Salt:
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp sour mango powder
1 tbsp dried sour mango, finely chopped (optional)
Stir together salt, mango powder, and chopped dried sour mango. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Whiskey-Infused Cheese Ball with Housemade Crackers
Honey Whiskey Cheese Ball:
4 tbsp Irish whiskey
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 heaping tbsp finely chopped scallions
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
1⁄4 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
sea salt & black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup roasted salted pecans, finely chopped
1 tbsp flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
Make the honey whiskey sauce: combine whiskey and honey in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer gently, uncovered until mixture is reduced by half, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature while you assemble the remaining cheese ball.
Place room temperature butter, cheddar cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese, chopped scallions, cayenne, fish sauce, and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Taste and season with salt and pepper until mixture is a perfect balance of creamy and salty. Lightly drizzle the honey-whiskey sauce over the cheese mixture in the bowl.
Place the mixture onto a piece of waxed or parchment paper and gently form into a ball, taking care that the honey-whiskey sauce is marbled through the mixture rather than thoroughly mixed in. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or until firm enough to work with.
Mix the chopped pecans & parsley together in a shallow bowl. Remove firm cheese ball from the fridge and roll in the pecan-parsley mixture. Cover any surfaces with a sprinkling of the mixture and pat into the sides until you have an evenly coated ball. Wrap ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, let the ball sit out for at least a half-hour to soften.
Sweet Popcorn Snack Mix
Chocolate Popcorn:
5 tbsp butter
1⁄4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄4 tsp baking soda
6 cups popped popcorn
sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the popped popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with
parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil,
whisking frequently, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda.
Pour chocolate mixture over the popped popcorn. Season aggressively with salt. Using a heat-proof spatula, toss to coat the
popcorn well. Taste and add more salt if needed. Spread the popcorn mixture in an even layer over the two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the popcorn is dry and crispy.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Cinnamon-Harissa Candied Peanuts:
2 cups roasted Spanish peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground harissa
In a small bowl, mix together salt, ground cinnamon, and ground harissa. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper & set aside.
In a wide, heavy-duty skillet, mix the peanuts with the sugar and water. Cook the ingredients over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid seizes up, about 5 minutes. At this point, the peanuts will get crusty and the sugar will crystallize, causing the peanuts to become dry and sandy.
Turn the burner down to low and keep stirring, scraping up any syrup collecting in the bottom of the pan and stir the peanuts in it, coating them as much as possible.
As you continue, tilt the pan, removing it from the heat for brief moments to regulate the heat and the syrup, so that you are coating the nuts with the liquid as it darkens without burning the peanuts or the syrup. Try to get the peanuts as deeply-bronzed as possible. If the mixture begins to smoke, remove from heat and stir frantically.
When the mixture has the color you’re looking for, sprinkle the salt and spice mixture over and quickly stir to thoroughly combine. Scrape mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool completely. Break up any clumps and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
TO MAKE THE POPCORN MIX:
Combine chocolate popcorn with candied peanuts and add 1 cup dried cherries in a large bowl. Toss to combine, taste and season with salt if necessary.
