By Catharine Kaufman, a/k your Kitchen Shrink
This Sunday, in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, the New York Giants kick off Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots. The rest of America will celebrate these gladiators with gut-busting foods and foamy brews, consumed at tailgate parties and other gatherings, in and outside the U.S. borders.
Said to be the single most watched sports event in the world—although who counted the roughly one hundred million viewers remains a mystery—the Super Bowl has become a great excuse for uninhibited excess. And not just in the quantities of stuff we eat and drink… We’re talking, among others, about cheering at earsplitting decibels, going for broke in bets on the game, and such silliness as rooting for another “wardrobe malfunction” to happen to half-time headliners Paula Abdul or Tom Petty.
You don’t have to be into football to be part of this national frenzy. Hot cheerleaders provide an eyeful, as do Tom Brady, the New England hunky quarterback, and his Giants’ counterpart, Eli Manning, in uniforms that show off their physical and athletic assets to best advantage.
But while the eyes delight, stomachs turn topsy-turvy with tons of pepperoni pizza, 8 million pounds of guacamole and 29 million pounds of chips. No wonder there is always a 20% increase in antacid sales the Monday after a Super Bowls. For real.
So how about making this year’s brouhaha a painless one? Host a Super Bowl party at your home and serve big pots of a New England shrimp and scallop chowder, a seafood chili or a Maine lobster dip. Serve a nice variety of veggies with fresh salsa and hummus, along with moderate amounts of beer and whatever non-alcoholic beverages you can concoct to please your guests.
Here is a perfect dish for Patriots’ fans—and a guaranteed winner for any party. Cheers!
New England-Style Seafood Chili
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup of minced cilantro
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 Anaheim chili pepper, roasted and sliced
1 Jalapeno chili pepper, roasted and minced
1 ½ tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 cup of Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of yellow tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons of white wine
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
½ pound of shrimp, peeled, de-veined
½ pound of scallops
2 pounds of clams, steamed and shelled
½ pound of firm-fleshed fish (like snapper), cut into chunks
Sour cream for garnish
Heat the oil on a low flame in a deep skillet. Sauté the onions and garlic until tender. Mix the peppers, spices, cilantro and tomatoes and cook over low heat until the tomatoes become pulpy. Add the wine and stir well. Add the seafood and fish and simmer for about 12 minutes, then the clams and simmer for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a large soup tureen. Top with a dollop of organic sour cream and serve with baked pita chips.