The game is set, and across the United States millions of fans
will tune in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and New England
Patriots square off. Who will emerge victorious? Who knows? But
Sunday will be a slaughter of mass proportions for California’s
dear friend, the avocado.
The game is set, and across the United States millions of fans will tune in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots square off. Who will emerge victorious? Who knows? But Sunday will be a slaughter of mass proportions for California’s dear friend, the avocado.
That’s right sportsfans, armchair quarterbacks across the nation will consume more than 40 million pounds of avocados this weekend, most of it in the form of guacamole heaped on a salty tortilla chip, according to the California Avocado Commission’s Web site, www.Avocados.org.
The tasty fruit, harvested mostly on 60,000 acres sprawling from San Luis Obispo to the Mexico border, is consumed in 45 percent of homes nationwide and 80 percent of those in the western region, according to the site. As our beloved fruit’s popularity works its way east, though, a new crop of half-time favorites is taking root on the Left Coast.
“What’s really popular with our customers are barbecued oysters,” said Rosy Bergin, owner of Rosy’s at the Beach in Morgan Hill. “You order the large oysters and then when you’re ready to cook them you just put them on the grill and close it. Their shells will pop open a bit when they’re done, and then you just throw some barbecue sauce in.”
Even if barbecued oysters aren’t your idea of the ultimate pigskin platter, they do a good job of illustrating the one “must” of Super Bowl chow: it must be finger food.
Local kitchen whiz Dorothy McNett, owner of Dorothy McNett’s Place in Hollister, said party-goers won’t be able to keep their hands off her football watching baked cheese.
Guacamole
From Dorothy McNett
2-3 ripe avocados
1 T. lime juice
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. or more cayenne, zip or dried chipotle pepper
2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Step 1: Mash the avocado along with the remaining ingredients until soft, but still a little chunky. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Tip: If you’ll be making the guacamole before guests arrive, or if you figure it will be out for a long time, leave the avocado pits in the bowl. They’ll keep the dip green.
Honey-Dijon Dip
From www.Parents.com
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. light mayonnaise
2 tsp. honey
Step 1: In small bowl, combine sour cream, mustard, mayonnaise, and honey. Use for dip with asparagus spears, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and anything else that strikes your fancy.
Football Watching Baked Cheese
From Dorothy McNett
1 eight oz. package cream cheese
1 pkg. sliced Just Tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
pinch of salt
pinch of white pepper
green onions, sliced for garnish
plenty of crisp crackers or slices of French bread
Step 1: Place the cream cheese on an oven safe plate. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or just until it is beginning to darken slightly.
Step 2: In the meantime, combine olive oil and garlic in a sauce pan. Cook for about one minute, then add the tomatoes, chopped, and the water, salt and pepper. Simmer for three to four minutes or until the mixture blends.
Step 3: Allow to stand. When the cheese is done, pour the sauce over it and garnish with onions. Serve with the crackers.
For more recipes from Dorothy McNett’s stable of published content, visit www.HappyCookers.com. Under dips there’s a delicious guacamole and the appetizers section also includes a delectable concoction know as Football Watching Nuts.
Super Meals
If finger foods just won’t satiate you, try bulking up the portion size with theme-related meals.
Philly Cheesesteak recipes written by real Philadelphians abound on the Web, and the only rule of thumb seems to be that the sandwich must be made with thinly cut strips of beef rather than whole steaks.
Or warm your heart with New England pride with a steaming bowl of New England Clam Chowder (see recipe below). Finally, if you can’t decide who to root for, boil up some hot dogs in beer and call it a day.
New England Clam Chowder
From Rosy Bergin, owner of Rosy’s at the Beach
Yield: 1 gallon.
3 qt. fish stock
1 qt. heavy cream
1 lb. butter
1 lb. flour
5 diced celery stalks
1 diced medium yellow onion
1 T. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 T. fresh chopped garlic
1 T. garlic granules
1 T. tabasco
1 can chopped clams (51 oz.)
salt
pepper
Step 1: Combine flour and butter in sauté pan and cook at low heat until golden brown. Do not burn.
Step 2: In a separate pan, sauté onions, celery and garlic. Add fish stock followed by thyme, bay leaves, garlic granules, salt, pepper and tabasco.
Step 3: Bring to boil and add the flour mixture. Finish with heavy cream and add clam meat last.
