There are three things on the minds of those looking forward to the Big Game: Football, the commercials, and food–and you cant’ talk too much about food. Here is our Food/Travel Editor Suzanne Corbett’s annual Big Game Offering.
By Suzanne Corbett
Wings are flying off grocery market shelves, and for good reason. It’s Super Bowl.
Before Super Bowl LIX kicks off, I’ll be frying up my own hot wings for my sports. And while calculating how many pounds of wings to buy, I decided to find out why wings became a Super Bowl must. I assumed the trail would lead Buffalo, New York, the city that claims to be the birthplace hot wings. I was wrong.
According to the National Chicken Council Bowl, chicken wings and Super Bowl became inseparable during the 1990s thanks to the rise of sports bars. Bill Roenigk of the National Chicken Council reported back then burgers, ribs and pizza were more expensive compared to a plate of chicken wings. Wings proved the ultimate win-win for sports bars as affordable snack to share with a cold beer. They still are, which why wings have catapulted to Super Bowl MVP status.
Besides wings another classic I’m adding to my Super Bowl menu it the Muffaletta. My nod to this year’s host city, New Orleans. The Muffaletta, the south’s signatures sub sandwich, was created in the French Quarter at Central Grocery in 1906 by Lupe Salvadore. A multi-layered sausage and cheese stack dressed with olive salad, built on a round squatty bread that’s easily home baked bread.
Muffaletta is this week’s featured recipe on Helen S. Fletcher’s baking blog, PastriesLikeAPro.com. “This bread is so easy, it’s perfect for a beginning baker or anyone who is hesitant about bread baking,” said Fletcher.
Helen’s recipe for Muffaletta Bread takes only a few simple steps. Best yet, it’s made with a food processor, and the recipe is illustrated with step-by-step photo instructions, making Helen’s Muffaletta Bread fool proof. Check out Helen’s blog the complete step by step recipe at PastrieLikeAPro.com
Helen Fletcher’s Muffaletta Bread
2½ cups bread flour (350 grams)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
1½ teaspoon instant yeast
1¾ teaspoon table salt
2 cup water
2 + tablespoons olive oil
grated parmesan or sesame seeds
Spray a 9×2″ round cake pan with a non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
1:Place the flour, sugar, salt and instant yeast in the bowl of a processor. Pulse several times to mix.
2: Combine the water (cold if using the processor – warm if using a mixer) and olive oil. Pour over the dry ingredients and process until it mostly forms a ball.
3: Pour it onto a work surface and form it into a ball. Place it in a container or bowl sprayed with a non-stick baking spray. Turn it over so both sides are coated. Cover the bowl or container with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours until doubled in bulk.
4: Deflate the dough and press it into a 9″ round. Place it in the prepared 9″ pan. At this point it can be covered directly with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days to develop flavor. If baking immediately, cover it and let it rise until doubled.
5: Preheat the oven to 450°F. While the oven is preheating, brush the top of the bread lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese or sesame seeds.
6: Bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown and medium brown. Cool on a rack and use immediately or wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months.
To give your home baked and assembled Muffuletta a real taste of the Big Easy, don’t forget the Olive Salad. The following recipe is based on the original recipe from the French Quarter’s Central Grocery .
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup giardiniera, drained and chopped
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and place in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. * Salad can be adjusted to taste making is mild or spicy. Refrigerate for at least two hours before use.
MVP Hot Wings
3 pounds chicken wings
Salt pepper
1 (8-ounce bottle) hot sauce (Franks RedHot or any other hot sauce you like)
1 stick butter
¼ cup white vinegar
Oil for frying
Dry off wings with paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring a quart of oil ( canola, corn or vegetable oil) in a deep stockpot over a medium high heat. Add half the wings to hot oil and fry until goden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining wings. To make sauce, combine hot sauce, butter and vinegar, and heat together in a large skillet. Toss wings in sauce and serve.
Just for Fun…
Thursday at 11 a.m., the St. Louis Aquarium’s school of Red-Bellied Piranhas will be presented with two food options.
One selection of food will be served with a Kansas City Chiefs logo and a second group of food will be presented with a Philadelphia Eagles emblem.
Whichever big game snack is devoured first in the Piranha habitat is the predicted winner of Sunday’s sporting event.
Piranhas have a fierce, and somewhat overblown, reputation for their terrifying ability to eat large animals with great speed in the wild. The fish are actually omnivores with a balanced diet native to South America.
The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is located at 201 S.18th St., St. Louis, MO 63103. The Aquarium is open daily at 9 a.m.
