Score the winning touchdown with these fabulous food ideas from our Wandering Chef Manoj Chopra.
If you’re a football-loving family like the Chopras then Super Bowl Sunday is probably a big deal in your house. The best part about this day is that whether you are a fan of American football, anyone can join the fun. There are commercials and halftime show to keep you interested, and of course, tons of delicious Super Bowl recipes to keep you full. Between delicious Super Bowl snacks and appetizers, main courses, Super Bowl drinks, and more, the possibilities are endless. Every year, our Wandering Chef Manoj Chopra (Chops) can’t wait for the big game. “Part of this is because my family and I have always been huge football fans, supporting our team SF Forty Niners who won 5 Super Bowls…and part of it is that we love Super Bowl food. In our restaurant we had a gallery filled with autographed photo jerseys. We all watched The Super Bowl and the food was prepared by us in the kitchen,” he says. Who can blame him?!
As with everything else in these difficult times, the pandemic has had a major effect on sports, and The Super Bowl will be no exception. But even if you can’t host the kind of big, indoor watch party you might have in other years (and—fingers crossed—you’ll be able to do again next year) you can still celebrate. Ahead, you’ll find food ideas (from Chef Chop’s own kitchen) for dips, bite-sized snacks, spicy wings, ribs, and main dishes like black forest ham pizza and more – enough to keep you satisfied till the winning touchdown.
1. Cold Cut And Cheese Platter: Some of the best meals start with a beautifully curated cold cut and platter. Mix it up by offering soft (Brie or Camembert) and hard cheeses. You can also use cream cheese and spruce up the flavor and color by adding paprika, chili, or pepper. Of course, complementing the cheese are cured and smoked meats which make up an important portion of your board. Head to the supermarket. There are a lot of economical choices! Some of the more familiar and well-loved cuts are salami, chorizo, and prosciutto. Add some fruits and nuts. That takes care of the sweetness, and highlights the complexity of the cheeses and the saltiness of the meats. Want to add a bit of sour component, include pickled veggies, capers, and olives. When you have cheese and cold cuts, you need your staple of bread. Toast a few slices and cut into bite-sized pieces. Or instead of bread, go for breadsticks or crackers.
2. Gourmet Hot Dogs : We loved hot dogs as kids, and we can love them just as much as adults. From cheesy Mexican hot dogs to Vietnamese Bánh Mì toppings and from hot dogs with a Greek spin (cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, kalamata olives, tzatziki, and an obligatory mound of crumbled feta) to a simple breakfast hot dog (by piling them high with fried eggs, crispy bacon, melty cheese, and potato hash) – the options are endless.
3. Freshly Made Hamburgers: It is no contest. According to Super Bowl food consumption stats approximately 14 billion hamburgers are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday. This isn’t even including vegetarian options. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the game than with a nice, juicy hamburger. Whether you’re in the mood for something classic like a cheese burger, a lighter turkey or veggie bean burger, or something outside the box, like a lamb or buffalo burger, there’s a burger recipe for every mood.
4. Chips, Salsa, Guacamole and Margaritas: For this you’ll chop up tomatoes, avocados, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic and toss it all together with some fresh lime juice and oil and you’ve got a chip dip no one can resist. It’s perfect as a tortilla chip dip. Serve it with Margarita for a winning combination.
5. Black Forest Ham Pizza with Homemade Dough : Game night or not, we are always in the mood for Pizza. But our twist here is the Black Forest ham pizza. Black Forest ham tends to have more of a moist, intense flavor, acquired from the type of wood used to smoke the ham, in addition to the various spices. This pizza is topped with smoked ham, bell peppers, tomatoes and Mozzarella Cheese.
6. Veggie Loaded Pizza: It’s fresh and full of flavor, featuring cherry tomatoes, artichoke, bell pepper, olives, red onion and some baby spinach. Use a base of rich tomato sauce and golden, bubbling mozzarella underneath, of course.
7. Spicy Buffalo or Chicken Wings: This extremely popular creation came out of a New York restaurant in the 60’s by Teressa Bellissimo, who covered them in her own special sauce and served them with a side of celery and blue cheese. Since then, Buffalo wings have become the quintessential game day food in the United States served at bars, restaurants or ordered as take out. Ofcourse you could replace the buffalo with Chicken and serve them in a Blue Cheese Dressing (or Ranch dressing).
8. Sweet Potato Fries: Sweet potato fries can be deep fried, or oven baked to golden brown perfection. Serve your fries alongside grilled meats or sandwiches and watch the rave reviews come in. To make these fries, first wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into sticks. Rinse them twice in cold water. Boil the fries to get them a little tender and then dip them in a batter made of cornstarch, water, salt and pepper. Now they are ready to be fried until golden. Once they are done frying, dry them on paper towels and sprinkle on a little salt and pepper. Serve them hot and crispy!
9. Barbecued Ribs: Juicy melt-in-your-mouth oven baked Barbecue Ribs are fall-off-the-bone delicious! Double up on incredible flavour with an easy to make dry rub first, then coat them in a seasoned sticky barbecue sauce mixture so addictive you won’t stop at one!
10. Philly Cheesesteak: Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich made with super thinly sliced ribeye steak, caramelized onion, and provolone cheese. That simple combination is the original classic as made popular on the East Coast. The Philly Cheesesteak has been modified on the West Coast to include bell peppers and mushrooms but a true “Philly” only has steak, onion and cheese served over a roll.
Super Bowl LVI will be played between the L.A. Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, February 13, 2022 at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California. Kickoff time for Super Bowl LVI is at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET i.e. 5am IST (14th February).
For latest travel news and updates, food and drink journeys, restaurant features, and more, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. Read more on Travel and Food Network
Trending Now : TFN 2021 Guides
A Week Along The Mesmerizing Amalfi Coast
48 Hours In Prague And 10 Tips To Make The Most Of It
Manoj Chopra or “Chops” as he is known to his friends and colleagues is a chef, restaurateur, and hotelier, and has had the joy and satisfaction of cooking, serving and watching people enjoy his food for over 40 years! As a ‘Punjab da puttar’, the joy of hearty, home cooked food is in the genes; all he had to do was to live up to it! Manoj Chopra’s journey has been fascinating, to say the least, and from cooking a meal for one of India’s most famous leaders to a stint in Baghdad, to setting up a hotel in Mumbai to starting an Indian restaurant in San Francisco, “Chops” has done it all and more.
Manoj lives in New York and is a Food Columnist with Travel and Food Network! Sharing his experience and knowledge is something he is hugely passionate about and to be part of the Travel and Food Network “community” gives him a chance to do just that.
