Super Bowl Party Food

Chef Erik Blauberg, executive chef at New York City's legendary "21" Club, has created a Super Bowl party menu for eight on a budget of $60.

The centerpiece is chili, the main dish at many Super Bowl parties. Chili is not the same in all parts of the United States. Some have spaghetti (Cleveland), and some don't have beans (Texas). But, no matter what kind of chili you're making, Blauberg believes there is one key ingredient to making great chili: your chili powder mix. In the recipe listed here, he includes simple instructions on how to create your own mix.

MENU:
Blauberg's Ultimate Chili With Watermelon
Jalapeno Poppers With Goat Cheese
Spicy Lollipop Chicken Wings
American Classic Brownie

Definitions:

ham hock: The hock is the lower portion of a hog's hind leg, made up of meat, fat, bone, gristle, and connective tissue. In the market, ham hocks are often cut into 2-to 3-inch lengths. Most have been cured, smoked, or both, but fresh hocks can sometimes also be found. Ham hocks are generally used to flavor dishes such as soups, beans, and stews that require lengthy, slow cooking.

mole: From the Nahuatl molli meaning "concoction," mole is a rich, dark, reddish-brown sauce usually served with poultry. There are many variations of this spicy Mexican specialty, usually depending on what's in the cook's kitchen. Generally, mole is a smooth, cooked blend of onion, garlic, several varieties of chiles, ground seeds (such as sesame or pumpkin seeds) and a small amount of Mexican chocolate, its best-known ingredient. The chocolate contributes richness to the sauce without adding overt sweetness.

BLAUBERG'S ULTIMATE CHILI WITH WATERMELON

Ingredients:
4 tbs. bacon fat (or shortening)
3 cups onions (diced)
2 cups red bell pepper (diced)
1 tsp. garlic (minced)
2 tsp. serrano peppers (chopped)
2 lbs. ground sirloin (85 percent lean)
2 cups tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock (double strength)
1 cup masa harina (corn flour)
1 tsp. mole sauce (optional)
4 cups tomato (diced)
1 smoked pork ham hock
1 tbs. Mexican oregano
sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tbs. vegetable oil
4 cups meat or game (cubed)
1 pint sour cream (optional)
1/8 wedge watermelon

Chile powder mix (optional):
1/2 tsp. pastilla
1/2 tsp. plulato
1/2 tsp. ancho
1/2 tsp. chipotle
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. ground yellow mustard seed

Note: If using store-bought chili powder, use approximately 4 tsp.

Method:

1. In a hot saute pan, add the bacon fat over a medium heat, then add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, serrano peppers. Cook until translucent, add the ground sirloin, cook and stir until brown.
2. Stir in the corn flour until a roux forms, then add the tomato paste, stir, add the chicken stock, mole sauce, tomatoes, ham hock, Mexican oregano, and chili powder. Stir, season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover pan and let coofor approx. 1 1/2 hours, stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. When ready to serve, cube up your favorite meat or game. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a very hot saute pan, add the vegetable oil and carefully place the meat into a pan, cook until lightly brown (rare temperature)
5. Place the chili into a bowl or crock then top with cubed meat. Garnish with sour cream and flat bread and serve with watermelon.

Ingredients:
12 jalapeno peppers (split lengthwise, seeds removed)
1 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs (beaten)
1 cup panko bread crumbs (or regular bread crumbs)
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil)

Method:

1. Stuff the peppers with goat cheese, dust lightly with flour, lightly coat with egg and roll into bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, place the peanut oil into a pan, over a medium heat. Carefully place the peppers into the oil and cook until lightly brown.

Ingredients for marinade:
8 egg whites
8 oz of black bean sauce
4 tablespoons of chili paste
6 tablespoons of honey
4 ounces of brown sugar
1 cup of corn starch
4 oz of soy sauce
2 oz of sesame oil
32 chicken wings (or breast of chicken)

Method:
Mix all ingredients together, whisk by hand until smooth and then add the chicken. Let it marinate for 24 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a hot grill, cook until done and brush with the glaze. Serve hot or cold.

Ingredients for glaze:
9 oz. of fresh grated ginger
6 oz. of brown sugar
1 jalapeno diced
1 1/2 cups of balsamic vinegar
8 tablespoons of lime juice
8 tablespoons of soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon of garlic (peeled and minced)
8 tablespoons of peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 pint of soy bean oil
8 tablespoons of honey

Method:

1. Place the sugar, balsamic and ginger into a small sauce pan. Heat and reduce until 1/3 of it remains. Remove from the heat and chill. Add everything but the oil, mix well. Then stream the oil in while whisking, season with salt and pepper to taste and brush on your favorite chicken.
2. Place the wings on a hot grill. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until done.

Ingredients:
1 lb. walnut pieces (optional)
1 1/2 lbs. sweet dark chocolate (chopped)
1 lb. sweet butter (no salt) cubed into pieces
1 3/4 lb. sugar (granulated)
8 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 4 vanilla beans split, seeds only)
1 lb. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Method:

1. Place the chocolate and butter into a stainless steel or Pyrex glass bowl and melt together. Let sit until chocolate is at room temperature.
2. Next, whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla at a hgh speed until fluffy. Then fold into the melted chocolate, add the sifted flour and baking soda and stir. Toss in the 3/4 of a lb. of walnuts and stir.
3. Spread the batter evenly into a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top of the batter. Place into a preheated 400 F oven for approximately 30 minutes. Bake until the cake is completely set and still slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cut into desired size pieces.

For more about Blauberg, visit his Web site at www.master-chef.com.

© MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved