arts&life

dining in

Time Out!

Break for some crowd-friendly foods this Super Bowl Sunday.

Y

Annabel Cohen

Food Columnist

ou simply can’t watch a
Super Bowl game without
eating. It can’t be done.
This Sunday, Americans will
indulge in a truly nationalistic ritu-
al. Watching the Super Bowl. When
the contenders kick off, hundreds
of millions — here and abroad —
will tune in to watch as the battle
between these rivals determines
which team is the world’s best.
Time out! There’s no reason we
can’t be civilized on this day of
touchdowns, half-time extrava-
ganzas and millions spent on beer
advertising. If you’re going for
informal, casual eats, why not serve
original, relatively inexpensive — yet
impressive — sporty food you can
actually make yourself?
The following recipes will bowl
you over, but are really quite casual
and easy to prepare in advance.

CHILI BOURGUIGNON
FOR A CROWD

So rich and delicious, this beanless chili
is also hearty — it takes its flavor cues
from its more expensive cousin, Boeuf
Bourguignon.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 pounds chuck beef cut into
½-inch cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. chili powder (medium)
¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 cups hearty red wine
2 cups beef broth or water

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February 1 • 2018

jn

2 cups tomato sauce
½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
½ cup flour

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch
oven or soup pot over medium-
high heat.
Brown the beef cubes in the oil
for 3 minutes, turning to brown on
all sides.
Add the carrots, onions, celery
salt and pepper to taste to the pot
and cook for 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until the onions are
lightly golden. Add the garlic, chili
powder and pepper flakes and cook
for 1 more minute. Add wine plus
broth or water. Add the tomato
sauce and thyme. Bring to a simmer,
cover the pot with a lid and cook for
60-90 minutes, stirring often, until
the meat and vegetables are very
tender.
Sprinkle the flour over the stew
and stir the chili (this will thicken
the broth) and cook, stirring, until
the liquid is thickened.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
May be made a day ahead and
reheated. Makes 8-12 hearty servings.

GRILLED CHICKEN FAJITAS

Salsa:
½ pound plum tomatoes
1 green or yellow bell pepper
1 small onion
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice or
red wine vinegar
Hot red pepper sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken:

1½-2 pounds boneless and skinless
chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1 Tbsp. hot red pepper sauce,
such as Tabasco
Juice of 1 lime
Vegetables:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, or other mild
onion, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 green or yellow bell pepper,
sliced thin
Other ingredients:
6-8 flour tortillas
Sliced avocados or guacamole,
garnish
Make salsa: Place tomatoes in
the bowl of a food processor and
pulse several times until finely
chopped. Transfer the tomatoes
and juices into a medium bowl.
Repeat with the bell pepper and
onion (do not chop all the veg-
etables at once). Add the remaining
ingredients and season to taste.

Cover and chill until ready to use,
up to 2 days ahead.
Make chicken: Combine all chick-
en ingredients in a large bowl and
turn the chicken to coat. Cover and
chill 30 minutes to several hours.
Alternately, place all ingredients in
a zipper-style plastic bag and turn
several times to coat. Chill for 30
minutes to several hours.
Remove from marinade and grill
on both sides on a hot grill until
just cooked through, 4-5 minutes
on each side (do not overcook).
Slice into thin strips and set aside
while you prepare the vegetables.
Make vegetables: Preheat oven
to 425°. Combine all vegetable
ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet
and cook for 10-12 minutes. Allow
to cool on the baking sheet.
Combine the chicken and veg-
etables in a baking dish and keep
warm at 225ºF for up to one hour
before serving. Serve the fajitas
with the salsa, avocado slices or
guacamole, if using, and tortillas on
the side. Makes 6 hearty servings.