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Last week, I was kibitzing with Edward about sports and cooking. I told him I should write a series of columns called "Gridiron Cooking" and "Home Run Cooking."
I have been a lifelong Phillies fan. I love my boys of summer, especially when they’re playing in October. Baseball is a gentleman’s game. There is something almost courtly about the ritual of watching the pitcher wind up and throw the ball, arm outstretched, with a leg up almost in an arabesque position. A double or the rare triple play is, for me, beauty in motion.
If you’re thinking of hosting a Phillies game party, keep the buffet simple. A pot of chili simmering on the stove quickly comes to mind. Real chili is made with tiny cubes of chuck roast, not ground beef. (A butcher born and raised in Texas told me this secret.) You also could prepare a beef and pork chili using tiny cubes of pork tenderloin. I wondered if chicken would make a great chili.
Times have changed since our parents made dip using sour cream and dehydrated onion soup. Our culinary interest in everything ethnic is constantly growing, which is why guacamole, hummus and Tzatziki have become popular. Crispy corn tortilla and bagel chips, as well as pitas, have become part of the party scene.
I pulled out "Parties!" by Ina Garten and found recipes for a Phillies bash. If anyone volunteers to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, ask them to add a handful of macadamia nuts to the batter (pun intended) in honor of Shane Victorino, the flyin’ Hawaiian.
Tzatziki
Ingredients:
4 cups of plain yogurt
2 hothouse cucumbers, peeled, seeded and grated
2 tablespoons of kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped dill
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Line a sieve with cheesecloth or good-quality paper towels. Set over a bowl. Place the yogurt in the sieve.
Toss the cucumbers with two tablespoons of the salt. Place in another sieve over a separate bowl. Refrigerate both bowls for about four hours to drain the yogurt and cucumbers.
Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumbers as possible and add to the yogurt. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with pita triangles.
Makes five cups.
Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
6 onions, chopped
1/4 cup of olive oil, plus extra for the chicken
8 cloves of garlic, minced
4 each of red and yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and large-diced
2 teaspoons each of chili powder and ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon each of dried red pepper flakes and cayenne, or to taste
4 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more for the chicken
4 28-ounce cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree with their liquid
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
8 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Saute the onions in the 1/4 cup of oil in a large stockpot over medium-low for about 15 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the red and yellow peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne and salt. Cook for one minute.
Crush the tomatoes by hand or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade pulsed six to eight times. Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rub the chicken with the oil and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until just cooked.
Cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut into three-quarter-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer uncovered, for another 20 minutes.
Serves 12.
Note from Phyllis: Use a large stockpot when making this chili. Serve with corn chips and shredded cheddar and jack cheeses.
Crab or Shrimp Rolls
Ingredients:
1 pound of lump crabmeat or boiled shrimp
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1-1/2 stalks of celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon of capers, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh dill
Pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 hot dog rolls, grilled or toasted
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients, except the rolls, and mix well.
Fill each roll and serve.
Serves eight.
Note from Phyllis: Garten uses Pepperidge Farm hot dog rolls, which are split on the top.
