The Superbowl Is My Excuse to Eat Wings and Fries

I’m not a sports fan so I never know the names of the famous players, when the big games are on tv or which teams belong to which cities (with the exception of Boston and New York teams because I lived in those places). I’m hopelessly and laughably ignorant of such things. Last year, I took a day trip to Philadelphia and spent the whole day in the city without knowing that it was hosting the final game of the World Series that night. So it’s not entirely surprising that I didn’t know about the Superbowl this weekend until I was informed by a friend. And then I forgot that someone told me about the game until my husband reminded me yesterday.

But let’s toss aside my lack of sports enthusiasm for a moment. Because do you know what I do get enthusiastic about? Wings. And fries. And then more wings. Yum. I know that sports fans also like wings and fries so maybe I can contribute to the collective American sports fervor by serving up huge platters of my family’s favorite wings and fries to my football-loving buddies. So next year I’m hosting a Superbowl party. And you’re invited. You can bring the beer.

The following recipe makes two kinds of wings- one for those with delicate palates and one for those who like it hot.

LEMON & ROSEMARY CHICKEN WINGS

Whisk together:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced

Pour over 2 pounds chicken wing pieces. Marinate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.

SPICY BLACK BEAN CHICKEN WINGS

Whisk together:
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup red wine
3 tablespoons Chinese black bean sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

Pour over 2 pounds chicken wing pieces. Marinate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.

TO COOK THE WINGS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with tin foil and place a wire baking rack on each. Spray rack with cooking spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil.

Using tongs, place the lemon and rosemary wings on one baking rack in a single layer. Make sure to shake off excess marinade before placing on the rack.

Using the same technique, place the black bean wings on the other rack.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning over once. Switch positions of baking sheets in the oven halfway through cooking time.

When cooked through and beautifully browned, remove wings to a large platter and cover tightly with foil while you prepare the sweet potato fries.

SWEET POTATO FRIES

4 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Peel sweet potatoes and slice into fries measuring 1/3″ by 3″ or 4″ long, depending on the length of the sweet potato.

Mix together the salt, garlic powder, white pepper and dried parsley.

Toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, until each piece glistens.

Remove and discard the dirty foil from the baking sheets used to cook the wings.

Spread half of the fries on one sheet and half on the other sheet.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, switching baking sheet positions in the oven halfway through cooking time. At the halfway mark, flip over the fries with a spatula to ensure even cooking and browning.

Before removing fries from baking sheets, sprinkle liberally with the spice mixture.

Serve immediately with the two kinds of wings.

Serves 4.

Simon and Garfunkel Sang About It So You Know It’s Good

Some of my recipes were published previously on another blog called World Wide Webers, which is authored primarily by my brilliant father-in-law. In the interest of keeping all of my recipes in one place, I have decided to crosspost my old stuff with this new blog. Click on the title of this post to take you to the original.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. The Fantastic Four of the herb garden. Today, we pay homage to rosemary, which looks like prickly pine needles but tastes oh so good.

Here’s an herb rub that you can slap on a piece of meat right before cooking so you can enjoy a low fuss dinner that doesn’t involve a lot of planning. You can also use this rub as a seasoning to enliven a ho-hum recipe that needs a flash of brilliance. Rosemary, the superstar of this herb rub, is an excellent flavoring for beef and lamb, not mention chicken and turkey. Its woody fragrance pairs especially well with the succulence of a juicy steak or lamb chop.

Rosemary also has a reputation for improving memory. Shakespeare buffs might remember Ophelia’s line from Hamlet: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” So toss aside the ginkgo biloba pills and instead bite into a big, fat steak seasoned with this rub. Even if your brain doesn’t respond, your taste buds will.

ROSEMARY RUB

4 tablespoons dried rosemary
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

Gently crush the rosemary with a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, crush the rosemary against the side of a bowl using the back of a heavy spoon.

Thoroughly mix together the rosemary and the remaining herbs and spices.

Put the rosemary rub into a container with an air tight lid. Store in a cool, dark place up to one year.

Makes almost 2/3 cup of rub, enough for several uses.

IDEAS ON HOW TO USE:

1. MEAT: Massage a spoonful onto both sides of a steak or lamb chop before cooking. If you have time, let the meat rest in the fridge for an hour or two before cooking to allow the oils of the herbs to penetrate the meat.
2. GRAVY: Stir a big spoonful into your favorite homemade gravy recipe. Or, buy a can of plain gravy and spiff it up with this rub.
3. MEATBALL SANDWICH: Add 2 teaspoons to an 8 ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Heat over medium heat and serve with good quality frozen meatballs, prepared according to the package, on crusty buns.
4. QUICK FOCACCIA: Use your favorite prepared pizza dough (look for it in the dairy aisle or in the freezer section of the supermarket) to make a quick snack or appetizer. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Press out the dough into the desired shape until it is one inch thick. Score the top and brush generously with olive oil. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Rosemary Rub and 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese across the surface. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
5. EASY ROAST CHICKEN: Drizzle a whole chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Stuff the lemon halves into the chicken’s cavity. Rub 1 tablespoon of rosemary rub into the skin. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, eighteen to twenty minutes per pound.