Are You Ready for Some Football?

January 30, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII is here at last!! As the NFL great journey to Tampa Bay it seems only fitting to prepare for my favorite part of the game, the food!!! This year I’m pairing my favorite Superbowl snacks with Whitehall Lane wines, our 2005 Napa Valley Merlot and 2006 Carneros Chardonnay. Try them out on Sunday, they’re sure to impress fellow wine lovers and football fans alike. Enjoy and Go Steelers!
Grilled Buffalo Wings
Wine: 2005 Napa Valley Merlot
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
3 3/4 pounds of chicken wings
1 1/4 cups Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 can cola-flavored carbonated beverage
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon and 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
Directions:
- Preheat a grill to medium heat.
- In a large pot, mix together the hot sauce, cola, cayenne pepper, black pepper and soy sauce. Add the wings to the sauce- frozen is okay. Place the pot to one side of the grill, so the sauce comes to a simmer.
- Use tongs to fish wings out of the sauce, and place them on the grill for 8 to 10 minutes. Then return to the sauce simmer. Repeat this process for about 50 minutes. The sauce will thicken.
- When the chicken is tender and pulls easily off of the bone. Dip one last time and serve.
- Have plenty of 2005 Merlot on hand. The 2006 Merlot is coming!!!
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Wine: 2006 Carneros Chardonnay
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
54 large shrimp peeled and deveined
27 slices bacon
Barbeque seasoning, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Wrap shrimp with 1/2 slice of bacon, securing with a toothpick.
- Line a jelly roll pan with extra heavy duty foil, and place baking rack in pan. Place the shrimp on the rack, and sprinkle heavily with the barbeque seasoning, turn and sprinkle second side. Let the shrimp sit for 15 minutes.
- Cook the bacon for 10 to 15 minutes. The rack keeps the shrimp from sitting in the draining bacon fat. With a little luck, you won’t tear the foil– you can throw that away and only have to scrub the rack.
- Skewer shrimp for easy handling
- Chill plenty of 2006 Carneros Chardonnay. The 2007 is on its way!
For gourmet cooks, foodies and the curious visit http://www.starchefs.com/SuperBowl/menu.shtml for more Superbowl Party recipe ideas.