So during the Super Bowl, you will not put a plate of hot jalapeño poppers in a crowded bar. But you can enjoy a spicy, cheesy treat from your comfort (and safety!).
Make some snacks for you and your family or your Chiefs-loving roommate this year, and call it the smallest tailgate in the world. Here are some recipes from NYT Cooking that are as easily scalable as delicious.
Alexa Weibel fills it with a clear and sticky cream cheese, turns it into bacon and presses it into the oven. What’s not to love? While the recipe contains 24 poppers, it is perhaps the easiest dish to scale down to one or two servings. (Or just eat already 24!)
This recipe is ideal for the chefs who love the idea of Buffalo wings, but prefers something just a little less picky. This creamy and spicy dip is a 20 minute wonder, and it’s the true Super Bowl MVP of the day. And while the dip can certainly feed a group, readers have found other serving sizes. “Is it bad when two people eat the whole thing in an hour?” wrote one NYT Cooking user. “Ask a friend.”
Skip the bright orange cheesy dip and try something new: this vegan dip leans on cashew nuts for creaminess and turmeric for liveliness. Adapted by Tejal Rao from the cookbook “Amá: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen”, this “queso” is covered with a tomatillo salsa and garnished with coriander and red onion. Of course, you always have the option to go classic with Alexa Weibel’s Tex-Mex interpretation.
Is it an appetizer for four? Is it an appetizer for two? The beauty of coconut shrimp is that this is what you want. Just don’t skip Margaux Laskey’s spicy sweet dip with marmalade, Dijon mustard and Sriracha.
Recipe: Coconut Shrimp
These tough, spicy ribs from Sarah DiGregorio come together in just over an hour thanks to the reliable pressure cooker. You should stick it under the broiler after glazing it to ensure a perfectly caramelised outside. We take ours with an ice cold beer.
Recipe: Pressure pot Hot honey rib
You will not find lemon juice in this guacamole from the northern Mexican state of Sonora. But you will not miss it either, thanks to the tasty combination of roasted Anaheim and raw serrano chili in this recipe from Pati Jinich.
Recipe: Chili Verde Guacamole
Stuffed jalapeños are not the only snack on this list. These aromatic snacks of fried chicken are popular in Taiwanese night markets and are regularly served in a paper bag with wooden skewers. Sue Li’s recipe is crunchy and tasty – two must-have features of a pin-up dish.
Recipe: Taiwanese popcorn with roasted basil
If you are determined to recreate the sports bar feel at home, you can skip the spinach and artichoke dive. Alison Roman’s version contains four different types of dairy products, but the inclusion of fresh spinach means you can totally count it as your vegetable for the evening.
Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip
Millie Peartree’s sweet and savory meatballs are delicious over rice, but you can serve them on a dish with toothpicks, or even toss in a soft roll for a jerky chicken meat grinder.
Sarah DiGregorio’s recipe for smoky chicken and black bean tacos makes expert use of canned chipotles in adobo and a little honey in record time. Garnish them as you like, but make sure you include pickled red onion and avocado.
Recipe: Chipotle-Honey Chicken Tacos
“Is that a mozzarella stick in a sandwich?” The answer is yes. The mozzarella stick is a distinctive bubble bite and is cheesy, sticky, and so is this Italian sandwich from Ali Slagle. Skip fresh mozzarella for the low humidity, and use panko breadcrumbs if you can get it for extra crunch.
Recipe: Mozzarella in Carrozza
Of course, you can only make pizza. Break the cast iron pan for this recipe from the King Kitchen Baking Company test kitchen, customized by Tejal Rao. Contact with the sides of the pan will get the edges of the tart brown and crackling. Make sure you start the dough earlier in the weekend so that it has enough time to ferment (at least 12 hours).
Super Bowl Sunday is not just for deep-fried, spicy or cheese dishes. Brownies are also a great idea, especially this vague and salty one from Melissa Clark. The presence of slightly salty olive oil only emphasizes the bitter sweet chocolate.
Recipe: Olive oil brownies with sea salt
Check out the NYT Cooking collection for more oral dishes Super Bowl Recipes.