On Feb. 3, the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams will come together in Atlanta for Super Bowl LIII (for those who don’t read Roman Numerals, that’s 53) — and this means that all over America friends will be gathering around TVs at homes and bars for Super Bowl parties.
Super Bowl party attendees run the gamut in terms of if they truly care about the game or not. Some people actually have a dog in the fight, others are watching just to root against the Patriots and some are simply there for the half time show (this year it’s Maroon 5) and the commercials. But there is one thing that everyone is there to enjoy: the food.
From seven-layer bean dip to wings to a chili bar and bowls and bowls of chips, Super Bowl food can unite the masses.
Below we’ve collected some recipies from America’s Test Kitchen that are sure to help your party memorable, even if the game isn’t.
Cheesy nachos that are sure to get your party started
These nachos are a cinch to make and just double the recipe and use a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and you’ll have enough nachos to really get the party started!
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If you like your nachos spicy, layer in some drained pickled jalapeno chiles along with the scallions. Monterey Jack cheese melts well and is the classic choice for nachos, but cheddar works too.
Servings: 4-6, Start to finish: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
4 ounces tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions, sliced thin
1 cup tomato salsa
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 F. Set colander in sink. Rinse pinto beans with cold water and drain well in colander. Measure out 1/2 cup beans; refrigerate remaining beans for another use.
Spread half of chips in even layer in 8-by-8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle chips evenly with half of cheese.
Sprinkle beans over cheese, then sprinkle half of scallions on top. Repeat with remaining chips, cheese and scallions.
Place baking dish in oven and bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove nachos from oven. Place baking dish on cooling rack. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Spoon half of salsa over top of nachos. Serve with remaining salsa and yogurt.
A bean chili that’s as rich and savory as any meat chili
Black bean chili should be primarily about the beans — they should be creamy, tender and well-seasoned. We wanted a hearty bean chili that was as rich, savory and deeply satisfying as any meat chili out there, yet simple to make in our multicooker.
Tasters preferred the creamy, tender texture of dried beans over canned, and soaking the dried beans in salted water helped them hold their shape and cook evenly. Creating big flavor in vegetarian chili can be tricky since you can’t use smoky ham hocks or bacon, but using the saute function to brown a hefty amount of aromatics and bloom spices worked well to give the chili depth.
We also added white mushrooms and bell peppers for body. A cup of broth and a can of crushed tomatoes provided enough liquid for our beans to cook evenly while still resulting in a thick, hearty final stew.
Served with a spritz of lime and a sprinkle of minced cilantro, this rich chili was so satisfying that no one missed the meat. Serve with your favorite chili garnishes. If using an Instant Pot, do not choose the slow cook function; the beans will not cook through properly.
BLACK BEAN CHILI
Servings: 4-6
Pressure Cooker: 1 hour, 15 minutes (plus brining time) Slow Cooker: 10 hours, 30 minutes (plus brining time)
Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1 pound (2 1/2 cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
9 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, plus extra as needed
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
Using highest saute or browning function, heat oil in multi-cooker until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder, and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in beans, mushrooms, bell peppers, and bay leaves.
— To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 40 minutes. Turn off multicooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
— To slow cook: Do not use Instant Pot to slow cook this recipe.) Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 10 hours. Turn off multicooker and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
Discard bay leaves. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges.
A one-pan chili with maximum flavor
A one-pan meal with maximum flavor and minimal fuss. Double the recipe to make it party friendly.
We started by toasting and simmering the rice, flavoring it with lime zest and juice to brighten it up. We then transferred it to individual serving bowls, which we kept warm in a low oven.
While the rice cooked, we prepared our ingredients for a quick but flavorful chili. We found that treating ground beef with salt and baking soda ensured that it would remain moist and tender, even with a short cooking time. Blooming ground cumin, minced garlic, and chipotle chile powder boosted their potency, which contributed complex flavor to the finished chili.
We also whipped up a simple lime-cilantro crema (made from sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and salt); when our chili bowls were ready to serve, we topped them with the crema for an authentic finish.
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. Serve with pickled jalapenos, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.
CHIPOTLE BEEF CHILI BOWLS WITH LIME-CILANTRO CREMA
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (2 limes)
Salt and pepper
1 pound, 90 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 4 individual serving bowls on rack, and heat oven to 200 F. Whisk sour cream, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper in bowl until thoroughly combined; let sit for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add remaining 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Off heat, add remaining 1 teaspoon lime zest and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice and fluff gently with fork to incorporate. Divide cooked rice among warmed bowls, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until just beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add beef mixture, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in cumin, garlic, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, beans, corn, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Spoon chili over rice in bowls, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and serve with lime-cilantro crema.
NIBBLES
by Amanda Rae
BAKE SHOP SAVORY BONBON
Among the succulent specials at Annette’s Mountain Bake Shop: lacrosse-ball sized Italian arancini (risotto balls). Crunchy golden on the outside, creamy rice and wilted spinach on the inside, the portable snacks have been a specialty of Fino and Annette Docimo for ages. Get ’em while they’re hot, if you’re lucky.
ON-MOUNTAIN SUSTAINABILITY
“It’s simply in our DNA to support local,” says chef Jim Butchart, on-mountain culinary director of Aspen-Snowmass, who oversees ingredient sourcing at the many restaurants on Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. “And it allows us to provide the freshest ingredients for our chefs to prepare good food that keeps skiers and snowboarders going all day long.”
Which means: grass-fed beef for hot dogs, hamburgers, and chili meat and Boulder Natural chicken fingers. Butchart has also built relationships with Crystal River Meats, Mountain Primal Meats, Erin’s Acres Farm, Wild Mountain Seeds, Louis Swiss Pastry, Rock Bottom Ranch, Shining Mountains Farm, Colorado Pastured Pork and more.