Falling For A Football Tailgate

posted October 1, 2006

by Amy Powell

http://cooking.cdkitchen.com/RealMealsInMinutes/379.html

Ah the sweet smell of fall. Kids are back in school, leaves are beginning to turn, and boyfriends are glued to the TV every Sunday and Monday night. At least it used to be just the boyfriends. Now it’s the girlfriends too. Now it’s my girlfriends dragging me to the local bar on a Saturday to catch coverage of their college football team on some obscure subscriber-only channel. And its my girlfriends who are canceling brunch plans on me because they scored tickets to the USC game some upcoming Saturday. And then there is this woman who writes for iVillage that shows up on the Today show one morning telling me how Sunday night football is the new Sunday Night Disney movie, more appropriate for family bonding than group viewing of the sexual mishaps of a bunch of housewives.

It is almost like I am being forced to like football. Sure I like going to the games, and yes, I go to a Super Bowl party every year, but actually liking to watch the game on TV takes a special kind of interest I just may not ever possess. But going to the games? I’m listening. Will there be tailgating? I’m there.

Okay, I may be no football fanatic, but when it comes to tailgating I may possess a certain expertise. Why I am qualified as a tailgating expert? I am qualified primarily because I have been to more than a few tailgates in my time. Again, I must excuse myself for the occasions where I never made it past the tailgating to the game, but I can assure you that those occasions were among the best football games I attended.

So what does one do when your college of choice--although renowned for its academics--has a football team that can be considered pathetic at best? You tailgate. I spent quite a few Saturday afternoons sucking in the smoke of a barbecue, gulping down beers at a keg to ward off the cold. Although most meals were no more memorable than a plastic-wrapped slice of rubberized cheese, there were moments of greatness. See, I went to the Hotel School at Cornell where aspiring restaurant industry giants made it their goal to bring the Hotelie tailgate to coveted greatness. There were salads and sandwiches and desserts all served on real paper plates with the occasional plastic fork just for kicks.

School taught me many things (aside from how to pass for 21 when you are only 18). Do what you do best. Write about what you know. I may not know football, but I know how to cook and I am a certified expert in eating so I’ll write about it. Here is my contribution to the tailgate:

Okay troops, it is high time we break out of the Budlight and burger tradition. All around me I see perfectly qualified tailgaters who are settling, yes, settling for the norm. Friends, if you have the gumption to paint your face in school colors than my hunch is you have the creativity inside of you to go beyond wings to a higher plateau of game-time feasting.

Now I would never dismiss the barbecue. If you got it, use it. But use it better. Grill that chicken, all right, but leave the canned barbecue sauce at home. How great would it be if, while all your neighbors in the parking lot are using KC Masterpiece, you pull out a darkly sweet and spicy Korean barbecue sauce of your own making. And while your neighbors are dodging the trans-fatty acids in that coleslaw made with crunched up ramen noodles, you and your friends will be chowing down on zesty, crispy slaw of kimchi proportions with far more crunch. As for beer, if you must go American, try a microbrew, for football’s sake. The Budlight won’t be running dry anytime soon, and life is just too short to drink bad beer.

No matter how hard the world might be trying to brainwash me right now, I might never become a football fanatic. But as long as there is tailgating, all I gotta say is, Put me in, Coach!

Korean Barbecue Chicken Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/

Serves/Makes: 8
Ready in: < 30 minutes

* 2 whole pieced chickens with bones and skin
* Salt and pepper
* Vegetable oil
* 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 4 cloves garlic
* 2 inches fresh ginger
* 1 jalapeno with seeds
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup vinegar
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 bunch scallions, white part only, reserve green part
* 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brush grill or pan with oil. Place chicken skin side down on grill.

Meanwhile make sauce. Mince garlic, ginger and jalapeno. Preheat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook for about two minutes until garlic softens. Add brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and water. Bring to a simmer, over medium high. Reduce to medium and simmer until reduced to about a cup of liquid. Add scallions and sesame oil.

When chicken has cooked half way through, flip to other side. Brush each piece with sauce using about half of the barbecue sauce. When cooked through, remove to serving platter and brush with remaining sauce.

Kimchi Slaw Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/

Serves/Makes: 8
Ready in: < 30 minutes

* 2 medium heads Napa cabbage
* 1/4 Asian chili sauce or to taste
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 1 lime, juiced
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 medium daikon radish
* 4 medium carrots
* 1 cup vegetable oil

Cut Napa cabbage in half lengthwise. Remove core. Separate leaves and rinse. Cut leaves in 1 inch strips.

In a large bowl, combine chili sauce, vinegar, lime juice, and sugar. Add cabbage leaves and toss to coat. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel carrots and daikon. If carrots are thick, slice lengthwise in two then in 1/8 inch rounds, otherwise keep whole and slice in 1/8 inch rounds. Cut daikon in half lengthwise and slice in 1/8 inch rounds. Add daikon and carrot to bowl along with oil and sliced green parts of the scallion. Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and more chili sauce to taste.