Birgit’s Big Super Bowl Challenge

Guest Written by: Jo Epping-Jordan

It’s Super Bowl time, and the city of Seattle has gone wild. Everyone has caught Seahawk Fever, and even Birgit is not immune.

“Could I come over to watch the game?” asked Birgit, AKA ‘She Without Cable’.  “I’ll bring food,” she added hopefully.

Of course she could.  But why not make things interesting?

So I issued Birgit her Big Super Bowl Challenge. To meet the challenge, she would need to:

•       Provide one dish per quarter;
•       Overall comprise a complete meal containing a drink and appetizer (1^st quarter), salad (2^nd quarter), main dish (3^rd quarter), and dessert (4^th quarter).

Extensive negotiations ensued. Did the food need to be prepared during the quarter, or in advance?  Could she recruit helpers? What were penalties if she missed her play clock?

The pressure mounted. As the Seahawks prepared for game day, Birgit planned her menu. She checked her ingredients, sharpened her knives, and mentally prepared herself for the challenge ahead.

1^st Quarter: Off To A Great Start

It was the fastest score in Super Bowl history as Denver coughed up a safety just 12 seconds into the game. Mark (recruited by Birgit to make first quarter’s appetizer and drink) was equally fast in producing margaritas and guacamole, both two ways.

Margaritas with the Seahawks Snake

Margaritas, recipe from “I never measure” Mark

2 ounces Herradura Reposada tequila

2 ounces Patrón Citrónge orange liquer

1 ½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

Ice

Adjust to taste

Non-alcoholic margaritas, recipe from food.com

2 ounces simple syrup

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce lemon juice

1 ounce orange juice

ice

Adjust to taste

Guacamole, Mark’s style

Amounts are highly approximate:

2 large mashed Hass avocadoes

2-3 Tbsp finely minced red onions

Juice of one lime, freshly squeezed

4 Tbsp finely diced ripe tomatoes,

4 Tbsp finely diced cilantro

Pinch of cayenne

Sea salt to taste

Guacamole, Bryce’s style

Amounts are highly approximate:

1 large mashed Hass avocado

1 Tbsp finely minced red onions,

Juice of ½ lime, freshly squeezed

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Guacamole two ways, plus Birgit's salsa

2^nd Quarter: Domination

During the 2^nd quarter, Seattle continued to dominate Denver in every aspect of the game. For her part, Birgit was equally effective in the kitchen. This quarter’s dish was a green salad with lemon cumin vinaigrette, produced with the speed and precision of a seasoned chef.

Green salad with lemon cumin vinaigrette

Salad

Lettuce

Tomato

Red pepper

Red onion

Red cabbage, a small whiff for color interest

Vinaigrette

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ - ½ tsp of ground cumin

½ tsp sugar

¼ cup olive oil

salt to taste 

Mr Snake approves of Birgit's green salad with lemon cumin vinaigrette

3rd Quarter: It’s All About The Team

Seattle started the 3^rd quarter by scoring once again within the first 12 seconds, bringing the score to 29-0. The Seahawks’ relentless march towards victory was distracting for all of us, and Birgit’s timing started to slip. By that point, though, no one really cared as we were all too busy doing fist bumps and victory dances around the TV.

Birgit’s 3^rd quarter dish was tacos, which was apropos for the event.  Just like a champion football team, great tacos consist of contrasting ingredients that work together to form a unified whole.  A little of this intermingles with a little of that and voila!, the magic happens.

Birgit’s tacos

Beef filling

2 tsp oil

1 onion (about 1 cup) chopped finely

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp chile powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp cayenne (optional; taste first)

salt

1 lb ground beef

½ cup tomato sauce

½ cup chicken broth

1-3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp cider vinegar (optional)

Brown onions and garlic, add spices, then brown beef. Add tomato sauce and broth. Simmer 10-15 minutes, adjust seasonings.

Other taco ingredients

Tortillas

Black beans

Tomato

Red onion

Cilantro

Avocado

Queso Fresco (Mild Mexican cheese)

4^th Quarter: The Final Touch(down)

The Broncos attempted an onside kick to start the 4th quarter but weren't able to recover; the Seahawks took advantage and scored yet another touchdown. Meanwhile, Birgit was preparing the final quarter’s dish: flan. 

Flan, recipe from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar

2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lemon
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (see note)

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of a large baking dish or roasting pan and place a 9-inch cake pan in the center. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, swirling the pan gently, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture has caramelized to a deep, dark mahogany color, 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully and slowly pour the caramel into the cake pan, being careful not to splash caramel onto yourself or outside of the cake pan, and cool slightly until hardened.

2. Bring a kettle or large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in the zest, sweetened condensed milk, and low-fat milk. Pour the mixture into the cake pan, and gently place the roasting pan on the oven rack. Being careful not to splash any water inside the pan of custard, pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until the water reaches halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the center of the custard is just barely set, is no longer sloshy, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes (start checking the temperature after 25 minutes).

3. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Wrap the cake pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the custard until completely chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

4. Run a knife around the cake pan to loosen the custard. Invert a large serving platter over the top of the cake pan, and grasping both the cake pan and platter, gently flip the custard onto the platter, drizzling any extra caramel sauce over the top (some caramel will remain stuck in the pan). Serve immediately.

The final touch: flan

Summary

Final score: Seahawks 43, Broncos 8. The Seahawks routed the Broncos in every aspect of the game and exhibited their command of the sport.

Similarly, Birgit displayed her versatility and expertise in the kitchen by producing a varied and complete Super Bowl meal. Did she deliver on time? Not really. But did anyone care? Not at all. Was it great food? Absolutely. 

All in all, a resounding achievement for all!