Things to eat while watching/ignoring the Super Bowl

If you’re anything like me, this particular Super Bowl is all about the food and drinks. (Let me just say that, in my opinion, football season ended at 6:09 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22. Thank you, Billy Cundiff.) So, while you’re busy not watching Tom Brady’s hair — I mean the Patriots — play the Giants again, you’ll need something fun to eat. May we make some suggestions?

Pimento cheese is always a hit in the South, and with the sudden breathless attention that national magazines are giving Southern food (oh wow, it’s not all fried chicken and gravy!), pimento cheese is suddenly something that approximates hip.

Recently, Parade Magazine featured various Super Bowl snack ideas, including the pimento cheese that Tomato Jam makes with roasted red peppers and pimento stuffed green olives. Plus, there’s a little English mustard and black pepper, and of course mayo and shredded cheddar cheese. Really, it’s not rocket science to throw that all together, but should you be from the North and imagine this when someone says “pimento” …

… then feel free to check the recipe here, courtesy of the fine folks of Dash, a food website featuring contributions from the editors of Parade, Bon Appetit, Gourmet and Epicurious.

Also, if you’d rather have someone make the pimento cheese for you, Colorful Palate is now taking orders. The catering company’s website is a great source of recipes for cocktails, meats, vegetables and sides and offers a full menu of the company’s Southern spreads and bites. Cost is between $5 and $6 for about 8 ounces and will be available for pick-up on Thursday at The Wine Studio after 12 p.m. Call 684-7470 to order.

What goes better with pimento cheese than cole slaw? We found a lovely ginger slaw on Early Girl Eatery‘s website:

Ginger Coleslaw:
2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded
1 head green cabbage, grated
1 bunch fresh dill, minced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3-4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 shakes Tabasco
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons sugar

Combine all ingredients except green cabbage and carrots in large mixing bowl. Mix completely. Fold in cabbage and carrots.

Here’s a great recipe for meatballs from the Asheville Foodie blog. I highly recommend serving those with little rolls, some blue cheese and pretending that they’re sliders.

If you’re serving vegetarians (do vegetarians watch football? It seems like an ethical breech of sorts), try this recipe for veggie sliders from chef Becky Tillman of The Stable Café at Biltmore (via ASAP).

(Makes 20-25)
Ingredients:
3 zucchini
3 squash
1 fresh tomato
1 roasted red pepper
1/2 cup onion, caramelized and diced
1 lb arugula or spinach, blanched
3 cloves garlic
3 sprigs thyme
1 bunch parsley
2 tsp lemon juice
2 carrots
Salt and pepper as needed
1-2 cups chickpea flour
3 tbs olive oil
20-25 small slider buns
20-25 tomato slices
1 lb goat cheese (optional)
1 pint quinoa
1-2 pints rolled oats
2 sprigs rosemary

Method:
Shred zucchini, carrots and squash using a cheese grater. Wash and cook quinoa in boiling salted water. Drain in a colander and spread onto sheet trays to cool. Roughly chop tomato and red pepper. Finely chop the rosemary, thyme, parsley and garlic. Combine and mix all vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Add the quinoa and oats to the vegetables and mix together. Add the blanched spinach or arugula to the vegetables and mix. Add the chickpea flour a quarter cup at a time until the mix is able to form a ball. Form into small rounds about the size of a golf ball. Pack tightly and then gently smash with your hand to form a “patty.” In a medium sauté pan, heat a small bit of oil and cook a few of the vegetable sliders at a time, flipping only once on each side. They should take about 2-3 minutes on each side. Once finished, place on a slider bun with a slice of tomato and a bit of goat cheese and serve.

Don’t feel like cooking?

If you’re the type that likes to get out of the house for the Super Bowl, a cool new food-related coupon and deal-about-town website called Promoter Bee is giving away a four-person Super Bowl experience, complete with a hefty food and drink credit, at Wild Wing. Visit the website and click the “Enter to win” tab for more details.

Also, these restaurants cater and/or deliver:
12 Bones
Pack’s Tavern
Artisan Catering and Deli
Homegrown
Woody’s Pizza and Hoagies
Jason’s Deli
Moe’s Original Bar B Que
Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company

(Note: this is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just our suggestions. If you’d like to recommend other restaurants for catering and delivery, please post in the comment field below.)