6 Chefs Dish On Their Favorite Super Bowl Eats

The Big Game is here, and so are kitchen preparations for hosts and attendees. Most of us have tried-and-true recipes that are hits year after year, but in case you are looking to bring or serve something different this year, here are a few suggestions from chefs around the country.

Spicy Dry-Rub “Lemon Pepper” Wings

Jakub Czyszczon, chef at Garrison in Austin, Texas

“Nothing says football like a plate of spicy wings. I love these because not only are they refreshing and spicy but they also have a mouth numbing quality from the Sichuan pepper. This yummy and addicting recipe will surely be a crowd pleaser!”

2 lbs jumbo chicken wings

5 oz. potato starch

1 tsp. Sichuan pepper (ground)

5 oz. ground Korean chili

Zest of one lemon and one lime

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

Dry off chicken wings with a paper towel. In a medium bowl toss wings with potato starch to coat evenly. In a small bowl add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Fry chicken wings at 350F until crispy and golden brown (Approx. 12 min.) Drain wings from oil and add to large mixing bowl. Toss wings in dry rub spice until evenly coated. Serve with lemon.

Pastelillos (Empanadas)

Cliff Benavides, sous chef at The Driskill Bar, Austin, Texas

“My family’s Super Bowl gatherings would fill the house with all of the usual items, but we also made options from our Mexican and Puerto Rican backgrounds. One of my favorite is our pastelillos, savory turnovers filled with ground beef infused with sofrito, deep fried till golden brown and delicious. Cooking these instantly takes me back to those happy times and happy faces.”

Sofrito is a seasoning blend of onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes. As with the empanada discs and Sazon, it can be purchased at most grocery stores.

1 pack (10 each) empanada discs

1 lb. ground beef

0.3 oz. tomato paste

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 Idaho potato (peeled and small diced)

½ cup pimiento stuffed olives (rough chopped)

1 cup green sofrito

2 packets Sazon

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or both (optional)

Start the filling by browning and breaking down the ground beef. When it’s ¾ of the way done, season with the sofrito, sazon, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix in the tomato paste. When the ground beef is done, add the diced potatoes and cook them till tender. Finish the mixture with the chopped olives and keep warm.

Preset a tabletop deep fryer to 350 degrees or use a deep pan or pot with frying oil on the stove and preheat. Lay out the empanada shells, fill with them with 2 tablespoons of the ground beef. Top the empanada filling with your choice of cheese, if using. Close and seal the shells with a fork. Deep fry empanadas till golden brown, and drain extra oil over paper towels.

Crunchy Sweet & Salty Snacking Chickpeas

Nick DiGiovanni, celebrity chef, author of Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook

Giovanni, creator of Osmo Salt, collaborated with Four Roses Bourbon to create the Toasted Vanilla Bourbon Salt, perfect for rimming bourbon drinks, and for home chefs to add a robust yet sweet final touch to meals. His cookbook, Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook, is out June 13th.

“Growing up in Boston, surrounded by some of the greatest athletes and sports fans, Super Bowl Sunday has always been about making delicious snacks for my friends and family to enjoy together.”

2 (15oz [425g]) cans of chickpeas

1/3 cup (80ml) avocado oil

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

Osmo x Four Roses Toasted Vanilla Bourbon Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry with paper towels. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are blistered and slightly charred. Drain any remaining oil and transfer the chickpeas to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes until light golden brown and crispy.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Osmo x Four Roses Toasted Vanilla Bourbon Salt and pepper over the chickpeas. Toss to coat them evenly in the spices. Return the chickpeas to the oven for 5 minutes more. Cool slightly before serving.

Spicy Hummus

CJ Jacobson, chef partner at Aba, Austin, Chicago and Miami

“I usually don’t have time to make something specific like a 7-layer dip or jalapeno poppers for the Super Bowl, although I wish I did! Instead, I’ll bring something easy from the restaurant. Luckily for me, our spicy hummus, charred eggplant or toasted almond and garlic spreads are all on hand.”

For a speedier recipe, substitute canned garbanzos (chickpeas) and save the liquid to use as indicated. Sambal Olek is an Indonesian spicy paste. Piquillos and Sweetie Drops are imported peppers that come in cans or jars. All are available online or in specialty food stores.

1 lb uncooked garbanzos

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1 T extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp tahini

3 tsp lemon juice

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup Sambal Olek

1/2 lb red bell pepper, roasted and peeled

1/2 lb yellow bell pepper, roasted and peeled

1/2 lb Piquillo peppers

1 tsp anchovy, minced

1.5 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp Sherry vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

1.5 tsp fresh basil, chopped

1 t parsley, chopped

3 T Sweety Drops

2 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

For hummus:

Soak garbanzos in one gallon of water overnight. Drain, place them in pot and cover with water, 1 T baking soda, and 2 T salt. Bring to boil then turn to a simmer. Cook until very soft, about an hour.

Drain cooked chickpeas, saving one teaspoon liquid. Add hot garbanzos to food processor with remaining ingredients, including reserved liquid. Process for 4-5 minutes until smooth and creamy.

For spicy peppers:

Place roasted peppers in food processor, pulse to break down but still chunky. Remove from processor and set aside. Add piquillos, anchovy, fish sauce, sherry vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, basil, parsley, and Sweety drops into food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add mix to bell peppers along with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Spoon hummus onto a serving plate and top with spicy pepper mixture. Serve with your choice of dippers.

Soy Braised Pork Shoulder

Brian Light, chef owner at Ronin Farm & Restaurant, Bryan, Texas

“It’s an easy, delicious recipe that most everyone loves. Almost all of the cooking is in the oven, which gives time for other activities. It takes the same amount of time to cook for five people or thirty. Well, maybe a little more time for thirty, but certainly not six times as long!”

5 pounds bone-in pork shoulder

1 T kosher salt

1/2 T ground black pepper

2 T canola oil

4 quarts chicken stock (or water)

2 cups soy sauce

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups beer

1 head garlic, split in half

1 bunch green onions

Season pork shoulder with the salt and pepper, preheat oven to 300F. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add oil, sear on all sides for 5 minutes each side, until well caramelized. Remove from pot, add remaining ingredients, bring them to a boil. Replace pork in pot, cover with a lid, and place in oven. Every half hour or so, remove lid, flip meat over in braising liquid, and continue cooking.

After 2.5-3 hours, but possibly up to 4 hours, the meat should be fall apart tender. Remove from oven, allow to cool in liquid until cool enough to handle. Shred with two forks, and allow to rest in liquid. Serve with rice and roasted vegetables, stuff into a sandwich or steamed buns, or add to you favorite noodle soup.

Spicy Crab Guacamole

Richard Sandoval, chef owner at Toro, Denver

Chef Sandoval takes the guac game up a notch by adding spicy crab to the mix. “That may seem fancy, but it shouldn’t daunt you! The crab can be purchased already cooked at your grocery store, and it’s the perfect salty addition to a creamy bowl of guac.”

2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped

1⁄4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

2 T cilantro, finely chopped

2 T fresh lime juice

Kosher salt

Pickled jalapeños (for garnish)

Spicy crabmeat (recipe below)

1 can (330 g) of premium shredded real lump crabmeat

1 tablespoon store-bought chile de arbol salsa

For the spicy crab meat, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Mash the avocados, onion, serrano chile, cilantro and lime juice together in a medium bowl with a large serving fork or a potato masher. Be sure to keep the guacamole chunky. Season generously with salt and top guacamole with spicy crabmeat. Garnish with pickled jalapeños and cilantro (or micro cilantro). Serve with tortilla chips.