Unclogged: Mario Batali's Super Bowl Menu

Required Eating

Posted by Mario Batali, January 30, 2008 at 4:40 PM

For the Super Bowl, I love to serve what I call "team icon food"—classics
from the hometowns of the playing teams. It's especially exciting this year, as New York
and Beantown have great options.

Here's my menu and timing, from pre- to post-game. Feel free to use it yourself. If you are going to do this at home, remember to keep the portions small—it's easy to have way too much food, and quarters don't last that long.

Mario Batali's Super Bowl Menu

Pregame

Hot Pretzels with Mustard

Mini Lobster Rolls (You could use this recipe for the lobster and then cut the larger rolls into small hors d'oeuvre–size pieces.)

First Quarter

New England Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce (à la Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar)

Second Quarter

New York Pizza (from Otto, of course)

Halftime

New England Clam Chowder (Jasper White's recipe)

Third Quarter

Hot Dawgs from Gray's Papaya with the Works (I really will sprint down and back during a commercial.)

Fourth Quarter

New York Cheesecake or Boston Cream Pie: We eat the winners and chuck the
losers. This year, I'll bring in cheesecakes from Junior's, but I'll have to make the Boston cream pie, as I don't know any Boston cream pie makers in New York.

About the author: Mario Batali has created a thriving restaurant empire and has established himself as a top restaurateur. Together with his partner, Joe Bastianich, he operates seven New York City hotspots. Mario splits his time between New York City's Greenwich Village and northern Michigan with his wife, Susan Cahn, of Coach Dairy Goat Farm, and their two sons. More Mario: mariobatali.com.

13 Comments | Tags: entertaining, Mario Batali, sports, Super Bowl

13 Comments:

Jesus! we are just doing wings, nacho dip & veggies with dip. It's our day off for pete's sake......this is what he does on days off? The cod cakes seems pretty easy though ......i love this guy

Kim Nyland at 5:25PM on 01/30/08

I want to party with Mario, except I would be so full! I'm just doing barbequed meatballs, chicken strips with multiple sauces,(less messy than wings) nacho dip homemade salsa. Didn't think about dessert. hmmm. Enjoy. I wanted the cowboys to win.darn

Pegasus at 6:13PM on 01/30/08

google found boston creme pies in nyc

Conti's Pastry Shoppe
786 Morris Park Ave
Bronx, NY 10462
(718) 239-9339

goodbyeohio at 8:44PM on 01/30/08

Everything sounds great - what's the address? HaHa!

Actually, the party we are going to is all hors'deurves. I'm bringing a layered dip with chips! I'm making it in a 9x13 pan, and the top layer will be guac - of course - and I'll pipe sour cream on to make a football field. Just haven't quite figured out what to make the field goals out of yet....any ideas?

Maleficent_fan at 11:08PM on 01/30/08

We are doing a muffaletta, wings and assorted nachos.

JerzeeTomato at 2:58AM on 01/31/08

Field goals - you mean the posts? I'd use pretzels.....

Maureen at 9:18AM on 01/31/08

Mario,
Throw away the cheesecake-stick with the "white" clam chowda"

Great recipes-enjoy the Superbowl!!!

cakestands at 5:13PM on 01/31/08

Maureen - yeah, I meant the posts! I thought of pretzels, but not real sure how to get them to stick together in the right way. I might use jicama and hold it together w/toothpics....if it turns out I'll post a picture of it!

Maleficent_fan at 11:56PM on 01/31/08

For the goal posts, (a) pretzels, use honey to make the uprights or just make a soccer post no one will mind. Just say someone ate the uprights
(b) use the white end of the celery stick, just cut out the inside

nynjcatxfl at 11:27AM on 02/01/08

Out here in the Wild West (Utah), we don't really have a pro football team we can sink our heart and souls into, so we usually root for the underdog, in this case it will be New York. So what we do out here is use the Super Bowl as an excuse to get down to serious eating! The best Hot Dog you can get out our way (Since it's a long way from New York) is the Costco Warehouse Sinai Kosher All Beef Hot Dog that is literally a foot long and twice as wide as a "normal" hot dog. The flavor is beyond compare. Load that baby up with mustard and relish and you have a half-time meal that will make you forget the Bean Town Boys are beating up on Peyton's little brother! Ti Amo Mario! Ciao!

madeinitaly at 8:36AM on 02/02/08

"We eat the winners and chuck the losers."

How wasteful I never thought I'd hear that coming from Chef Batali. Couldn't you give the loser's cake to a homeless person or something?

seyo at 2:42PM on 02/03/08

How can I get the cookbook of Mario's through ( American Food Harvest ) to download

littlehutch at 3:00PM on 02/03/08

I went to Conti's pastry shoppe in the Bronx to try their Boston Cream pie and it was absolutely delicious. It was light and so fresh! Everyone was fighting over the last few pieces! I recommend you try it for your next gathering!

chrisd207 at 4:24PM on 04/04/08

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