Patriots Daily

I’m not surprised that this game features a team that has sewn up its division and a team that is still fighting for its playoff life. I am surprised by which one ended up being the Patriots.

Well, this wouldn’t be the first time that the Patriots have shut down a high powered offense lead by Kurt Warner. Of course this Patriots team isn’t quite like the 2001 team, but hopefully on Sunday it will be close enough.

In the spirit of close enough, Arizona isn’t exactly Mexico, but today on the Buffet Table its close enough.

Patriots Daily Buffet Table Mole Chicken Enchiladas

Moles are a family of traditional Mexican sauces. The one most people know is guacamole, avacado mole. For this recipe we’ll use a poblano mole. Poblano mole is made with chocolate, nuts, spices, salt, garlic and any number of other ingredients.

Moles take a long time to simmer and come together. I don’t have the time to do that during Patriots season and I doubt you do either, so we will be using a jarred mole. These are available in the Mexican aisle of any large supermarket.

Serves 6

1 jar Mole Sauce, it will either say Mole or Poblano mole
12 ounces water, beer or other liquid
3 pounds chicken tenderloins
12 tortillas
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
Olive oil
Onion – sliced
Lettuce – chopped
Tomato – sliced
12 ounces shredded mozzarella, queso fresco would be more authentic but it is harder to find
Other: disposable aluminum pan

Combine the garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and salt. Sprinkle the chicken tenderloins with the spice mix.

Heat one side of the grill to hot, 400 degrees. Coat the aluminum pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Empty the jar of mole into the aluminum pan, mix with the water and allow the mole to melt over indirect heat. This can take up to 30 minutes depending on the mole and how well you mix it with the water.

Once the mole has melted, grill the chicken tenderloins, 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Add them to the pan with the mole and coat.

Coat the onion slices with olive oil and place them over direct heat. Cook for 4 minutes, flipping the onions halfway through.

Now remove the pan filled with the mole, and turn the heat on for all of your grill. Lay out the tortillas and allow to warm through. They’ll take 3 minutes, 90 seconds per side.

Fill each tortilla with 2 chicken tenderloins and roll them up. Place the rolled tortillas into the pan, place them close enough to the sides and each other so that the tortillas will not unroll.

Once all of the tortillas and chicken have been rolled, sprinkle the pan with the mozzarella cheese (or the queso fresco if you can find some). Allow to heat until the cheese has melted.

Plate with the chopped lettuce, sliced onions, and sliced tomatoes for toppings.

Time for a Drink!

To go with our Mexican enchiladas we’ll be drinking one of the Mexican beer styles, the Vienna Lager. Why is a Mexican beer style named after a city in Austria? That’s because the style originated in Austria, where it has almost died out. German and Austrian brewers who had settled and started breweries in Mexico never stopped brewing Vienna Lagers and they kept the style alive.

Vienna Lager is one of my favorite beer styles. It is incredibly drinkable. It is neither too hoppy and bitter, nor too sweet and malty. It isn’t too light or too heavy in flavor, too strong or too weak in alcohol percentage. Vienna Lager is one of the great balanced beers in the world.

Expect this balance to continue throughout the beer. Carbonation is moderate. Flavors range towards toasted and bready malt flavors rather than heavier roasted or sweet.

Hops are present, but not in an overwhelming way, and those that are there are from the spicy and floral ‘noble’ varieties.

The most widely available Vienna Lager is Sam Adams Boston Lager. Not all sources agree, as some list Boston Lager as a Pilsner. It does split the styles as its color is as dark as a Vienna Lager, but it has the level of bitterness usually found in a Pilsner. It is still close enough to style to get an idea of what a Vienna Lager is about. Sam Adams did make a truer to style version, simply called Vienna Lager, up to a few years ago but it has been phased out.

Smuttynose Portsmouth Lager is closer to style and a great beer. Also from New England is Pennichuck 2-6-0 (PDF). 

Blue Point Brewing from Long Island offers Toasted Lager. They do not list it as a Vienna Lager, but although some of the ingredients aren’t traditional for a Vienna, I believe it belongs in the style.

The two most widely distributed Mexican options are Dos Equis Amber and Negra Modelo They share a few common characteristics, such as tending towards the sweet side of the style and having useless websites. Drinking a Sam Adams Boston Lager and a Negra Modelo will show you the entire breadth of Vienna Lagers.

Chef’s ‘Buffet Table’ appears before every Patriots home game on Patriots Daily. He can be reached at feedback@patriotsdaily.com.

Well, here we are again. Another year, another game against the Steelers. So grab a terrible towel and use it to wipe off your grill – hey, there is a use for those things after all. I thought they were only good for drying the tears of Steelers fans and players.

Oh crap, I think I just hurt Hines Ward’s feelings. He’s crying now, but I’ll probably get blindsided later. Hines is tough that way. The Steelers haven’t been to Foxborough since the Patriot Place Mall opened. I hope for Hines’ sake he stays away. The Bass Pro is full of taxidermy – Hines wouldn’t be able to take the sight of those deer, foxes and wolves stuffed as decorations. Ben Roethlisbledsoe, on the other hand, should take a trip over – they have all sorts of four wheelers, power boats and other things he could drive fast and crash into something.

C’mon, Ben, what are you chicken? Dare you to drive that ATV through the Christmas Tree Shoppe.

Speaking of chicken. We’ll be making our take on a Pittsburgh favorite this weekend, a Cambodian chicken shish kebab. Invented by the owners of Cambod-Ican Kitchen, an American-Cambodian fusion restaurant, this dish drove their business from a single truck to a full fledged restaurant.

Innovation from Pittsburgh? I’m glad it hasn’t made its way onto the football field.

Cambodian Chicken Shish Kebab

3-4 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
2 green peppers, cut into slices
2 onions, sliced
1 tbs. sweet curry powder
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbs. sugar, Cambodian palm sugar would be the most authentic choice, brown sugar will work
1 tbs. sesame oil
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Peel from 1 lime
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 loaves pita bread

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I know this will be old news for most of you, but we have to recap the big story of the NFL offseason for those that haven’t heard.

A legendary figure makes a return to Foxborough today. A legendary figure that retired, a figure that touched every team and every fan in some way. A legendary figure from a land of cheese and odd Germanic accents.

Entire training camps were affected by the loss of this legend – nay, an entire league was affected by the loss of this legend. Suddenly when all seemed lost, this legendary figure decided to return to us. And instead of returning miles and miles away, this legend decided to set up shop in New York.

Of course I am talking about the folding of the NFL Europa developmental league. Who could forget this past offseason when we lost NFL Europa! All was not  lost – as part of the closure, the NFL relocated the Amsterdam Admirals to New York, replacing the Jets. Jets fans finally have something to believe in.

For some reason the NFL has decided to cover up this story. Usually Goodell loves attention, so I’m not sure why he’s trying to hide the folding of the Jets. We at the Buffet Table welcome our new Dutch rivals, the New Amsterdam Jets. I am sure they will provide a greater challenge than we’re used to seeing from  the New York Jets, and competition is what sport is all about. That is nothing to be embarrassed about, Commish! Come on out and take credit! Awwwllright Jets fans!!!

For such a momentous occasion the Patriots Daily Buffet Table will give Thanks. Tis’ the season for Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast.

Vaderlanders Dagelijks Buffet Tafel Turkey
Serves 4

2 pound Turkey breast – boned
Butchers twine or metal shishkebob skewers
1 can of cranberry sauce
1 bottle beer (see below)
Dried sage – to taste
1 orange (optional)

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by the Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

This week the Patriots are facing the Bills for first place in the AFC East and the always important head-to-head tiebreaker. The Bills were the only AFC East opponent not to undergo any major changes this offseason. Well, that’s not entirely true; it turns out the Bills will be playing one of their home games in Toronto this year and every other season until 2012.

So lace up your skates, grab a hockey stick, and start practicing your “ehs” and “aboots” as the Buffet Table welcomes the Bills’ new Canadian overlords.

We’re not terribly sure if they still are The ‘Bills’. All Canadian Football teams are named the Roughriders. Or if they will only be playing to three downs, or getting called for too many men penalties every time they line up 12. What we do know is at the Buffet Table we’ll be taking our inspiration from the Bills new Canadian home.

Cider Brined Canadian ‘Bacon’ Pork Loin

Canadian Bacon, the leanest element of the Bacon-Canadian Bacon-Mexican Bacon Food Pyramid is called back bacon in the rest of the world. It is made from the pork loin and cured.

We’ll be using that same cut of meat, but we’ll be brining it in Cider and spices resulting in a juicy moist roast.

Brine
Apple Cider 2 quarts
Apple Cider Vinegar 1/4 cup
Salt 1/2 cup
Peppercorns (10) cracked
All spice berries (10) cracked
Cumin, teaspoon

Pork loin
Get a 2 to 3 pound pork loin
alternate – boneless or bone-in chops

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by Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

The Dynasty starts tonight! Oh Ricky Proehl, you raconteur you, such a quick wit. It’s appropriate that this game is being played so close to Halloween. Seven years later St. Louis still hasn’t recovered from the trick that replaced their treat.

This Rams team is horrible, they’ve been the  worst team in the league over the past two years. OK, they’ve got some competition with Detroit and Cincinnati for that title, but still seeing the Rams on the schedule this week is a nice Halloween treat for Pats fans.

Seriously, between San Diego and Denver the past couple of weeks, and looking ahead and seeing Indy and the Bills in the next two. This is the kind of break my nerves need.

The lead up to the game should even be good. I’m sure the 2001 Super Bowl will be replayed in the media all week. Despite the fact that there are hardly any key figures from that Rams team still around. Isaac Bruce, Mike Martz, Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and others have all moved on or retired.

If you miss those old Rams, and miss the old Patriots that beat up the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ then just watch the NFL network leading up to the game. I’m sure Marshall will be on there running his mouth about the Patriots. See it’s not so bad, at least 7 years later our team still won, and the Rams are still bitter about it.

What other changes have hit St. Louis? Read on and find out. First, we need some food.

Patriots Daily Buffet Table Lamb Chops (Serves 6)

3 pounds Lamb rib chops
4 tablespoons Mild Curry Paste
1 bottle Belgian Pale Ale or Strong Pale Ale

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by the Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

The NFL scheduled the Broncos to play at Foxboro? It seems that the Broncos and the Patriots play every year, and that they play in Denver. I’m not sure what happened here, but I’m glad the Pats aren’t out in Denver for once.

There is a lot to like about the Denver. The mayor is a brewer. There is easy access to all the skiing, hiking, and rafting that anyone could ever want. The city streets suddenly switch from North-South, East-West to diagonal for some reason. Coors Field is not only a great place to watch a baseball game, but the Red Sox won a World Series on that field. I like just about everything about Denver, except for the Broncos.

No matter what their record is, games against the Broncos worry me more than a 700 point drop on Wall Street. This is a Monday night game to boot, no normal Sunday at 1 game this week. So we’ll be going big with both our food and drink. Just as the Broncos are often a tough matchup for the Patriots, we’ll be making a big burger that is a tough matchup and would overwhelm most beers.

Patriots Daily Buffet Table Gorgonzola Burgers

Serves 6

2 pounds 80% ground chuck
grill seasoning (garlic, pepper, salt, cumin)
6 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 egg

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by Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

Patriots versus Dolphins this week, as we’re treated to our second AFC East matchup of the season. It’s been a busy off season for the fishies. Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor are gone. Bill Parcells is now the GM in Miami. Or at least he was when this was written. Ol’ Tuna doesn’t like to stick around for long. So while Bill may no longer be shopping for the groceries in Miami, the Buffet Table is still preparing for this game.

We’ll be shopping for MahiMahi this week. Also known as Dolphinfish, MahiMahi are fast growing but short lived fish. They’re a lot like the Dolphins, they start off every season fast but then fade down the stretch.

It’s an easy fish to cook. Like most fast growing and short lived fish, it does not have a strong fishy flavor. It’s a fish that people who think they don’t like fish should try. It cooks quickly enough that Parcells should still be in Miami if he was there when you first put the MahiMahi on the grill.

Bill Parcells’ Frequent Shopper Card MahiMahi (serves 6)

Ingredients:
MahiMahi filets, 2.5 to 3 pounds

Rub:
1/2 cup dark spiced rum
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 habanero pepper
1 mango

Other:
Vegetable oil

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by the Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

Welcome back to another season at the Buffet Table. The Pats are kicking off this season against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are best known for performing in the best season of “Hard Knocks” that will ever be filmed. I looked it up, and they also play football in the NFL. It turns out Herm Edwards isn’t just a motivational speaker and coiner of phrases, but he also coaches in the NFL. Herm puts on a great pre-season tv show, but it doesn’t carry into the season. He’s only 2-5 playing to win the game in the first week.

Just like Herm, we at the Buffet Table are still stuck in the summer. Labor Day came too early this year – September 1st come on, that’s almost the earliest it could be. Before we get into the cold weather menus and beverages we’re going to enjoy this final weekend in the sun. Put on your black socks with Crocs, fire up the grill and fill the cooler. The Patriots are finally playing again.

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Patriots Buffet Table – Patriots vs. Giants, Super Bowl XLII
Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff
feedback@patriotsdaily.com

Here we are again waiting for a Super Bowl to arrive. The fourth in seven years. Never forget how lucky we are to be watching this team at this time.

This time the Patriots are looking to be the first 19-0 team in NFL history. They’re looking to put up the true perfect season. They’re looking to put the 1972 Dolphins speaking engagement tour out of business.

We’re changing our approach at the Buffet Table this week. We plan our menus around tailgating and we’re faced with a few problems. Not many of you will be going to Arizona for the game. Even if you do go, the host cities always ban tailgating at the Super Bowl.

Luckily for us people like to make a celebration out of the Super Bowl. This Buffet Table is planned with gatherings small or large in mind.

We’ll be looking at food and beverage that is easy to prepare. Food and drink that is customizable to a variety of people. And importantly, food that can be handled pot luck style.

If you’re hosting a party why should you do all the work? If you’re going to a party bring something along and the host will appreciate it.

Speaking of helping out at a pot luck. BSMW regulars and family have contributed their personal recipes and beer choices to this Buffet Table.

Appetizers:

Jennifer Blisard’s Reuben Dip
A reuben sandwich turned into a dip. Delicious and its a tip of the cap to the Patriots NY opponents.
Thanks Jennifer.

Ingredients:
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 (6 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
6 ounces diced corned beef
2 tbsp. Thousand Island Dressing
Crackers, or cocktail rye bread

Preparation:
Drain and rinse sauerkraut, mix with cream cheese and Swiss cheese. Add diced corned beef and Thousand Island dressing.
Cover and heat on low in the crockpot, until cheeses are melted, stirring occasionally to blend all ingredients.

Serve warm.

Jennifer Blisard’s Pepperoni Pizza Dip:
Not one but 2 recipes from Jennifer. Don’t try passing these off as your own people. Give credit where it is due.

Ingredients:
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
Pizza Sauce (not pasta sauce!)
Reserve:
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup mozzarella

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients except the sauce in pyrex or metal baking pan. Cover with pizza sauce, approximately 1/2 cup.

Add on top the 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Add 1/2 cup mozzarella and bake additional 5-10 minutes.

Serve with favorite crackers. Garden or vegetable crackers are really good with this.

Main Course:

Feejis’ Slider Bar
Small burgers offered with a variety of toppings. Each guest can customize to their own taste.

Ingredients:
Serves 4-5, the recipe can be easily multiplied
2 pounds Ground beef or turkey
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
small slider sized buns

Other:
Wax or parchment paper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350

Mix the meat, egg and spices, roll into a big meatball. Lay out a piece of wax paper or parchment paper on a cutting board. Throw that giant meatball down like Brandon Jacobs fumbling the ball. Place another piece of wax paper on top of it and use a rolling pin to roll it out. Make sure you use the wax paper, without the paper, the meat will stick to the rolling pin.

Aim for 1/4″ thick and a generally square or rectangular shape. Thicker if you can only find thick rolls.

Take the paper off the top, cut it with a pizza cutter. Size the sliders so they’ll fit well on the rolls you get.

Use a spatula to transfer them to cookie sheets or glass pans. Place them in your 350 oven for 6-8 minutes, depending on doneness desired and the thickness you rolled the sliders out to. If you still have your grill out, you can grill them as well.

Lay out the huge pile of burgers, buns and toppings for people to serve themselves.

As for those toppings, do whatever you or your guests like. Request they bring over burger toppings. Sauteed onions, Mushrooms, peppers. The typical mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato. BBQ sauce, a few cheeses. Whatever you can think of.

Don’t forget the Half Smoke Chili from the Patriots-Redskins Buffet Table and the cheese sauce from the Patriots-Eagles Buffet Table.

Time for a drink!

So far on the Buffet Table we’ve profiled a particular beer style per week. With the variety of food we’re making, and with everyone having different beer preferences. We’re drinking the Boston Sports Media Watch/Patriots Daily Mix Pack.

Here’s old pal Joe Dokes and he brought Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA, some organic Wolavers, Pennichuck No. 5 and Geary’s Winter.

Theres TjM toting his favorite German import Becks.

Ed Hillel isn’t emptyhanded, thats a Smuttynose mix pack I spy. Great for watching games and taking hiking right Ed?

She’s sweet, but it looks like Suzy likes bitter beer. I can pick out those green labels from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from across the room.

Everyone’s favorite crustacean lobstah is sporting Shipyard Prelude, Bar Harbor Real Ale and Coal Porter in his claws. Can you pop a top with those claws?

Feejis likes Coors Light and Killians with his sliders.

Someone needs to help Dan bring those in, what is that Sam Adams, Smithwick’s, Bud Light, and Michelob Light?

Hey! Chief made it up here, what do you have Magic Hat Circus Boy… weren’t you just saying you got burnt out on this and wished you had some way to get rid of it?

Looks like the Patriots Daily Round Table has let out, here comes Scott, and he’s carrying some Geary’s.

Lebron made it out as well. He loves his Colorado beers, but for football he brought some Moosehead. A good crisp Canadian lager, not too filling, but it still has great flavor.

This is a thirsty bunch, and they like a variety of frosty barley pops. If you don’t know what your guests like go out and buy a few variety packs. Sam Adams, Geary’s, Sea Dog, Harpoon, Redhook and countless others have 12 packs including 3,4 or 6 different beers.

That does it for the Patriots Buffet Table. You should have enough food and beverage to last you this offseason. See you all
next fall.

What are your Super Bowl food and drink plans? Let us know below in the comments.