tool name

Wednesday, Feb. 03, 2010

A super-layer dip for Super Bowl

Exactly a year ago, on the Tuesday before the Super Bowl, I found out the Sun-Star was willing to publish a trial column of mine.

By the time I got the go-ahead, I had about two hours to choose a recipe, write the column and take pictures.

It was such an exciting prospect, as my main career goal was always to become a food writer.

I could have waited until the next week to submit a recipe -- but I figured that if there was anything in the world of food I was qualified to write about, it was Super Bowl fare.

I chose bacon-wrapped jalapenos for the maiden recipe. In character, they are a simple, spicy, crowd-pleasing finger food that leaves you craving more.

After a year of writing about food and having the privilege of choosing the direction of this column, I've realized that the very first recipe I wrote is ideally representative of my culinary comfort zone.

Naturally, I like to write about food that's appropriate for the things I like to do: host parties, watch football with my family, bake with my kids and make people smile when they take their first bite.

And I'm certain that if there's anyone out there who still reads this column, you enjoy the same things I do.

The Super Bowl is a timely excuse for a massive finger-food feast.

The guidelines, while unofficial, are quite simple. The food must be spicy, salty, cheesy, delicious and completely addicting.

The real perk of a finger-food buffet is that because you never sit down with a knife and fork, you are never totally aware of how much you've actually consumed.

This tends to be much less discouraging come Monday morning, when 7-Eleven reports a 20 percent increase in antacid sales.

Calories and heartburn aside, Super Bowl Sunday is a good opportunity to try your hand at a new take on an old classic.

I set out this week to refashion what we all know as seven-layer dip.

There is scarcely anything more sordid to me than the store-bought version -- it's loaded with ingredients that have no business being there, such as high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil.

Homemade seven-layer dip is the incontestable king of Super Bowl dishes and should be revered as such by using the best ingredients possible.

This dip features some contemporary revisions, such as substituting refried black beans for the tired pinto beans, and adding chipotle adobo sauce for a smoky undertone.

The colors are beautifully contrasting and will make for a show-stopping contribution to your game-day spread.

Want to prevent a fumble in the kitchen? Then pass up the pork rinds and frozen wings for some cool new recipes that are sure to help you score big this Super Bowl Sunday.

For more tasty ideas, check out www.foodnetwork.com or www.epicurious.com.

Recipe: Smoky Seven-Layer Dip (serves 12)

2 cans refried black beans

1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce (tapatio preferred)

1.5 teaspoons garlic salt

5 ripe Haas avocados

5 limes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 8-ounce block cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons adobo sauce (the sauce in canned chipotle peppers)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija cheese

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 fresh jalapeno, sliced into thin rings

Tortilla chips for serving

1. In a medium bowl, combine refried black beans, hot sauce and garlic salt. Spread bean mixture on preferred serving platter to make the first layer.

2. Mash the avocados with juice from three limes, salt and pepper. Spread guacamole over black bean mixture.

3. Using a mixer or metal spoon, mix cream cheese, sour cream, adobo sauce, and juice of two limes until well combined. Spread over guacamole carefully.

4. Sprinkle the cream cheese mixture with preferred cheese and cilantro, then garnish artfully with red onion and jalapenos.

5. Serve with tortilla chips. Amanda De Jager Friedman owns the Piano Caffe in Merced.