Projo Football Food and Spirits

I've been playing with this versatile, easy recipe that's rich enough to satisfy a crowd and, if there are leftovers, it's even better the next day. It's fine with just mushrooms, or add sun-dried tomatoes to give it a bite. The cheese makes its own delicious browned crust. (This is not quivery like a quiche, since there's no milk or cream in it.)

You might add scallions or leeks, substitute (lightly steamed) broccoli for the spinach, or use 1/2 pound of cheddar and 1/2 pound of other cheeses (leftovers from your cheese plate). Double the spinach if you want it to be more like a spinach pie. Feel free to improvise -- the cheese will hold it all together.

Spinach & Cheese Squares
1 lb fresh baby spinach
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms or 4 oz. fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 tablespoons melted butter
6 eggs, beaten
16 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese (or half Cheddar and half other cheeses), coarsely grated
1/4 cup sherry wine (optional)
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drain spinach well; the drier the better.

Photos / Sheila Lennon

Bring about 2 cups of water and sherry to a boil in a saucepan and add the dried mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Blanch for 2-3 minutes, then let sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the liquid. Drain.

In a heavy soup pot large enough to fit all the spinach, sauté onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter till translucent.

Add spinach, stirring it down till it wilts, then drain. Add mushrooms and sundried tomatoes, eggs, cottage and cheddar cheeses, flour and the remaining butter and mix. Season with pepper.

Pour into prepared dish and bake for 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10.

Note: Use more water and sherry when reconstituting the mushrooms if you want to spin off a flavorful addition to soup. I've added the excess sherry-mushroom water to overly-carroted turkey soup and it cut the sweetness, much improving it.

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These four wonderful recipes come from a new cookbook by Lori Lyn Narlock called Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors.

They offer some nice blends of salty, sweet, savory and fun for a late Sunday afternoon game that promises to produce lots of action with the Pats defending their perfect record against the Steelers.

PEPPER SALAMI SKEWERS WITH WINE-POACHED OLIVES AND FIGS
Pair with Zinfandel or Syrah

3 large or 6 small dried black mission figs

1/2 cup Zinfandel or other dry red wine

6 large kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise

12 1/2-inch cubes black pepper salami

12 1/2-inch cubes mezzo seco jack cheese or good-quality imported provolone

If the figs are large, cut them in quarters lengthwise; if small, cut in half lengthwise. Put in a small saucepan. Add the wine and olives. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and let cool.

To assemble the skewers, thread 1 piece of fig, salami, olive, and cheese onto each of 12 6-inch bamboo skewers. Arrange on a platter or place 2 on each of 6 small plates and serve.

Serves 6.

FLANK STEAK WITH PEPPER CRUST

Pair with Syrah

1 flank steak (1 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry red wine

1 teaspoon, plus 1 tablespoon cracked pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 tablespoon honey mustard

3 cups loosely packed arugula or watercress sprigs

Kosher or sea salt

Put the steak in a heavy, resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, wine, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, the garlic, and thyme. Pour over the steak and turn to coat evenly. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 8 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator. Remove the steak from the marinade and wipe dry with a paper towel. Discard the marinade. Spread half the mustard over each side of the meat. Press half of the remaining 1 tablespoon pepper into the mustard on each side.

Preheat a gas grill to high. Oil the grill grids. Place the steak on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. An instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the steak should register 125 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the steak into thin slices against the grain. Arrange the arugula or watercress in small piles on 6 small plates. Divide the steak slices over the beds of greens, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

Serves 6.

PORK SALTIMBOCCA WITH PAN SAUCE
Pair with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

6 small (about 3 ounces each) boneless pork cutlets or thin-cut pork chops, trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 thin slices prosciutto

6 small fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Season the pork on both sides with salt and pepper. Put a prosciutto slice on a work surface. Place a pork cutlet or chop in the center. Wrap the ends of the prosciutto around the pork, overlapping in the center. Place a sage leaf over the ends and thread an 8-inch bamboo skewer through the pork to secure the prosciutto and sage. Repeat with the remaining pork cutlets or chops.

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cutlets or chops, in batches if necessary, sage side down, in a single layer and cook until the prosciutto is crisp and the pork is lightly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook the second side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Discard any oil from the skillet and add the wine. Increase the heat to high and cook until thickened, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Arrange the pork on a platter or divide among 6 small plates. Spoon the pan sauce over each, and serve.

Serves 6.

WARM CHOCOLATE PUDDLE CAKES
Pair with Port

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar, plus additional sugar

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur, plus additional liqueur

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heavily butter and lightly flour six 4- to 6-ounce ramekins. Knock out the excess flour.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and the 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour.

Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until firm at the edges and glossy and barely set in the center, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

In a deep bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add additional sugar and coffee liqueur to taste.

Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them. Invert each cake onto one of 6 small plates and top each with a dollop of the whipped cream.

Makes 6 cakes.

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