Arts

Bromantic Olympic eats

By Andrew Forsyth

For those of you stuck on the Hill for the duration of the games and wanting to get into the Olympic spirit, this might just be for you. It will also work really well for anyone who’s parents buggered off down to Mexico and left them a sweet 52” TV to watch the Men’s Hockey Final on (just make sure you clean up the kitchen before they get back). So, in the spirit of rocking a sports party like none other without resorting to chips and dip, here is your guide to student-friendly Olympic party food.

(Our customary Health Benefits and Ingredient of the Week have been waived in the interest of party food and beer.)

POTATO SKINS

These wonderful appetizers were all the rage in restaurants during the ‘80s. The skins are broiled instead of deep-fried to save on fat and calories, which you then cover with cheese and sour cream!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 7 minutes

THE GOODS:

8 potato skin halves

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 cup shredded Cojack cheese

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Sour cream

THE METHOD:

1- Place potato shells, skin side up, on broiler pan and brush with melted butter.

2- Broil 5” from heat for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp and golden. Turn potatoes over and sprinkle cheese, tomato and green onions into the potato hollow. Return to oven and continue broiling about 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted and potatoes are hot. Serve hot with sour cream.

EASY BAKE CHICKEN WINGS

Preparation time: varies

Cook time: 60 minutes

Let’s face it — wings are the gold standard for sporting event finger food. The bars overcharge on most nights of the week so try these out. They may take a bit of the cost down and you’ll never have to wait for the chef to stop watching the game to get your food.

THE GOODS:

3 pounds chicken wings

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

THE METHOD:

1- Cut and discard the wing tips. Then, cut the chicken wings apart. Next, mix the ingredients and simply pour over the wings. Marinating them overnight is optimal, but if you don’t have time to do that, just give the marinade at least one hour in the refrigerator.

2- Before baking them, remove the wings from the marinade. Bake one hour at 350° F. Serve them up and watch these chicken wings disappear.

GAME DAY CHILI (8 servings)

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 90 minutes

THE GOODS:

2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup each of chopped celery, green pepper & carrot

1 (16 ounce) can of kernel corn

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp. chili powder

2 (16 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained (size may vary so watch out)

3 tbsp tomato paste

4 cups unsalted beef, chicken or vegetable stock

1 to 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

THE METHOD: 1- In a large Dutch oven (a.k.a. big pot) or soup kettle, brown meat until no longer pink.

2- Add onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, corn and garlic. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Add all remaining ingredients (except kidney beans) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add kidney beans and heat through just before serving. Add salt & pepper to taste.

3- Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream & scallions.

4- Additional serving suggestions: Serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice for a hearty twist!

BERVERAGE PAIRING

As most of you have probably guessed, I love wine. However, I would be the last person caught dead drinking wine at an Olympic party. This one is all beer. Take this opportunity to try some international flavours from some of our visiting nations. Here are a few to get you started.

GREAT BRITAIN

INNIS AND GUN. This oak barrel aged beauty comes from Scotland and tastes like toffee — now a standard at all BCL stores.

BODDINGTONS. Think of this as the lighter form of Guinness. They carry it at the pub but why pay $7 for a tall boy when you can enjoy it at home?

CANADA

GRANVILLE ISLAND. I know it’s been done, but honestly, those guys over on the island make some of the best beers that you can get on this coast.

BELGIUM

LEUTE BOK BEER. Dark, fizzy, and with a hint of chocolate and fruit, these beers will make you wonder why you haven’t traveled to Belgium for a beer tour.

JAPAN

ASAHI. I’m not really a lager kind of guy, but this sushi house standard is just plain refreshing.