fresh food bites Trimming Down The Super Bowl
Winter has to be one of my favorite times of the year. Sure, the holidays and all that family stuff is cool, but cold weather is perfect guy weather. Seriously, it’s the best time of the year to eat spicy food, drink hot loaded coffee, brag about all the moving objects you bagged in the woods, and celebrate the greatness of the most incredible man-holiday of all – The Superbowl. Winter time would be incomplete without one heck of a raging Superbowl party. Hanging out with the buds, drinking some “cold ones,” and, of course, scarfing down some hot and spicy, deep-fried, greasy, artery-clogging man food! There is just one problem, though. As much as you wield the almighty wrench in your family, it’s your better half whom holds the keys to your household, your heart, and your happiness. And she’s not about to have you drop anything, especially poultry, into a deep vat of boiling animal fat. Not a chance.
GOOD CHOW: THE BLUE HORSE New Owners Create Flavor-Packed Tapas Tapas-style restaurants have been catching on like wildfire nation-wide. This very European ideal of making a meal out of several smaller, shareable portions is a favorite of mine. What better way to enjoy an intimate meal with friends, family or a date than ordering a table-full of options for everyone to enjoy? Enter downtown’s newest tapas restaurant and jazz bar, The Blue Horse. Two close friends and I ventured down to the corner of Sixth and Ellis on New Years Eve to enjoy our last meal of the year together. Cozied up in a comfortable booth, we shed our winter coats and embraced the warm, jazzy atmosphere of the restaurant. The Blue Horse’s menu selection is something like a fusion of traditional tapas and good old Southern recipes. After much debate, we settled on a handful of dishes to share. From the “cold” menu, we settled on chilled deviled eggs with balsamic mixed greens. These met all standards of a deviled egg: the filling had that fluffy texture that perfectly juxtaposes the stiffer hard-boiled whites. Next up was a basket of homemade potato chips with lemon garlic aioli; another light, refreshing preview for the heartier dishes to come.
DEVILED EGGS WITH BALSAMIC MIXED GREENS
Our “hot” dishes came out in quick succession, giving us barely enough time to savor each one individually. We were delighted by the southern egg rolls, an awesome twist on the traditional Chinese side-dish. Smoked turkey, seasoned collards and asiago cheese, together in one crispy, fried piece of goodness dipped in a peach “ketchup,” created the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Being adventurous, we ordered the panko-crusted chicken livers. Having never had liver before, I was surprised by how non-revolting they were! Fried in blue cheese and hot sauce and served on top of buttery sweet potato fries, this dish was a pleaser to the taste buds. If you aren’t one for exploring different tastes and textures (or if you just don’t like chicken liver) then I’d suggest steering clear of this dish. Maybe The Blue Horse will start serving their sweet potato fries a la carte (hint, hint!).
Slim & Tasty Superbowl Strips
1 lb boneless/skinless chicken tenders 1/2 cup bread crumbs ¼ cup Parmesan cheese ½ to 1 cup of water 1 cup Louisiana style hot sauce Minced garlic to taste
1. Bring water to a boil in a wide flat pan then lower temperature to medium. 2. Add chicken tenders turning until cooked. 3. Put bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a sandwich bag then add wet chicken tenders directly from pan 4. Toss and place on baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 5. Place hot sauce and garlic in sealable container. Add chicken tenders and toss. 6. Place tenders back on baking sheet and under oven broiler for 2 minutes carefully keeping an eye on them. Tenders will smell and look great. If you’re picky, this works just as well for wings. Put these out with some low fat ranch and bleu cheese and chances are, your buds will never know the difference! So don’t miss out on all of this year’s fun Superbowl stuff. Pick up a “healthier” brew such as MGD 64, or Michelob Ultra, soak some turkey brats for the grill, and of course, toss back a few of these spicy chicken tenders. Your better half will thank you for it later.
by JOHN “STONEY” CANNON John believes that anyone can learn to eat healthier - in small steps - taking one bite at a time.
Recommended by the chef, we gave the lobster, shrimp and crab cheesy grits a chance to impress us – and impress us it did! If heaven was made out of grits, it would be these. Creamy and thick, with just the right amount of cheese, and topped with seafood cooked to perfection, this quickly became a favorite. Our final dish gives the grits a run for its moneyas the night’s favorite tapa. Two empanadas filled with duck confit, marinated cranberries, asiago and goat cheeses, perched perfectly on a small plate looked almost too good to eat. As soon as the scent hit our sniffers, we abandoned all formalities and dug in. It’s rare to find an empanada that balances the delicate, flaky pastry crust with fantastic flavor. Unable to resist, we had another order out in no time. We took a brief respite from the feasting to enjoy coffee (and for one friend, a White Russian) before moving on to dessert. The Blue Horse has a lovely atmosphere for conversation and the enjoyment of others’ company. A beautiful grand piano sits patiently on a small stage, and my friends and I agreed that we would have to return for one of the Horse’s jazz nights (great music and great food? Yes, please!). Once our bellies had settled, we decided to indulge on a slice peanut-butter pie and an order of bread pudding. The pie had the perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate with a heavy consistency, close to that of cheesecake. I particularly approve of the chocolate chunks in the filling and the awesome cookie-crumb crust. It is definitely a dessert that should be shared. The bread pudding, a very traditional recipe, was tough to split between the three of us – we all wanted it for ourselves!
DUCK EMPANADAS
LOBSTER, SHRIMP & CRAB CHEESY GRITS
Whether you’re looking for a delicious meal, an intimate setting for a date or meeting, or simply a good time, swing downtown to meet The Blue Horse, located on the corner of 6th and Ellis. The Blue Horse is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Jazz nights are every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Hot and cold tapas, full lunch and dinner menus are available. For more information: 706.955.9875. by ASHLEY PLOCHA photos GABI HUTCHISON
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
vergelive.com | community driven news | January 19, 2011 17