Super Bowl buffet makes for interesting eating

The Super Bowl match-up we really wanted to see, in terms of what food would have been best to serve buffet-style on the big party day, would have been New Orleans and New England. Lobster rolls, New England clam chowder, jambalaya, crawfish etoufee, maybe a little gumbo. Makes for perfect football food. Hearty, comforting and perfect for sampling a little of this and a little of that.
But Chicago and Indianapolis?
Last year’s Super Bowl between Seattle and Pittsburgh was easier. Seattle with its huge fish industry (Dungeness crab, king crab, smoked salmon) worked interestingly against Pittsburgh’s Primanti Brothers’ sandwiches and pierogies.
But Chicago and Indianapolis?
What, deep dish pizza and … what the heck is traditional Indianapolis food anyway?
“The food I think of as quintessential Indiana fare is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich,” writes Jolene Ketzenberger, the food columnist for the Indianapolis Star. “I understand they're hard to come by in other parts of the country, but they are boneless cuts of pork, sometimes pounded thin (other times they're quite thick) that are breaded and fried. They're generally huge--much bigger than the bun they're served on. I like mine with mayo and dill slices. You usually find them at taverns and drive-in restaurants. The Mug ‘n Bun rootbeer stand not far from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a good one, but a roadside place in Gnaw Bone, Indiana, has become known for its tenderloins.”
Ketzenberger suggests the following Web sites to get a better idea of just what a breaded Hoosier pork tenderloin sandwich looks like.
Try http://www.indymall.com/dining/tenderloin.htm
or http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=423&whichpage=13 .
To learn how to make them, go to http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/BPT_Tutorial.html .
“While the Indiana Pork Producers would certainly lobby for the tenderloin sandwich, others such as the Indiana Beef Cattle Association would likely say it is the Hoosier rib-eye sandwich that is the true Indiana specialty,” said Ketzenberger. “These are very popular at the Indiana State Fair--as is corn on the cob, grilled in the husks and served with the husks peeled down for a handle, which you use to dip the corn into melted butter.”
The Hoosier rib-eye and the Hoosier breaded pork tenderloin would work well on a buffet, she said, because they’re both finger foods. Guests can easily pick them up and eat them on a plate off their laps or off a coffee table.
The Hoosier rib-eye is easily prepared. Season both sides of the boneless ¼-inch thick steak with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Grill on medium heat 5-6 minutes on one side, another 3 minutes on the other side. Serve on a bun or roll of your choice with mayonnaise and steak sauce. I experimented by adding lettuce and either steak frites or onion rings right on the sandwich, but they obviously work just as well on the side.
(Rib-eye, by the way, is the cut of meat used at most Philadelphia places to make cheesesteaks. We just have enough sense to slice it for easier eating!)
Ketzenberger said another Indiana favorite is deep-fried biscuits served with apple butter for dipping. Sounds like Boardwalk food, right there next to the fried Oreo and fried Twinkie. Good luck with that.
On to the Windy City where William Daley, food columnist for the Chicago Tribune, said indeed the deep-dish pizza will work but good luck finding one around here. “Deep dish” and “pan” pizza are nowhere near the same. I found some online that you could have delivered by game time, but it’ll cost around $40 for one and $50 for two pies delivered frozen in two days.
Visit http://www.tastesofchicago.com/category/1 , http://www.giordanos.com/stuffed.php , or try http://www.ginoseast.com .
“I also think Chicago-style hot dogs would work, but it may be hard to find poppy seed dusted rolls -- think Parker House stretched out to hold a hot dog,” Daley wrote.
What makes a Chicago-style hot dog unique? A ton of toppings. Use a Vienna beef dog and then top, in order, with yellow mustard, freshly chopped onions, green sweet relish, kosher dill pickle spear, diced or sliced tomatoes, pickled whole sport (chile) peppers and dash of celery salt. Ketchup can also be added at the end.
Some dedicated Chicago sites stressed the importance of par-boiling the hot dogs for about five minutes and then finishing them on the grill for a smokey flavor. But don’t you dare microwave them. Apparently it’s sacrilegious.
Maybe next year we’ll be talking about adding cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and TastyKakes to the buffet!