Kap & Mina's Sunday Afternoon Tailgate: Week 3

The "Great Outdoors"

​Every so often, our themed tailgates lead us into high-class territory that is . . . well, let's just admit it: hoity toity. Still, there's no rule that says tailgating or couchgating has to be an unrefined affair. It's like the growing trend of "glamping" where, instead of roughing it, would-be campers take a glamorous approach to the great outdoors with full table service and all the amenities of home. 

People are, understandably, conflicted about this. To Kap, it sounds great. (Bugs? Rain? Sleeping on the 

ground? No thanks.) But for Mina it's different. As someone who lived in a tent for two months when she was in high school as part of a park clean-up program, there is something special, too, about the no-frills variety.

This week, we are bringing the glamping philosophy to our "Sunday Afternoon Glamgate," focusing on traditional campfire favorites, but re-imagining them through the lens of fine dining. Bon Appétit!

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"GLAMGATING"
Gourmet Game Day Delicacies

When I think of camping, I think of breakfast cooked over an open fire in an ancient cast iron skillet--eggs frying, bacon crackling. The only thing better in this world than bacon is bacon's glamorous cousin pork belly. Add some miniature quail eggs and another summer camping favorite, watermelon, and we've got ourselves a rather artful plate.

- Kap

CRISPY PORK BELLY
with Soft Boiled Quail Eggs and Watermelon in a Ponzu-Watermelon Reduction

• 1 to 1 1/2 lb. Pork Belly (I bought mine pre-cooked from Trader Joe's to save time, but if you want instructions on how to roast a raw pork belly, there are great instructions here.)
• A half-dozen Soft Boiled Quail Eggs (for instructions on how to soft boil quail eggs, go here.)
• 1 Watermelon (I used a seedless personal watermelon, which is smaller and rounder), cut into bite-sized cubes
• Ponzu-Watermelon Reduction (recipe below)
• Toasted Black Sesame Seeds, to garnish
• Lemon Confit, to garnish (recipe below)

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Fry your pork belly in a pan lightly coated with oil until it is crispy on all sides. Cut into bite-sized cubes and toss in Ponzu-Watermelon Reduction.

Arrange pork belly and water melon cubes on a plate, alternating like chess board. Garnish with black sesame seeds, and lemon confit.


Ponzu-Watermelon Reduction

• 1/2 c. Watermelon Juice
• 1/4 c. Ponzu Sauce
• 2 tsp. Lime Juice
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• A few zests of Grated Ginger
• 1 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar mixed with 1/4 tsp. Cornstarch

Combine ingredients and simmer for 15 min. until reduced. Toss Pork Belly in this before plating.


Lemon Confit

• 4 Lemons peeled
• 1/2 c. Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Canola Oil
• 1 clove Garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 heaping tsp. Coarse Sea Salt
• 8 Black Peppercorns
• 1 heaping tsp. White Sugar

Peel lemons, scraping away all of the white pith from the rinds. Juice the lemons and reserve juice.

Blanch the lemon peels in boiling water for 10 seconds. Remove to an ice bath. Repeat this for a total of three blanches.

Combine lemon juice and remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add blanched peels and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until soft, about 1 hour.

Cool mixture before transferring everything to a clean glass jar. Seal and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Chop or slice in strips when ready to use. This is a great topping for soups, salads, meats, just about anything.

Hot dogs--excuse me, frankfurters--are the quintessential camping food, but we have elevated them to the next level. We balanced the saltiness of our hot dogs and caviar with the sweetness of the onion and the fig spread. The fig spread and the caviar have a similar texture, and with the natural casings on the dogs, it leads to a snapping, popping, sweet, and salty carnival for the senses.

​- Mina

"MILLION DOLLAR" DOGS
with Cognac-Braised Onion, Truffle Aioli, Caviar

• ​Frankfurters in Natural Casing (I used Boar's Head All-Natural Frankfurters)
• ​1 Vidalia Onion, caramelized in 3 TBSP Butter and 4 TBSP Cognac
• Truffle Aioli (recipe below)
• Your Caviar of choice, to garnish
• 1 TBSP Fig Paste, per bun (found in most cheese shops)
• Brioche buns or split-top Coney buns

Grill frankfurters to your desired done-ness (I like it when the skins crisp up). Toast buns and spread lightly with fig paste. Add hot dog, caramelized onions, a drizzle of aioli, and liberal dots of caviar.


Truffle Aioli

• 1 garlic clove, minced and then ground/smeared with a pinch of finely ground sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 c. Mayonnaise (I used Duke's Smooth and Creamy
• 1/2 TBSP Heavy Cream
• 1 TBSP Truffle Oil
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• Pinch of White Sugar

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Thin with water, if necessary. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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I've always wanted to try this because I love citrus fruits. It's the ultimate camping experience to eat a cake from your hand. The Funfetti cake only makes this that much more festive. These can be cooked in a campfire, though we went the old-fashioned route and used the oven.

- Mina

Funfetti Orange Cake

• 8 Oranges
• 1 box of Funfetti Cake Mix
• 1 c. Water
• 1/2 c. Oil
• 3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut off the top of the orange (reserve the top) and hollow out the insides.

Mix the cake batter according to the directions using the mix, water, oil, and eggs. 

Fill oranges with cake batter, 2/3 of the way up, distributing mix evenly. Cap with the top of the orange.

Wrap each orange tightly with 1-2 layers of aluminum foil. Put oranges on a tray and bake for 25-30 min.

Let stand for 3-5 min. Unwrap oranges, and discard cap of orange. Eat cake with a fork or spoon.

The Cosmo hailstorm is a version of the "backpacker's hailstorm," which is made with hail pellets, vodka, and whatever drink you have for hydration on the trail. Cross that with a Cosmo, and you have a drink that's suited for the heat of an afternoon tailgate.

- Mina

Cosmo Hailstorm

• 1 1/2 oz. Citrus Vodka
• 1 oz. Cranberry-Lime Juice
• 1 oz. Lemon-Lime Gatorade
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
• Cranberry Sugar, for rimming

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until mixed. Rim a rocks glass with cranberry sugar. Put an ice sphere in the bottom of glass and pour cocktail over top.

Those who know me know that I am not a coffee drinker, but I have been known to indulge in hot chocolate. Nothing tastes better on a cool autumn night! While this drink isn't hot, it does make use of Hershey's Classic Hot Cocoa recipe, as well as some fun flavored spirits. It goes well with one of the toasted marshmallows from the recipe below as a garnish.

- Kap

Hot Cocoa Martini

• 3 oz. Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Hot Cocoa, cooled, without garnish (recipe here)
• 1 oz. Creme de Cacao (Dark)
• 1 oz. Irish Cream
• 1 oz. Fluffed Marshmallow Vodka
• Dark Chocolate shavings, for garnish
• A Homemade Marshmallow, for garnish (flamed)

Combine all ingredients (except garnishes) in a tumbler with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a flamed marshmallow from the recipe below.

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DECONSTRUCTED S'MORES
Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta / Homemade Bourbon Marshmallows / Molasses-Graham Cracker Crumble / S'more Dough / Bittersweet Fudge Sauce

(clockwise from upper left) Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta, S'Mores Dough, Bittersweet Fudge Sauce, Homemade Bourbon Marshmallow, Molasses-Graham Cracker Crumble

Finally, it wouldn't be camping without that quintessential campfire favorite: s'mores. We thought long and hard about how to make this one glamorous before deciding to deconstruct the original recipe and re-imagine what the marriage of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker could really be. We hope you enjoy the outcome!

- Kap and Mina

Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

• 1/2 c. Whole Milk
• 1 envelope unflavored Gelatin (1/4 oz.)
• 1 c. Heavy Cream
• 1/8 c. Honey
• Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
• 8 oz. Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• PAM cooking spray

​Pour the milk into a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Stir. Let rest and soften for 5 min.

Heat cream, salt, and honey over medium heat. When it just starts to boil, remove from the heat and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Add the chocolate and extract and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Spray ramekins with PAM and pour mixture into ramekins, dividing evenly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cups and turn panna cotta out onto a plate. It should retain its shape. (If it collapses like mine, call it pudding and serve it anyway!)

Fudge Sauce

Simply use your favorite microwave hot fudge. As you may know from past tailgates, my favorite chocolate sauce is Graeter's Bittersweet Chocolate.

Homemade Bourbon Marshmallows

• PAM Cooking Spray
• 1 c. Confectioners' Sugar, divided
• 3/4 c. Cold Water + 1/4 c. Fine Bourbon (I used Gentleman Jack), divided
• ​2 c. White Sugar
• 1/2 c. Light Corn Syrup
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (1/4 oz. each)
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with PAM and coat with 2 TBSP confectioners' sugar. Set aside.

Microwave 1/2 c. water-bourbon mixture, granulated sugar, and corn syrup, for 7 min. Stir to dissolve sugar, and microwave for 5 min. more. Carefully remove from microwave.

Put remaining 1/2 c. bourbon-water mixture in a bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand 5 min. to thicken. Gradually beat in hot syrup mixture on medium speed. Beat for 8 min. (I hope you have a stand-alone mixer, or else strong forearm muscles because this is going to get tougher soon.) Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 12 min. more until mixture becomes thick, fluffy, shiny, sticky, and overall difficult to stir. It should double or triple in volume. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, and sift 2 TBSP confectioners' sugar over top. Let stand for at least 4 hours. (Beware, these babies are basically 100% sugar!)

Put the remaining confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Turn the marshmallow out onto a cutting board. It should hold its shape. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares. Add in batches to the sugar and toss to coat well. Shake off excess sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

​(Helpful tip: spray your knife with PAM before cutting the marshmallow and it won't stick.)

Toast carefully over a flame before serving.
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Molasses-Graham Cracker Crumble

• 2 TBSP Butter, melted
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 c. Molasses
• 3-4 Graham Crackers, roughly crushed
• PAM Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix butter, vanilla, molasses, and heat slightly to combine. Mix with crushed graham crackers.

Spread mixture evenly on a baking sheet sprayed with PAM. Bake for 15 min. or until lightly browned.

Let cool, then use as a topping for ice cream, pudding, or yogurt. Or, as in this case, simply add a sprinkling to your plate, and enjoy!

S'more Dough

• 2 oz. Mascarpone (you can also use cream cheese, if you prefer)
• 2 TBSP Butter, melted
• 2 TBSP Brown Sugar
• 3 TBSP Confectioners' Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 c. Mini Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 c. Marshmallow Fluff
• 1/8 c. Cinnamon Graham Cracker Pieces

Melt butter and whisk in brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add vanilla. Let cool.

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until mixed. Add brown sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, fluff, and graham cracker pieces. Chill in refrigerator.

Serve in a bowl with graham crackers, fruit, etc., for dipping. Or, as in this case, simply add a TBSP or two to your plate and enjoy.

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PREDICTION

Win vs. Jets!

I know. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. I've picked the Eagles twice now, and they've lost both times (in games they could have, and should have won). They are, simply put, a terrible team right now--the product of coach Chip Kelly's ego. Their interior offensive line is in shambles after letting go of Herremans and Mathis, rendering new free agent pick up Demarco Murray ineffective. Sam Bradford is inconsistent. And the offense looks less talented than it should. The defense isn't fairing much better. While the line is outstanding, the injury bug has bitten the linebacking corps (particularly often-injured free agent star, Kiko Alonso). And CB Byron Maxwell hasn't even come close to earning his $63 million dollar deal. (I get it, Byron, you don't care. We all saw that when you were dogging it at the end of the game last week, getting smoked in half-hearted pursuit on a slant pass. But could you at least pretend?)  That said, maybe I'm being too hard on these guys. After all, if it weren't for Chip Kelly's stupid hurry up offense and all the three-and-outs, they wouldn't be gassed at the end of the game. Like I said, the Eagles are terrible right now.

I sure hope not.

The Jets may have the best defensive front the Eagles have seen yet. And Brandon Marshall is set to have a career day at WR. So why am I picking the Eagles again? Because my mind simply can't wrap itself around the notion of losing to the Jets. And because the Eagles are due. They aren't as talented a team as everyone thought, but they still have too much talent to continue to underwhelm the way they have. I think the boys in midnight green will find their offense, outmatch the boys in forest green. But don't quote me on it come Monday, okay?

​
​Kap's Season Record: 0-2

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Tune in next week for Unique Pizzas!

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All recipes listed above come from our own imaginations unless otherwise indicated. If you try one of these recipes in your own kitchen, leave a comment below and tell us how it goes. And, of course, share your modifications, enhancements, improvements, etc