You may never be able to pass like Geno Smith, the New York Jets rookie quarterback (who just received AFC Player of the Week kudos), but there’s no reason you can’t ratchet up your tailgating game to superstar standards.
And as every Jets and Giants enthusiast knows, feasting in the parking lot with thousands of your fellow fans is half the fun.
“It’s a chance to hang out with like-minded people, talk sports, throw around a football and eat really well,” says food-loving Nick Mangold, center for the Jets. “I’ve seen people into it to the point that they convert old ambulances and school buses into their tailgating stations.”
None of this is lost on New York’s gridiron-loving chefs. Next Saturday, Oct. 19, hometown favorites Mario Batali, Rocco DiSpirito, along with Jets legend Joe Namath (right) and other former players from the team will provide a tailgating game plan with their “Jets + Chefs: The Ultimate Tailgate” event at the New York City Wine & Food Festival. (Tickets are $125 at nycwff.org.)
Batali does as much prep pregame as he can (see his Sloppy, Sloppy Joes recipe at right), and DiSpirito adds a page to Batali’s on-the-go playbook, suggesting that coolers (without ice) be used to keep everything hot.
“That’s where I’ll be stashing my ribs and sausages with peppers and onions,” he says, “wrapped up in aluminum foil and ready to be served.”
For a bit of on-the-spot flair, DiSpirito likes to load a Weber grill with lump charcoal, light it, drop in a pizza stone and close the top so that it becomes as hot as possible. Voilà — an instant pizza oven, for topping-loaded pies.
Namath, meanwhile, has a secret weapon he’s selling to really heat things up: the new Namath Rapid Cooker. His new grilling gadget can reach temps as hot as 1,400 degrees — perfect for a getting a good sear on a steak. “I love a filet mignon,” enthuses the gridiron great.
Whatever you decide to cook, Batali, like every good coach, maintains a general strategy that sees him through from the start of his endeavor until the end: “You want to carbo-load before kickoff, in solidarity with the home team. By halftime, you’re snacking on nachos. And you finish with champagne to celebrate the win.”
MARIO’S SLOPPY, SLOPPY JOES
“As with any party, the key to success is doing as much cooking in advance as possible,” advises Batali, who likes to make his Sloppy Joe meat and sauce at home before finishing it off on a grill at the game. “Then you toast a bun immediately before serving, and you will no doubt succeed.”
Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and rub it on the bottom of the pan with a paper towel and tongs.
Add 1½ pounds ground chuck; while it’s cooking, break it up with the back of a spoon. Cook 3-4 minutes.
Add 5 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons sugar and 12 ounces mild salsa. Mix and continue to break up the meat with a spoon. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and let it cook for 4 minutes.
Transfer to a heat-safe storage container and place in a cooler to keep warm for tailgating. Just before serving, toast 6 hamburger buns on a portable grill. Stuff meat mixture into buns.
ROCCO’S SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS
“I ate sausage and peppers a lot when I was a kid,” says DiSpirito. “It’s an Italian hot dog. You have it on a bun, you hold it in your hand, and it’s delicious. Perfect for tailgating!”
Preheat broiler. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add 4 Italian turkey sausage links and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove sausages and place on a plate.
Reduce heat to medium and add 7 cloves of thinly sliced garlic to the skillet; cook until it starts to brown, about 1 minute, then add 1 medium onion, sliced ½-inch thick; 1 red pepper, sliced ½-inch thick; and 1 cubanelle pepper, sliced ½-inch thick. Cook until peppers soften, about 8 minutes. Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned, with no sugar or sodium added) and bring to a simmer. Return sausages to pan and simmer until they are fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and turn off heat. Wrap in foil and place in cooler to transport to the game.
At game, toast 4 whole wheat hot dog buns on a grill. Place one sausage link on each and top with pepper and onion mixture. Game on!