Food Network's brisket on the menu at Soldier Field
I know pig skins might not be the first food all you Bears fans are going to cook for this weekend's game against the Falcons. But we should be open to new culinary ideas, right?! (Hmm ... I'm envisioning a Cook of the Week Challenge here ...)
Anyway, if beef brisket is more your speed, then you're in luck if you're heading to Soldier Field Sunday, or for any home games for that matter.
Food Network and Delaware North Companies Sportservice have teamed up to introduce a Food Network signature Pub-style Beef Brisket sandwich at select National Football League stadiums this season, and Soldier Field is one of those spots.
The sandwich features Porter-braised beef brisket topped with cheddar cheese, whole grain mustard and fried onions on a pretzel roll. In Chicago, fans can also get the sandwich topped with favored local ingredients like giardiniera, provolone cheese, celery seed and sport pepper-mayo. At the Brown's stadium in Cleveland it comes topped with potato pancake, caramelized onion, horseradish sour cream and stadium mustard. Really?!
Here's hoping the Bears play Sunday as well as that brisket sandwich sounds.
Spicing up dinner: Once school starts back up dinner sometimes takes a back seat to sports and home work and evening meetings. You may barely have time to put some chicken breasts in the oven, let alone do anything interesting with them.
With a packet of Sukhi's Tikka Masala Curry Sauce and a mere 15 minutes you can turn those chicken breasts (or pork chops or shrimp) into an exotically spiced meal that will have your family glad they gathered around the table.
Mix the contents of the pouch with some water and cream and the meat and vegetables of your choice and you get a creamy, mildly spiced one-pot meal that feeds a family of four with leftovers for someone to take for lunch the next day.
Look for Tikka Masala Curry Sauce and others from Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods at area Whole Foods Markets.
Winning trifecta: Wine, gourmet food, horse racing. There's a combo you don't come across every day, yet that's just what you'll find Saturday, Sept. 10, at Arlington Park.
Taste at the Track presents an opportunity to sample more than 200 domestic and international wines (from Binny's Beverage Depot) and try food from track eateries and other restaurants in the Levy family.
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.; Taste of the Track is from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Buy tickets online at arlingtonpark.com before Friday, Sept. 9, and pay $20 a person. Tickets purchased at the gate cost $25. You must be 21 to enter; ID required.
If you like what you try, Binny's Beverage Depot will offer a 10 percent discount on wines ordered at the event.
Delicious destination: While I'm on the topic of food and wine, let me mention another spectacular event, one that draws renown culinary personalities. I'm talking about the 11th annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience.
This year's celebration, Oct. 20-23, will include demonstrations and talks by chefs Alexandra Guarnaschelli (a judge on “Chopped”), Chicago's own Charlie Trotter, Jacques Torres and Andrew Zimmern, in addition to a strong lineup of regional restaurateurs, wine experts and mixologists.
The premier fest, co-sponsored by Bon Appétit Magazine, promises tastings of more than 60 fine wines and spirits, 20 cooking demonstrations and seminars and dozens of events (like a special pork-themed meal with cheese pairings and cocktails) that take place throughout The American Club Resort.
Tickets and hotel packages are available at Kohlerfoodandwine.net or (800) 344-2838. Ticketed event prices start at $21 and many events and tastings are complimentary. Events sell out quickly so don't delay.
Meatless Monday: Today's recipe for Curried Zucchini and Chickpea Soup gives home gardeners a way to use all the zucchini that's been invading their plots. It comes from Stephanie Sedgwick who writes for The Washington Post.
“Almost every summer, my mom used to make a simple cold soup from zucchini and onions simmered in chicken broth, blended until chunky and finished with sour cream and dill.” she writes. “For me, warm soup is more satisfying. So I've altered her recipe a little by adding chickpeas and potatoes, a combination that sends me right to the curry powder.”
Make sure your curry powder is fresh, she advises. Buy it in small quantities because it loses its oomph quickly.
Get the recipe at dailyherald.com/entlife/food.
Ÿ Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at food@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4524. Be her friend at facebook.com/debpankeydailyherald or follow her on Twitter @Pankeys Plate