Whether or not you care about football, the playoffs and big game day are still excellent excuses — if you need one — to gather a large group to cook, eat and drink. When I think "Super Bowl," though, I don't think fantasy teams or touchdowns; instead, an array of dishes, including bowls of stew and chili and other goodies, comes dancing into my head.
On game day, I like to have some dishes that can be prepped ahead of time and served at room temperature, like vegetable-heavy dips and spreads; a big pot of serve-yourself chili or jambalaya on the stove; some finger foods, like sandwiches and flatbreads. I also love to have something with a kick to it, like a hot skillet of melting queso fundido with chilies and caramelized onions or crisped-up chorizo. And to get things really heated up, I like to make these cheese-stuffed jalapeños wrapped in prosciutto.
You can use a hotter chile like serrano or Fresno or a milder one like Anaheim or güero. Personally, I like it hot, so the warmer serrano or jalapeño works best for that satisfying adrenaline rush specific to heat seekers. Topped with fresh cilantro and pomegranate arils, the saltiness of the prosciutto, the crunch of pomegranate, melted cheese and heat all work together. This is my idea of a winning play.
Kim Sunée is the best-selling author of "Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home" and "A Mouthful of Stars." She worked as a food editor for Time Inc. and has appeared several times as a guest judge on "Iron Chef America." For more food and travel, visit kimsunee.com or instagram.com/kimsunee.
Some more great ways to feed a crowd:
Laurie Constantino's spicy carrot spread and flatbread
Chicken wings two ways
True Texas chili
Sara Foster's chicken and sweet potato soup
Cheese-stuffed prosciutto-wrapped jalapeños with pomegranate
Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings
14 firm, blemish-free jalapeños or small Anaheim or güero chilies
6 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3 ounces grated sharp cheddar or Mexican blend
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 bunch cilantro, divided, leaves coarsely chopped
12 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/2 cup pomegranate arils, for garnish
1. Rinse and pat jalapeños dry; slice in half lengthwise and gently remove seeds. Stem can remain intact for presentation. Dry insides of jalapeños; set aside.
2.Add cream cheese, cheddar, garlic and half of the cilantro leaves together in a small bowl; stir to combine. Stuff each jalapeño half with cheese mixture and set aside. Slice prosciutto in half lengthwise and wrap each jalapeño half with a prosciutto slice, trying to cover the cheese as much as possible.
3.Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle pan over high eat. Add jalapeños, cut-side down, and let cook until prosciutto is crisp. Flip to other side and cook another few minutes, or flip and then place oven-proof pan in a 400-degree oven and let cook another 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and prosciutto crisp. Transfer from pan onto a serving platter. Top with remaining chopped cilantro and pomegranate arils. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.