August 2009
Get in the Huddle, Host a Tailgate Party
by Mary Gerlach, R.D.
Registered Dietician
Though the Santa Fe Opera season is nearing an end for this summer, there may still be concert or sporting events in your area where a pre-event tailgate party is just the right touch.
In case you’re unfamiliar with tailgate parties, they are social events held on or around the open tailgate of your vehicle. Doesn’t sound like fun, you say! Then you haven’t been doing it right.
Tailgating runs the gamut from formal and gourmet to casual dress. The Santa Fe Opera Guild sponsors a black tie tailgate party each year before opening night. People show up two-to-three hours before the opera is scheduled to start.
They are decked out in black tie, tails, long or short glittery dresses or blouses, and are treated to a multi-course gourmet meal sitting at tables with white linen tablecloths and napkins, china dishes, real silverware, and fancy wine glasses. All served in the parking lot at the Santa Fe Opera as the sun slowly sets over the Jémez mountains to the west, and the closer Sangre de Cristo mountains come alive with brilliant colors as daylight wanes and evening comes.
If you’ve never experienced a tailgate party like that, you might consider making the drive to Santa Fe on opening night at the opera. Be sure to buy a ticket for the tailgate party from the Opera Guild if you plan to join their event before you come though, or plan your own quieter tailgate party.
Either way, the Santa Fe Opera parking lot has one of the best views in the area, and it’s a fabulous way to start the evening before the opera. Type this URL into your Internet browser to watch a four-minute YouTube clip from opening night in 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMe0-59HdfU.
If you’re not into opera, more common across the country are tailgate parties before football games or other sporting events. And you don’t have to dress up to have one. This more traditional tailgating usually involves grilling of various meats and serving beer or mixed drinks. Popular tailgate party foods include the same types of food you’d take to a picnic, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad.
Some sports fans who don’t purchase game tickets bring along their television sets to their tailgate party and watch the game from the parking lot. Not a bad idea for having a sports party and keeping your house clean all at the same time.
Before throwing a tailgate party, make sure they are allowed where you are planning to go, learn about any restrictions and if there are facilities available, such as bathrooms. Assume supplies are limited or non-existent, so bring everything you’ll need, such as water, seating, sanitary wipes and trash bags.
Plan a menu you can make ahead and transport safely (no mayonnaise on hot summer evenings), or foods you can grill quickly and eat easily (finger foods). And always clean up your mess before departing, leaving no trash behind.
Here are some recipes to try at your next tailgate party or picnic.
Make-Ahead Spicy Texas Tailgate Chile
This is a great recipe for a fall tailgate party when the weather has turned a bit chilly. Make it at home ahead of time and serve it up hot in the parking lot before the big game.
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 (10-ounce) packages hot Italian sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped jalapeños or green chile
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. ground red chile powder
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. hot mustard powder
1 tsp. celery seed
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with liquid
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with liquid
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans with liquid
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour cream
Grated Cheddar cheese
In large pot, crumble and brown ground beef until no longer pink; add sausages and cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion, garlic and jalapeños; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in wine, Worcestershire, seasonings, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheese. Makes 10 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 482; Carbohydrates 36 gm; Protein 32 gm; Fat 15 gm; Cholesterol 89 gm; Sodium 1,668 mg.
Hold the Mayo Tailgate Potato Salad
To keep the green beans from discoloring, boil them separately and set them aside to add immediately before serving.
6 new red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into eighths
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips, julienned
1/2 cup chopped yellow summer squash
2 Tb. finely chopped shallots
2 stalks celery, chopped
Dressing
1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. tarragon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Steam potatoes in covered saucepan until fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water.
Add green beans to steamer; steam 5 minutes, then immediately cover with ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
In large bowl, combine cooked potatoes with pepper, squash, celery, and shallots. In small jar with lid, combine all dressing ingredients; shake to mix well. Pour over potato mixture; toss gently to mix.
Just before serving, add cooked green beans and toss gently to mix. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 140; Carbohydrates 16 gm; Protein 2 gm; Fat 7 gm; Cholesterol 0 gm; Sodium 80 mg.
Tailgate Pork Kabobs
Thread these shish kabobs on skewers ahead of time; grill them in the parking lot at the tailgate party.
2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup Italian reduced fat or fat-free dressing
2 Tb. hot red pepper flakes
1 Tb. fennel seed
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
24 small round onions
24 fresh mushrooms
Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes before using.
Place pork cubes in resealable plastic bag; add salad dressing, pepper flakes and fennel seed. Seal bag and mix pork with dressing; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to marinate pork.
Thread pork, peppers, onion and mushrooms on skewers; discard marinade. Place kabobs on hot grill for about 5 minutes per side. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 250; Carbohydrates 9 gm; Protein 25 gm; Fat 13 gm; Cholesterol 92 gm; Sodium 265 mg.
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