Super Bowl Supper

Although disappointed that my team had been eliminated in the final round of the playoffs, I still watched the Super Bowl and rooted very loudly (ask the neighbors) for the Arizona Cardinals.

The Super Bowl is an event that deserves more interesting finger food than the usual Sunday night game, so rather than the standard nachos, dogs, and pizza, I made sausage balls, based loosely on a recipe I found in the NY Times.

Sausage Balls
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
handful button mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1 large jalapeño, finely chopped
1 small can whole tomatoes (chop or crush by hand, discard liquid)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
salt to taste

1 7 1/2 -ounce package (10 biscuits each) buttermilk bake-and-serve biscuits, or other biscuit dough as desired (I used America's Choice buttermilk biscuits because they don't have that weird Pillsbury flavor.)
chopped scallions
your favorite finely shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend)

1. In a skillet over medium heat, add onions, mushrooms, and sausage (break up meat with fingers while adding to pan). Sauté until it all starts to brown, breaking the sausage up into small pieces with a wooden spoon or fork all the while. Add paprika, chili powder, and pepper.
2. Add jalapeño and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, and salt to taste.
3. Allow meat mixture to cool to room temperature. I made the filling the day before and chilled it in the fridge.
4. To assemble: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out a single biscuit into a 4-inch disk. Place about a teaspoon of shredded cheese, a few pieces of scallion, and a heaping tablespoon of filling in center; lift edges to close dough around filling. Seal dough by twisting it, and place it with seam (twisted) side down on an ungreased nonstick baking sheet. Repeat to use all of the dough (there will be bonus filling left over to use in pasta sauce or heat and eat as is). Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 20 minutes depending on type of dough used.

Yield: 10 breads

I served them with a cilantro mayo (finely chopped cilantro whisked into commercial mayonnaise) and some of Cajun Kate's spicy tomato glaze. They turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself!

I think this biscuit pocket method would be a good way to use up bits of leftovers. I'm even contemplating making some Americanized char siu bao (Chinese bbq pork buns) too.