Better Tailgating

TAILGATING SIDES

Southern Baked Beans

1 pound dried beans (navy are traditional, but you may use other)
1 pound sliced bacon, slices cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Pick through beans and remove any foreign bits or imperfect beans. Rinse the beans in a colander to remove dust.

Overnight Soaking:
Put the beans in a bowl and cover with 3 inches of cold water. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Quick Soaking:
Put the beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.

Put the beans in a pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, removing foam while cooking. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover partially, and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy. Drain the beans, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven or other ovenproof pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat is rendered, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the bacon on paper towels to drain and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and then return pot to medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked beans, drained bacon, tomato sauce, sugar, mustard, mustard seed, hot sauce, and 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid. Cover the pot with its lid or aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue baking until thick and lightly browned, about 15 minutes longer; if the beans get dry before they are ready, stir in a little more of the reserved cooking liquid.

Serves: 6
Wine suggestion: Sutter Home Merlot

Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Basil Vinaigrette

1/4 cup champagne vinegar
12 large fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy filets, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 pounds fingerling potatoes (about 1-inch diameter)
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped green onions, including green tops
1/4 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese
1 cup croutons (about 1/2-inch cubes)

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, basil, mustard, garlic, anchovies, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to blend well. Add the oil and whisk until emulsified; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and place in a bowl. Add the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Transfer to a large baking pan or rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife or skewer, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the potatoes cool in the pan, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, green onions, and cheese and stir gently to combine. Add the dressing and gently toss the salad. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

To serve, gently stir in the croutons and transfer to a serving bowl.

Serves: 6
Wine suggestion: Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon

Spanish Deviled Eggs
(Huevos Diablos)

Ideally, the eggs should be about ten days old, as fresher eggs are difficult to peel after cooking. The recipe includes two extra eggs in case of breakage.

Piquillo, Spanish for "little beak," describes the shape of the small, pimiento-type sweet peppers grown in Northern Spain. Roasting over an open fire before packing enhances their flavor. Look for them and smoked paprika in upscale supermarkets and specialty food stores. If you can't locate Spanish chorizo, use a similar garlic-flavored sausage like Portuguese linguiça.

14 large eggs
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Spanish saffron
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 ounce firm fully-cooked Spanish chorizo, finely chopped
Pinch ground cayenne
Kosher or coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Piquillo Salsa

3 piquillo peppers, patted dry and finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher or coarse sea salt

The day before cooking the eggs, turn them on their sides in the egg carton to allow the yolks to center in the whites and refrigerate; you won't be able to close the carton lid. About an hour before cooking, remove the eggs from the refrigerator to help prevent cracking during cooking. Place the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the eggs from the water with a large slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of iced water until cold. To peel, tap each egg on a work surface until finely cracked all over. Gently roll each egg on the surface to loosen the shells and return to the iced water (the water will get under the shell and aid in peeling). Peel off the shells, rinse the eggs to remove any shell bits, and refrigerate the eggs for at least 30 minutes. Combine the lemon juice with the saffron in a small bowl to soften. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and pop the yolks into a bowl. With the back of a fork, mash the yolks until finely crumbled. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and saffron, chorizo, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper and thoroughly blend. Put the yolk mixture into a pastry bag or a sealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off and pipe the mixture into the egg white halves. Alternatively, spoon the yolk mixture into the whites. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving.

To make the salsa, combine all of the ingredients, including salt to taste, in a bowl and mix well.

To serve, arrange the eggs on an egg dish or serving plate and top each with a small dollop of the salsa.

Serves: 6
Wine suggestion: Sutter Home Chardonnay

Watermelon Salad

For a colorful presentation of this cooling summer salad, you may wish to alternate red and yellow watermelon slices.

DRESSING

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 small (not baby or mini) seedless watermelon
1/4 cup crumbled mild blue cheese or feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
12 fresh mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
Kosher or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Freshly cracked black pepper, for sprinkling

To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend well. Cut the watermelon lengthwise into quarters. Cut the quarters crosswise into slices about 1-inch thick to produce 12 good-sized pieces; save any remaining watermelon for another use. Cut off the rinds and arrange the slices on a large platter, creating 2 rows of 6 overlapping slices.

To serve, scatter the cheese, onion, pecans, and mint over the watermelon and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 6
Wine suggestion: Sutter Home Red

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste, preferably sun-dried
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Chips, for serving

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Guacamole

2 ripe California Hass avocados
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno chiles, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped vine-ripened tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice, chiles, garlic, and cilantro and run a table knife repeatedly through the avocado to get a smooth, yet slightly chunky texture. Stir in the tomato, onion, and salt.

If not serving immediately, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole, trapping as little air as possible to prevent oxidation, and refrigerate for up to a few hours.

Serves: 6
Wine suggestion: Sutter Home Chenin Blanc

Queso Fundido

Mexican chorizo and melting cheeses can be found in the Latin refrigerated sections of many major supermarkets or in Latin markets. Monterey Jack and/or Cheddar cheeses may be substituted if you can't locate the Mexican ones.

4 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing discarded
3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 cup seeded and finely chopped ripe tomato
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 cup Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc
8 ounces Mexican melting cheese, such as Asadero, Chihuahua, or Manchego (not the hard Spanish version), grated
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla chips, for serving

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine the chorizo and onion in a non-stick sauté pan or skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the chorizo into small pieces, until nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato, chiles, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch shallow casserole or baking dish and stir in the grated cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese just melts, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Serves: 6