Super food week

Today is the kick-off the weeklong march toward Sunday's Super Bowl and that means plenty of you will be spending the next few days planning your party fare. Or at least getting your take-out plans in order. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. so half-time will be around 8 or even later. Don't wait until half-time to eat or some of your guests may be gone. It's a school night, you know.

Even people who never watch football all year, watch the Super Bowl. Or at least eat through it. Everyday this week I'll be offering suggestions for a football party spread. Don't intend to watch? Don't you worry. These recipes will taste good even in while sobbing over an old movie ... or reruns of "Project Runway."

Why didn't I think of this food match up since the New England Patriots are playing the New York Giants? Anyway, these recipes come via a story from the Associated Press. I vote for New England Clam Chowder even though I want the Giants to win!

Manhattan Clam Chowder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions finely chopped (2 cups)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3/4 pound boiling potatoes
28- to 32-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, chopped and juice reserved
2 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste)
48 small hard-shelled clams (less than 2 inches wide), shucked and coarsely chopped, liquor reserved
Three 8-ounce bottles clam juice combined with 3 cups water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt
In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add potatoes, tomatoes and garlic to onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Strain reserved clam liquor through a fine-mesh sieve and add to pot, along with reserved tomato juice and clam juice mixture.
Add basil, thyme, bay leaf and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, occasionally skimming off froth, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in clams and parsley and cook over medium heat just until clams are firm, 1 to 2 minutes.
Discard bay leaf and season to taste with salt.
Serves 6.
Source: “The Gourmet Cookbook” (Houghton Mifflin, 2007),

New England Clam Chowder
36 small hard-shelled clams (less than 2 inches wide) , such as littlenecks, scrubbed well
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 medium boiling potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted buuter
2 bacon slices, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a 4-quart saucepan, place the clams in water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and steam until clams open, 5 to 8 minutes. Check frequently after five minutes and transfer clams to a bowl as they open. Discard unopened clams. Reserve cooking liquid.
When clams cool, remove from shells and coarsely chop. Pour cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, leaving behind any grit.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in potatoes, reserved liquid and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in clams, half-and-half and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Do not boil. Stir in parsley.
Serves 4.
Source: “The Gourmet Cookbook” (Houghton Mifflin, 2007).