MVP your meal: Small bites with big flavor for your next gameday

Next gameday, be the life of the party and make some small bites that deliver big flavor.

Interested in Food?

“Good Morning America” asked four celebrity chefs to dish their best finger food sized recipes.

J.R Rusgrove, the chef and owner of Main Street Pint and Plate, Melba Wilson of Melba’s Restaurant, celebrity chef Antonia LoFaso and celebrity chef Jessica Tom all scored with these delicious bites.

Check out their full recipes below.

J.R. Rusgrove’s Southside Marinated Flank Steak Bruschetta

Ingredients:

For the marinade

1/3 Cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 Cup of low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons of lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 lbs of flank steak

For the horseradish sauce

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 cup of sour cream

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1/4 cup of chopped green onion

3 teaspoons of prepared horseradish

For the pickled red onions

1 1/2 cups of sliced red onion

1 clove of minced garlic

3 tablespoons of white sugar

1.5 tablespoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of peppercorns

1 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 fresh French baguette (sliced and toasted for bruschetta)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Place the marinade into a zip lock bag and then add the flank steak.

Marinate for two hours in the refrigerator. Remove the steak and pat dry to remove any excess marinade. Lightly salt the steak.

Grill for six minutes on each side until medium rare.

Thinly slice the flank steak against the grain.

Top each bruschetta with the horseradish sauce, then the grilled slices of the marinated flank steak and then top them with the pickled red onions.

Tips:

Slice the baguette and brush with EVOO. Toast the slices in the oven for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Place the toasted slices in a zip lock bag until needed.

The flank steak should be sliced against its natural grain structure. Slicing against the grain ensures a much easier “bite through” instead of having to tug and tear through the protein.

The combination of soy sauce and brown sugar creates a salty / sweet component to the flank steak. Flank steak by nature is a tough cut of beef and by using the marinade it helps break down the fibrous muscle tissue and allows for a tender bite after grilling.

Melba Wilson’s Mini Chicken Tacos

10 corn tortillas
1/4 cup oil
For the grilled chicken thighs
5 lbs of boneless chicken thighs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
Pico de gallo
6 Roma tomatoes
1 red onion
2 jalapeños
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 lime zest and juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro lime cream
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime zest and juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic mince
1 teaspoon chives mince
Salt

Directions:
To make the taco shells, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tortillas clean towel and warm until flexible for two to three minutes.

Place first tortilla on surface brush with oil. Place another on top and repeat three times.

Use a circle cutter to cut through and place shells to side. Repeat until all shells are finished.

Flip muffin tin over place shells in between and bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Set aside for service.

Clean the chicken thighs.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix in the oil.

Cover chicken and marinate overnight or at least a couple of hours.

Grill chicken then shred small for tacos.

For the pico de gallo, small dice tomatoes and onions place in bowl. Cut jalapeños in half take out seeds, dice small. Chop cilantro and place ingredients in bowls.

Zest lime then juice into a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all the ingredients for the cilantro lime cream, mix together and place in a squirt bottle.

Assemble tacos in a make shift foil rack with grooves. Add chicken then pico de gallo, top with crema and fresh chives.

Tips:
Marinate your chicken overnight.
Cut all vegetables and Keep separate until needed.
Warm corn shells before cutting to make pliable.
Cook and cool taco shell ahead of time to have ready for service.

Antonia LoFaso’s Shrimp and Chips

Ingredients:
12 – 16/20 shrimp peeled and de-veined with tail on
2 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs whisked
2 cups panko
3 tablespoons old bay seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
3 cups canola oil to fry
Old bay and cilantro aioli
1 cup mayonnaise (best foods)
2 tablespoons Old Bay
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:
Mix together the ingredients for the aioli and set aside.
Season shrimp with old bay and herbs. Use three breading process with flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs.
Heat on medium a 14 inch fry pan. Add oil. Fry shrimp two minutes on each side.
Serve with favorite chips. Salt and vinegar would be my choice.
Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Tips
Almost any herb and mayonnaise is a great dipping sauce for fried fish.
When frying fish we want the oil hot 350-375 degrees so the outside browns quickly because the inside cooks quickly.
When using a three breading process / flour / eggs and panko. We always keep one utensil for wet ingredients one hand for dry.
Interesting, thoughtful and fun ways of plating tailgate food is always a cool way to make the easiest simplest dishes seem exciting and new. (I used newspaper cones)

Jessica Tom’s Cornbread Muffins with Sweet & Spicy Streusel

Ingredients:
For the streusel
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons corn nuts
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
For the cornbread
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 can of creamed corn (14.75 oz)
For the candied jalapeño
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
4 jalapeños

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two mini muffin tins.
To make the streusel, add flour, light brown sugar, corn nuts and butter into the food processor and pulse until everything is well-mixed and you achieve the texture of wet sand.
To make the cornbread, mix cornmeals, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the honey, eggs, melted butter and creamed corn. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated.
Spoon cornbread batter into the muffin tins until just short of the top. Depending on your muffin tins, you may not fill every cavity. Sprinkle streusel on top of batter and gently press to embed.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown.
To make the candied jalapeño, add water and sugar to a saucepan and heat on medium-high, stirring occasionally. Slice jalapeños, removing seeds. When all the sugar has dissolved, add the jalapeños. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until the cornbread is done and cooled.
When the cornbread has finished baking, remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes or longer. Strain the candied jalapeños and add to the top of each muffin.

Tips
Short on time? Just make the cornbread. You can do all the prep in less than 10 minutes.
Streusel is an easy way to MVP any baked good. Here’s a simple ratio you can always remember: pulse equal parts brown sugar, white sugar, flour, and butter. Then you can add other components like cinnamon, ginger, nuts, or cocoa powder.
If you want a little extra heat, keep some (or all!) of the jalapeño seeds. Just make sure to warn your friends.
Once you strain your jalapeños, you’ll have another valuable ingredient: jalapeño syrup. It will keep in the refrigerator for three months. Use it for a limeade, smoothie, or cocktail. It’s great with grapefruit juice and mezcal.

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