Make your Super Bowl LIV party a Miami themed treat!
By Brian Miller
Main course!
Fritas and plantain chips
Making a Fritas is easy! Think of it as a Cuban hamburger. Seasoned with cumin, paprika, and black pepper, top the burger with fried potato sticks between a hearty bun that is more Cuban break or the like than an actual hamburger bun. For a great treat, mix in some chorizo with the beef. Serve with onions and a light BBQ sauce that won’t overpower the flavor of the eat. On the side, cut plantains into thin chips and fry!
Need something that is both delicious and really a treat for the eyes? Try the pulled pork and mango street tacos! Pork should be seasoned appropriately with light sauces and not overseasoned. Smoke it or pressure cook it and then peel it apart and add vinegar and other seasonings to taste. The real star here, however, is the diced mango salsa that you top it with! Place in small flour or corn tortillas and set out for your guests to load up on. It’s a cheap option that provides more than enough portions!
BBQ Ribs or any meat
Believe it or not, they know how to smoke meat in Miami! Pork is always a favorite and while there is not a specific style like in Kansas City, Texas, or the vinegar bases of the Carolinas, use spices from the Caribbean cultures like “jerk” spice and spicy hot mustard. Prepare like you normally would in your smoker or pit!
Conch Fritters with slaw
While this is more or less an appetizer, add some slaw, chipotle mayonnaise, and lemon for a really great deep-fried ball of goodness! The hard part is finding Conch outside of South Florida but if you can, by all means, indulge your senses and surprise your friends.
Caribbean meatballs in a tangy mango sauce
This is a simple recipe that you can serve on bread as a sandwich, serve on a toothpick as a starter, serve in a bowl over just about anything. Traditionally we think of meatballs as an Italian thing. Basil, garlic, and other spices. Now change it up!
Instead of beef, use ground pork, chicken, or turkey or a combination of all three. Add in Caribbean spices and even some finely chopped fruit like mango. Use dried Cuban bread to make breadcrumbs and then mix together with paprika, salt, pepper, to taste. Roll into balls and bake or fry. From here you can serve as balls or for chop them up to make a Caribbean style Banh Mi on toasted bread. Serve with plantain fries and spicy fruit slaw.