Super Bowl Delights: Key West Salad, Cuban Pork Roast

Super Bowl Sunday is our celebration combining sports, food and refreshments with hospitality. This gathering is much more than just a football game; it has evolved into a national holiday of sorts, where family, friends, and even casual fans gather together to enjoy the spectacle and excitement that blends so well with delicious food and drinks.

The Super Bowl is renowned for its extravagant halftime shows, highly anticipated commercials, and the sheer spectacle of the game itself. It brings people together, transcending age, gender, and backgrounds, as they cheer for their favorite team or simply revel in the festive atmosphere.

Here are some delicious recipes that fit into the Super Bowl Sunday menu.

Papa's Key West Salad, perfect for Super Bowl entertaining.Photo byDown South Today

Papa’s Key West Salad

(Serve with fresh bread.)

Ingredients:
Lettuce, red leaf or blend
3 large, ripe avocados, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin slices
4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled

Garlic Lime Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
6 garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Blending:

Arrange a layer of lettuce on serving dish, with tomatoes, avocados and onions on top of it. Crumble the Feta cheese and drizzle garlic lime-infused vinaigrette to finish it.
Make vinaigrette by combining vinegar, lime juice and mashed garlic together and whisking olive oil slowly so that they are well incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cuban Pork Roast. Versatile and so flavorful.Photo byDown South Today

Cuban Pork Roast

Ingredients:

For the Mojo:
8 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (8g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (8g) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (about 1 small handful) minced fresh oregano leaves1/2 cup (120ml) fresh juice from 1 to 2 oranges (see note)
1/4 cup (60ml) fresh juice from 3 to 4 limes (see note)
1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

For the Pork and to Finish:
1 (6- to 8-pound; 3 to 3.5kg) boneless pork shoulder roast, rind removed
1/4 cup (about 1 small handful) finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons (about 3 very large pinches) finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
Lime wedges, for serving

Steamed rice, for serving.

For the Mojo: Combine garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, orange juice, lime juice, and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk. Season to taste generously with salt. Transfer half of mojo to a sealed container and reserve in the refrigerator. Add pork to remaining mojo and turn to coat. If desired, transfer pork and marinade to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight before continuing.

For the Pork and to Finish: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 275°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place pork and juices on top and fold up foil, crimping to seal loosely but making sure that there is room for air to circulate inside. Place in oven and roast for 3 hours. Fold back foil, increase oven temperature to 325°F, and continue roasting, basting pork with pan juices occasionally, until pork shows almost no resistance when a metal skewer or knife is inserted into it and the surface is crackly and brown, 2 to 3 hours longer. Remove pork from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour accumulated pork juices into a bowl and discard all except 1 cup. Add reserved mojo to pork drippings, along with fresh chopped mint and oregano. Whisk together and season to taste with salt.

Serve pork by slicing or shredding, passing mint mojo and lime wedges on the side. Serve rice and plantains on the side. Reserve any leftovers for sandwiches.

Dry White Wine pairs with this delicious food.Photo byDown South Today

Sir Vede’s Wine Suggestions. White wines will pair well. An Albariño from Spain, Chenin Blanc from Dry Creek or Pinot Gris from Oregon’s King Estate.

Bonne dégustation!

Sir Verde, esteemed wine advisor.Photo byOriginal painting by Georgia Folk Artist Olivia Thomason.