Published: January 29, 2008 11:46 pm            

Super Bowl XLII calls for Super nosh

BEVERLY, Mass. — For Jeffrey Terilli, football and food are the perfect match-up.

Terilli — a professional chef among those who consider themselves the “biggest Patriots fan on Earth” — has been pairing his two favorites since he was a kid growing up in East Boston.

The 31-year-old’s road to becoming a New England Patriots diehard began in the 1980s. He stuck by the team through its doomed Super Bowl bid against the Chicago Bears in 1986. When the Patriots drafted former quarterback Drew Bledsoe in 1993, Terilli was certain they were destined to become “the greatest team on Earth.”

The hometown favorites haven’t let him down.

Like the Patriots’ march to a berth in Sunday’s 2008 Super Bowl, Terilli’s game-day ritual has been pretty consistent all season. Games typically are watched at home in Beverly, accompanied by his father or friends. And they’re always paired with a huge helping of food.

“Unlike any other sport, food and football really go together,” said Terilli, a chef de cuisine at Brooksby Village retirement community in Peabody. “They’re so intertwined.”

Terilli’s favorite football fare is Buffalo wings and cold beer. He’s also famous for his fried macaroni, and cheese balls and artichoke dip.

He likes to make as much food as possible for Patriots games, and usually starts the prep work early — either the morning of the game or sometimes even the night before

“By game time,” he said, “everything’s done.”

For those planning their own Super Bowl bashes on Sunday, Terilli suggests picking simple recipes that can involve your guests, and getting everything ready to serve well in advance of kick-off.

“If you start doing all the prep work together and getting everyone helping you, it can be fun,” he said.

In addition to putting together his own Super Bowl menu at home, Terilli is planning a special Super Bowl meal for the residents of Brooksby Village, where he oversees the serving of 900 meals a day in Windsor Dining Room & Green Tree Cafe. The meal will feature some of Terilli’s party foods served by a kitchen crew dressed in Patriots hats and jerseys.

Terilli, who worked at Simply Elegant Catering in Groveland, Legal Seafoods in Peabody and Bertucci’s in Beverly before joining the staff at Brooksby four years ago, has turned his office into a shrine to the Patriots. An assortment of team memorabilia and photos of his favorite players, with wide receiver Wes Welker topping the list, line the walls.

His prediction for Sunday: He’ll be dining on wings while the Patriots extend their streak to 19-0 and cruise away with another NFL championship crown.

“I just love the Super Bowl,” he said.



Sonya Vartabedian writes for The Salem News of Salem, Mass. E-mail her at svartabedian@ecnnews.com





Buffalo Wings with Bleu Cheese Dipping Sauce

2 pounds frozen or fresh chicken wings and drumsticks (if using frozen, allow chicken to defrost before frying)

2 cups Anchor Bay Buffalo Wing Sauce

6 cups vegetable or canola oil, for frying

In a heavy pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 360 degrees. Fry the chicken in small batches, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides and cooked through, about six to eight minutes.

Remove the chicken wings with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Toss in a bowl with sauce.

Serve on a platter with blue cheese dipping sauce. For a healthier alternative, the chicken wings can be baked in the oven.



Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces fresh bleu cheese (Gorgonzola or Cabrales)

4 ounces fresh chives, minced

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth, about two minutes. Sauce can also be mixed in a bowl for a chunkier consistency.



Hot Artichoke Dip

6 cans of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/8 cup fresh garlic, chopped

3/4 quart mayonnaise

1/16 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 1/8 quarts Cheddar cheese, grated

1 tablespoon paprika

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, and stir well.

Place dip into a greased glass baking dish. Sprinkle top with paprika. Bake in 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with gold or tricolor tortilla chips.



Deep-Fried Macaroni and Cheese with Tomato Cream Sauce

1/2 cup salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 gallon water

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups shredded Cheddar

2 cups shredded Fontina or smoked Gouda cheese

1 cup flour

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups Japanese-style panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs

4 cups vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and elbows. Cook for eight to nine minutes, until al dente. Drain.

Melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Heat garlic for three minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for about four minutes, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Whisk milk and cream into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked elbows and fold until elbows are fully coated with the cheese sauce. Place macaroni and cheese onto a greased cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight.

In a heavy pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 360 degrees. Form macaroni and cheese into balls. Dust with flour, dip in egg batter and then roll in bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve immediately with tomato cream sauce.



Tomato Cream Sauce

1 jar prepared or homemade tomato sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

Bring sauce to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in cream.

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