Mortadella, Beaujolais ... hike!

THE last time I watched a football game all the way through, I lived in Baltimore, wore a Brownie uniform on Thursdays, and rooted for the local team -- the Colts. In those days we marked the Super Bowl with Chinese carry-out and Coke and liked it.

These days, Super Bowl Sunday usually finds me shuttered in my office while shouts emanate from the den where my husband and stepkids seem to believe they are helping some halfback with a pigskin tango his way through a thicket of linebackers. If I enter at all, it’s to watch the ads, which last year featured a man seducing a woman with his “Crunch Wrap Supreme” from Taco Bell and a teenager fainting from excitement when Jessica Simpson sticks a “Cheesy Bite” from Pizza Hut in his mouth. My own brood, munching on Domino’s pizza, seemed untroubled by the improbability of these scenarios.

This year, I felt I should intervene, I mean participate, which, for me, means planning and executing a menu (or, as my husband calls it, being a complete control freak). If the fast-food chains in this country haven’t changed much since the ‘70s, the wider food and wine culture certainly has. I took this year’s choice of halftime entertainment -- Prince -- as a sign (or a symbol, if you will) that one could introduce something a little sophisticated into Super Bowl Sunday.

First of all, I decided there was to be no beer. I hate beer. I hate all beer. Given that there are so many wonderful new wine bars in the city, I thought I might ask some of the local proprietors about setting up an at-home wine bar. I mean, who could object to a long table of delicious small dishes, hunks of cheese and sausages and cured meats, olives in orange zest and herbs, and crusty breads?

To test the waters, and I was especially nervous about the beer part, I ran the idea by my husband. “As long as there are no green salads,” he said firmly. “Why?” I asked. “Because it’s the Super Bowl,” he answered quickly, and his tone suggested I pursue the issue no further.

Not surprisingly, the local wine bar guys all thought this was a superb idea, an idea whose time had come -- perhaps about six years ago. “That’s when wine bars starting proliferating all over the country, people began trying many wines by the glass, and the curiosity about wine exploded,” says Mike Farwell, co-owner of Vertical Wine Bistro in Pasadena. He’ll be pouring at his place in Pasadena on Super Bowl Sunday.

I envisioned a spread with enough variety to remain interesting and surprising through five or so hours of continual face-feeding for 10 people. The star feature, I decided, would be charcuterie -- a fine big plate of sliced cured meats and dried sausages, which these days is easier than ever to assemble in impressive pedigrees. Look at your meat plate like an artist’s palette -- you want to vary the flavors and the textures and give each meat enough room to inspire experimentation.

Classy cold cuts

HAVE the deli slice some prosciutto, so silky it curls up like a pencil shaving, and a mortadella, spotted with circles of flavorful fat (you can find good ones at Bay Cities in Santa Monica, Mario’s Italian Deli in Glendale and a brand-new small deli in Silver Lake called Cardone’s, and artisanal versions at Cube in Los Angeles). Next to that I would place some denser meats, such as a coppa and a spicy sopressata for a little kick. You also want some uncut sausages that ask to be eaten in chunks on their own terms: a whole pepperoni or a nice hard chorizo, sitting suggestively next to a knife. I would steer away from a big side of ham and sliced bread because those things encourage the indelicate art of sandwich-making, and I want my guests to taste the flavors of the meats, as we are not talking Oscar Meyer baloney here.

If you want to do something patriotic for the afternoon, you could collect only American-made artisan meats: This isn’t the World Cup, for goodness sake. Fra’ Mani, which comes from Paul Bertolli in the Bay Area, is suddenly widely available; you can find it at Surfas in Culver City, Cube and many Italian delis and gourmet shops.

How much meat is always a question. After consulting with two experienced deli hands, Jim Tribuzi from Mario’s and Fred Heinemann at the Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City, I settled on a formula: one-third pound each of five or six meats. This should keep 10 happily tasting throughout the long afternoon.

As for cheese, I would pick three or four unfussy and/or rustic beauties, one-third pound each. For me, nothing enhances salty meats more than fresh mozzarella, and as Gioia Cheese Co. makes it right here in El Monte, you can get it really fresh. My local store has an organic sheep’s cheese called Lamb Chopper that I’m currently crazy about for its mysterious and subtle nuttiness. It comes from Cypress Grove Chevre in Northern California. Of course you can only take the patriotism thing so far. I would go out of the country, to Italy, for a slightly harder Piave, and to France for a lovely Comte.

This spread is too nice for crackers; as a delivery system I suggest baguettes or other crusty breads. I’d avoid anything that has olive or rosemary; the breads need to be canvases on which to really taste the meats. It’s the only ingredient you must buy day-of.

Because man cannot live by bread and meat and cheese alone, or if he can, he likes some cornichons and olives with that, I rounded out the menu with some savory dishes from local wine bars; these places know how to keep people nibbling and sipping happily for hours. I borrowed four for my ensemble. They’re homey bites that complement each other and a variety of wines without ever demanding top billing: duck rillettes from Sara Levine, chef at Vertical Wine Bar; a lemon-dill potato salad from Todd Barrie, chef at Upstairs 2 (the wine bar attached to Wine House in West L.A.); Suzanne Goin’s mushroom persillade from A.O.C.; and a yellowfin tuna confit salad (with emphatically no greens) from D.J. Olsen, the chef at Lou Amdur’s wine bar, Lou.

Amdur also suggests “a whole lot of different olives each with its own schmutz.” Barrie is more of a Spanish white butter bean man; he briefly sautes the beans with a dash of lemon juice and a drop of chili sauce, a little chopped parsley and garlic and some sliced cherry tomatoes.

And to drink ...

IT should come as no surprise that the wine guys were eager to match grape juice to this smorgasbord. Amdur immediately took the big picture view. “For an event like the Super Bowl,” he says, “you do not want what the Italians call a wine of meditation or a wine of contemplation.” (I’m pretty sure he meant no insult to sports fans

Amdur would then move onto two more light-bodied wines that will counteract the fattiness of the meat: a Pinot Gris from Slovenia and a Beaujolais. At this point, when guests are going back for thirds, Amdur would open something “with a little meat on its bones,” a Valpolicella. Finally, he would finish with no dessert but a dessert wine, an inexpensive Sauternes. For 10 people he would serve at least 10 wines because, he says, “My friends have superior livers.”

Upstairs 2’s Barrie immediately thought of a Tyronia Albarino from Spain. “It’s light and crisp,” he explained, “and would please both Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc fans.”

Miguel Garza of the brand new Culver City wine bar Vinum Populi (“wine of the people”) thought of “wines that are approachable and can handle a variety of different flavors.” His enthusiasm for the 2004 Dominio de Eguren Protocolo from La Mancha, Spain, at $6, was palpable. “For the money it’s out of this world,” he said, before challenging me to find a lower-end wine that is more complex (I demurred). He lingered in Spain, picking a white Basa from Rueda, “which is very easy to drink, with just a little sweetness,” and a red from Campo de Borja, which “just blossoms in your mouth.”

As for dessert, Vertical’s Farwell goes for the so-simple-it’s-painful approach: “I love to eat a handful of grapes and a glass of Riesling.” After five hours of eating and watching and yelling, that might be just the thing.

food@latimes.com

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Wild mushrooms persillade

Total time: About 40 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Note: From chef-owner Suzanne Goin of A.O.C.

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound wild mushrooms (such as a combination of chanterelles, black trumpets, white trumpets,

maitake, etc.), cleaned

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped

parsley

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet, and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

2. If the mushrooms are large, tear them into smaller pieces. Heat two large saute pans over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil to each pan and wait 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each pan; when it foams, scatter the mushrooms into the pans. (Be careful not to crowd the pans. There should be a single layer of mushrooms. It’s better to do more batches than to crowd the mushrooms.)

3. Season with salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Add the shallots and saute together with the mushrooms about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and a little crispy. (The cooking time will depend on the particular mushrooms you are using.)

4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and use a wooden spoon to push the mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add half the remaining tablespoon of butter to each pan. When it foams, add half the garlic to each pan. Let it sizzle and then stir to incorporate it with the mushrooms. Add parsley and toss to coat well. Taste for seasoning and arrange on plates. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the mushrooms and serve.

Each of 6 servings: 186 calories; 3 grams protein; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 17 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 15 mg. cholesterol; 26 mg. sodium.

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Lemon dill potato salad

Total time: About 30 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: From chef Todd Barrie of Upstairs 2. This recipe is best if made a day in advance. Reserve extra mayonnaise for another use.

Mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup olive oil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a food processor or blender, blend the egg and lemon juice for 10 seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until the mixture thickens. Add the pepper and salt and pulse once or twice to blend. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using (best if used within 24 hours). This makes 1 cup mayonnaise.

Potato salad

1 3/4 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled, diced into 1/2 -inch cubes

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup creme fraiche

1/3 cup diced celery

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup finely chopped red and yellow bell pepper

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh dill

Salt

White pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the diced potatoes and bring to a simmer (it should not come to a rapid boil) and cook until the potatoes are slightly tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes, put them on a sheet pan and place the pan in the refrigerator to dry.

2. Mix together the mayonnaise, creme fraiche, celery, mustard, lemon juice, chopped pepper and dill. Fold in the potatoes and season to taste with the salt and white pepper.

Each of 8 servings: 198 calories; 3 grams protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 13 mg. cholesterol; 177 mg. sodium.

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Salad of yellowfin tuna confit with cannellini beans

Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 12 as an appetizer

Note: From chef D.J. Olsen of Lou wine bar. You can substitute albacore tuna for the yellowfin if not readily available. Additionally, you can substitute regular lemons for the Meyer lemons; just halve the amounts of zest and juice.

1 pound yellowfin tuna fillet, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick

Salt and pepper

4 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

2 chiles de arbol

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons,

divided

3 cups olive oil, divided

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red onion, julienned

1 bunch parsley, minced

Juice of 1 Meyer lemon

1. Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper. Put the bay leaves, peppercorns, chiles and the zest of one lemon in a saucepan, and place the tuna on top.

2. Cover the tuna with 2 cups of the olive oil and heat over the lowest possible heat until the tuna begins to turn opaque and small bubbles just start to form on the surface, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. The tuna prepared to this point can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

3. Remove the tuna confit from the oil (you can reserve oil for the next time you make tuna confit). Flake the tuna into a bowl. Add the beans, red onion, parsley and the remaining lemon zest, and toss lightly. Add the remaining olive oil, juice of the lemon, and salt and pepper to taste.

Each serving: 103 calories; 11 grams protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 17 mg. cholesterol; 116 mg. sodium.

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Duck rillettes

Total time: About 4 hours, 30 minutes, plus 24 hours curing time

Servings: Makes about 2 cups

Note: From executive chef Sara Levine of Vertical Wine Bistro. Packaged duck fat is available at Bristol Farms stores in the freezer section, Surfas in Culver City and Monsieur Marcel in Los Angeles.

2 duck legs

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 small bay leaf, broken

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme

1/4 cup parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon mint

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 white onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cups white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup duck fat

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1. Place the duck legs on a rack on a baking sheet and rub them with the salt, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, coriander, mint and sugar. Cover loosely with a sheet of parchment paper and allow to cure for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the oven to 250 degrees. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, sear the duck legs in one tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat until you get a bit of color, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and carrot and saute until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half, about half an hour.

3. Add the chicken stock and braise the duck legs in the oven, covered, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (If it begins to bubble, turn down the heat.) Allow the meat to cool, then remove from the braising liquid; the braising liquid can be reserved for another use such as for a soup base.

4. Remove the meat from the bone and place it in a bowl. Place the bowl of duck meat on top of a bowl of ice.

5. In a small pan, heat the duck fat over medium-low heat until it’s melted. Slowly pour the duck fat over the duck meat, using a fork to emulsify the duck meat with the duck fat until fluffy and smooth. Add the Dijon mustard and adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a serving dish or container; the restaurant serves rillettes in a French canning jar.

Each tablespoon: 137 calories; 3 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 14 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 22 mg. cholesterol; 175 mg. sodium.

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Wines that go deep and long

GATHER as many different wines as possible; many are inexpensive, and it’s going to be a long day. Suggested as they were by wine-bar owners, some of these bottles are a bit unusual and hard to find; ask your local wine shop to recommend similar bottles.

Organic cider

Etienne Dupont Brut de Normandie N.V. Available at Silverlake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, about $20.

Sparkling whites

Domaine Albert Mann Cremant d’Alsace N.V. Available at Le Petit Vendome, Pasadena, (626) 396-9234, $20.

Sparkling reds

Caprari Lambrusco dell’Emilia N.V. Available at Wine Expo in Santa Monica, (310) 828-4428, $13.

2002 Picchioni Oltrepo Pavese Sangue de Giuda. Available at Wine Expo, $10.

2005 Bruno Verdi Oltrepo Pavese Sangue di Giuda Paradiso. Available at Liquid Wine & Spirits in Chatsworth, (818) 709-5019, $14.

Sparkling rose

Bailly-Lapierre Cremant de Bourgogne Rose N.V. Available at Red Carpet Wine Merchants in Glendale, (818) 339-0609, $14.

Whites

2005 Frederic Magnien Chablis. Available at Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, $27.

2005 Didier Champalou Vouvray. Available at Wine House and Moe’s Fine Wines in Brentwood, (310) 826-4444, about $16.

2005 Dveri-Pax Eisenthur. Available at Woodland Hills Wine Co., Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111, $14.

2004 Dveri-Pax Sivi Pinot Gris. At Woodland Hills Wine Co., $18.

2005 Basa Rueda Blanco. Available at Le Petit Vendome, Red Carpet Wine, Silverlake Wine and Wine House, about $11.

2004 Albert Mann Furstentum Tokay Pinot Gris. Available at Wine House, $29.

2005 F. X. Pichler Smaragd “Durnsteiner Hollerin” Riesling. Available at Wine House, $50.

2004 Tvronia Albarino. Available at Wine House, $16.

2000 Chateau d’Armajan des Ormes Sauternes. Available at Greenblatt’s Deli & Fine Wines in Los Angeles, (323) 656-0606, $18.

Reds

2003 Chateau des Labourons Fleurie. Available at Le Petit Vendome and Wine House, about $17.

2004 Dominio de Eguren Protocolo. Widely available, about $6.

2005 Feudi di San Gregorio Primitivo di Manduria di Ognissole. Available at Fine Wine House in Pasadena, (877) 981-6555, $30.

2003 Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo de Borja. Available at Le Petit Vendome, Wine House and Twenty-twenty Wine Merchants in West Los Angeles, (310) 447-2020, about $42.

2005 Andeluna Malbec. Available at Wine House, $10.

2005 Casa de la Cruz Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. Available at Le Petit Vendome and Silverlake Wine, about $15.

2003 Cecilia Beretta Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso. Available at Wine Expo, $19.

-- Laurie Winer