the movie: Jerry Maguire
At this same time every year, we gather around the flickering warmth of our television sets with friends and food to celebrate that classic American institution: the Super Bowl ad. We chortle, we chafe, we guffaw and we gape, and sometimes, just sometimes, we even tune out. Or watch the game.
So let us stay in the deep rich red veins of last week’s themes of money and meat, but swap the shady shenanigans of politics for the prime purity of sports. And come to think of it, what could be a better fit?
We chose Jerry McGuire for this special occasion because of the utter humor that director Cameron Crowe, and actors Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding bring to the screen in the name of authenticity in sports. Sure, we all know that the game is gamed and that even our heroes are heretical, but we still hold on to some quiet voice somewhere deep inside of us that believes in our better selves, and this movie serves it up in edible style. It’s neither rammed down our throats, nor spun into syrupy heights, but rather, becomes a masterly manipulation through Cruise’s sheer charm and conviction. (He won an Oscar.) The point of this movie is not to slam on money in sports but to remind us that nothing is worth doing if we aren’t true to ourselves in the process. This might sound glib, but Crowe uses humor and great actors to deliver the message with class. Cruise’s transformation is real and his effect on Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr., in another Oscar-winning performance) is believable. At its most basic level, the movie is about money and sports, but at its core is a story of hope, redemption, love, and discovering the meaning of life.
Crowe uses dialogue extremely effectively in developing the characters, but the one-liners in Jerry McGuire steal the show. In a favorite, Jerry makes a feverish and desperate sales pitch to Tidwell, his last remaining client, “I will not rest until I have you holding a Coke, wearing your own shoe, playing a Sega game featuring you, while singing your own song in a new commercial, starring you, broadcast during the Super Bowl, in a game that you are winning, and I will not sleep until that happens. I'll give you fifteen minutes to call me back."
You might have noticed by now that we’re never going to play it too safe or straight here, so we’ll skip the chip-and-dip-with-steaming-pot-of-chili crudité classic but still tip the helmet by riffing on the iconic chili centerpiece. Part of the tradition that we love is the day-long, stove-top simmer with its slow bubble and pop, filling the house with savory, earthy aromas, so we chose a lamb ragù to play the hero substitute. If you haven’t ever belabored a long, slow simmered ragù, this weekend is the time to start. Don’t worry, the belaboring part takes the form of an occasional stir with a wooden spoon, and three hours later, presto!, you feel like a true Italian nonna.
The key play in a ragù, which is basically a thick sauce of minced vegetables, tomato paste, meat and wine, is the browning part at the start. So get down with the brown. Don’t be afraid to let the minced veggies cook into a browned mush before adding the ground lamb. Then, let this brown down even more. Add the tomato paste and wine and cook it all down by half, add some water and then leave it for the rest of the afternoon. It will get more and more intense as the day wears on, and the alchemy of the brown will lift you into the outer limits of flavor. You’ll discover an intense depth with unctuous layers of earth, dark tomato and lamb, fused together in each bite. Serve it whenever you get hungry amid your sports day line-up, be it Jerry and Rod, or New Orleans and Indianapolis. I serve it on top of a local, fresh and fat egg-y pappardelle from Cucina Fresca in Seattle. Just pour a hefty serving of the melded, meaty ragù over the fresh steaming noodles, sprinkle on some shaved parmesan and freshly chopped parsley for a bit of salty green counter, then drizzle some deep strong olive oil on top to add a finishing touch.
the meal: Lamb ragù over pappardelle, mixed greens with citrus dressing, avocado, red onion, parmesan and clementines, molasses chocolate chip cookies
At this same time every year, we gather around the flickering warmth of our television sets with friends and food to celebrate that classic American institution: the Super Bowl ad. We chortle, we chafe, we guffaw and we gape, and sometimes, just sometimes, we even tune out. Or watch the game.
So let us stay in the deep rich red veins of last week’s themes of money and meat, but swap the shady shenanigans of politics for the prime purity of sports. And come to think of it, what could be a better fit?
We chose Jerry McGuire for this special occasion because of the utter humor that director Cameron Crowe, and actors Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding bring to the screen in the name of authenticity in sports. Sure, we all know that the game is gamed and that even our heroes are heretical, but we still hold on to some quiet voice somewhere deep inside of us that believes in our better selves, and this movie serves it up in edible style. It’s neither rammed down our throats, nor spun into syrupy heights, but rather, becomes a masterly manipulation through Cruise’s sheer charm and conviction. (He won an Oscar.) The point of this movie is not to slam on money in sports but to remind us that nothing is worth doing if we aren’t true to ourselves in the process. This might sound glib, but Crowe uses humor and great actors to deliver the message with class. Cruise’s transformation is real and his effect on Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr., in another Oscar-winning performance) is believable. At its most basic level, the movie is about money and sports, but at its core is a story of hope, redemption, love, and discovering the meaning of life.
Crowe uses dialogue extremely effectively in developing the characters, but the one-liners in Jerry McGuire steal the show. In a favorite, Jerry makes a feverish and desperate sales pitch to Tidwell, his last remaining client, “I will not rest until I have you holding a Coke, wearing your own shoe, playing a Sega game featuring you, while singing your own song in a new commercial, starring you, broadcast during the Super Bowl, in a game that you are winning, and I will not sleep until that happens. I'll give you fifteen minutes to call me back."
You might have noticed by now that we’re never going to play it too safe or straight here, so we’ll skip the chip-and-dip-with-steaming-pot-of-chili crudité classic but still tip the helmet by riffing on the iconic chili centerpiece. Part of the tradition that we love is the day-long, stove-top simmer with its slow bubble and pop, filling the house with savory, earthy aromas, so we chose a lamb ragù to play the hero substitute. If you haven’t ever belabored a long, slow simmered ragù, this weekend is the time to start. Don’t worry, the belaboring part takes the form of an occasional stir with a wooden spoon, and three hours later, presto!, you feel like a true Italian nonna.
The key play in a ragù, which is basically a thick sauce of minced vegetables, tomato paste, meat and wine, is the browning part at the start. So get down with the brown. Don’t be afraid to let the minced veggies cook into a browned mush before adding the ground lamb. Then, let this brown down even more. Add the tomato paste and wine and cook it all down by half, add some water and then leave it for the rest of the afternoon. It will get more and more intense as the day wears on, and the alchemy of the brown will lift you into the outer limits of flavor. You’ll discover an intense depth with unctuous layers of earth, dark tomato and lamb, fused together in each bite. Serve it whenever you get hungry amid your sports day line-up, be it Jerry and Rod, or New Orleans and Indianapolis. I serve it on top of a local, fresh and fat egg-y pappardelle from Cucina Fresca in Seattle. Just pour a hefty serving of the melded, meaty ragù over the fresh steaming noodles, sprinkle on some shaved parmesan and freshly chopped parsley for a bit of salty green counter, then drizzle some deep strong olive oil on top to add a finishing touch.A zesty salad of mixed greens or arugula, tossed in a light citrus-y dressing, with creamy avocado, thinly sliced red onion, clementine sections and more shaved parmesan makes for the perfect match to the bold rich pasta sauce. It’s a great finisher, like Rod Tidwell with the winning catch, to cap a winning meal.
The wine was easy. We drafted the 2007 Quarterback from McLaren Vale. It’s a delicious Aussie red named for the 4 varieties of grape blended in approximately equal proportions. This is blending done well, which is no small feat. The soft Grenache and Merlot do an excellent job at balancing the more tannic Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon and form a strong alliance of rich balanced flavors. This compact and sturdy balanced fruit bombette is a slam dunk with the lamb ragu, and at $15, it a great deal. If you can order more than a bottle, it will age quite nicely—or at least until next year’s big game.
Another reason I felt this wine was so good for this week’s theme is the out-front bold marketing job the label does to promote it. The label itself cues the yard markers of the football field, and the sales materials—hats, jerseys, etc.—all play into the essence of the gridiron. I even saw a branded pigskin sitting atop the case display at point-of-sale in the wine shop. Go McLaren! Go Vale! Swirl in the Mouth and You’ll Prevail!
For dessert, one or two of the best-all-time chocolate chip cookies is all you need. Pull these out of the oven, and the crowd goes beserk! Sara’s special trick is to add some molasses—a tablespoon or two—use less flour, by about a quarter cup, and use really good chocolate. It makes a crispy, chewy cookie with lots of hot molten chocolate in every bite. Mmmm. Another glass of cold milk, please, sir. So get your game on, in whatever form it takes. And enjoy this funny, delicious, heart and soul warming evening with your most sports obsessed, or not, friends.
Recipes can be found here:
Lamb ragù(scroll down to second recipe): http://nyti.ms/by1Gdt
Mixed greens with citrus dressing, avocado, red onion, parmesan and clementines: http://bit.ly/cPJWen
(Substitute orange for clementine and add shaved parmesan.)
Molasses chocolate chip cookies: http://nyti.ms/b7UDF6
Reduce flour portion by 1/4 cup.
Replace three tbsp sugar for 3 tbsp molasses.
pappardelle is the best. My fave pasta shape of all time. Lamb ragu is brilliant. I am going to try my own wild mushroom and fresh herb ragu with burgundy. Must try sister Sara's CCMC's. Some of the best things to do when snowed in - reading, cooking, drinking coffe and wine and sitting by the fire, of corse, if you have one. xo LF
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