Score big with winning game-day dips and stew

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

The answer: Tried and true recipes that make generous portions and lend themselves to advance prep.

Here, from the Advertiser files, are some options. All appeal to a wide range of tastes. All proved popular when they appeared in the past.

Start with a variety of dips or spreads accompanied by chips, crostini (toasted bread rounds), cut vegetables, pita halves or whatever your company prefers.

Then serve something hot and filling over rice; we're suggesting a South Pacific stew from Sam Choy's latest cookbook, called lupulu. Make the lupulu ahead and keep warm on a back burner or in a slow cooker.

With this, a crisp make-ahead Asian cole slaw is a nice contrast.

This first recipe, tested by our former food columnist Kaui Philpotts, sounds odd but tastes fabulous. It was adapted from one in "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter Publishers). Do the onions the night before and blend with the remaining ingredients just before the pre-game show.

Pan-fried Onion Dip

• 2 large yellow or Maui onions
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher or Hawaiian salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

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Hot Artichoke Dip Here's a simplified version of a pupu food editor Wanda Adams considers a standard. You can bake it on its own, or spread the unbaked dip thickly on pre-baked pizza-dough rounds (available at some grocery stores) and broil 4-5 inches from source until golden brown and bubbly. Make the mixture the night before, refrigerate and bake while the pre-game show is on. 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 (6-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese 2-3 cloves garlic, minced Dash of dill weed Roughly chop the artichoke hearts. Mix all ingredients and place in an ovenproof casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with something to spread it on.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth. You can also do this by hand in a bowl. Add the onions and mix well.

Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature with Maui-style chips. (You can cut calories by using fat-free cream cheese and sour cream and light mayonnaise and serving baked chips.) Makes 2 cups.

Lots of readers called to comment on or request a recipe we ran earlier this year for seared 'ahi served on cucumber rounds. The original dish, from "At Home with Friends" by Michele Adams and Gia Russo (Chronicle Books, paper, $22.95), is a little fussy but you can manage it with some work ahead of time. The night before the game, make the dipping sauce and refrigerate; cut cucumber rounds and place in an airtight container covered with salt water (1/4 cup salt, 1 cup water). Sear tuna just before the game, then duck into the kitchen and do the final steps:

Sesame-crusted 'Ahi with Wasabi Sauce

• 1/4 cup mixed black and white sesame seeds
• 8 ounces 'ahi, in a rectangular block
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 ounces wasabi paste (from tube)
• 1 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Wasabi dipping sauce (see below)

Make dipping sauce of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (sushi-zu), 2 tablespoons prepared wasabi paste; blend and refrigerate.

Roll tuna block in sesame seeds to coat all sides. Heat oil over high heat. Sear tuna for 30 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool, covered lightly with a paper towel.

During a break in the game, slice tuna as for sashimi. Drain cucumber slices and pat dry. Put a little wasabi paste on each cucumber round. Top with seared ahi. Serve with dipping sauce.

Lupulu, the Tongan version of our chicken lu'au, is a hearty half-time meal. We've altered this recipe from "Sam Choy's Polynesian Kitchen" (Hyperion, hardback, $29.95) so you can do part of the preparation the night before and just heat and go at halftime.

Remember that lu'au leaf must be boiled for 40 minutes; oxalic acid in uncooked leaves causes painful itching and burning. You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe.

Chicken Lupulu

• 2 pounds lu'au leaf, cooked
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2-2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups coconut milk
• Salt to taste
• Hot rice

The night before: Cook lu'au leaf. Drain and squeeze out excess liquid. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Stir in cubed chicken and cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, lu'au leaf and salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool; refrigerate, covered.

Before the game: Remove lupulu from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.

Thirty minutes before serving: Place on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. Taste and correct seasonings and add chicken stock if mixture seems too thick. Simmer 30-35 minutes. Serve over hot rice. Serves 8.

You can make the dressing ahead of time and toss the veggies together the night before. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Asian Cole Slaw

For the salad:

• 1/2 head won bok cabbage (napa), thinly shredded
• 1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly shredded
• 1 daikon, peeled and grated (use food processor or box grater)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 2 cups watercress, washed and chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup cilantro (Chinese parsley)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons mirin or rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• Chopped fresh chilies to taste, or 1/4 cup chili sauce

Chop all the salad ingredients and mix in a large salad bowl. In another bowl, mix the dressing ingredients. Set aside. About one to two hours before serving, mix the dressing and salad and hold in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can refrigerate for up to four days. Serves 8.