Lobster tailgates

Tailgate parties are easy, right? Stash some beer in the cooler, toss some dogs on the grill and open up a bag of chips. Maybe at your tailgate party. Elsewhere, they’re dining on Maine lobster and gourmet cheese, fine Washington wine and “Cougaritas,” flank steak and planked salmon.

Oh yeah, tailgating has gone sophisticated.

In the parking lot of Woodward Stadium at Eastern Washington University, Alicia and Naci Seyhanli of Spokane party in their 1973 Shasta trailer. A pop-up canopy shields them from the rain and wind.

A portable fire pit keeps them warm on these chilly fall afternoons.

For years, they used a Weber kettle grill; this season, the Seyhanlis upgraded to the Coleman Roadtrip grill, a propane-fired unit that works as both grill and griddle. The menu varies from week to week, depending on who’s coming to the party.

“My wife is a good cook,” Seyhanli said. “She’ll plan out what we’re going to have week to week.”

Alicia Seyhanli will make ribs or chili, a special potato salad or an artichoke-jalapeño dip. Friends make their own contributions to the festivities. One pal who spent a summer in Alaska brought a bunch of salmon to share. The Seyhanlis are wine fans so they have some favorite brands they bring.

“It seems like there’s always a theme to each week,” he said.

Of course, EWU fans aren’t the only tailgaters in the region. Jim Hawkes of Pullman, a 1977 graduate of Washington State University, doesn’t settle for a mere motorhome at his Martin Stadium party. His bash is centered around his 1986 Chevrolet van, a former bread truck.

He painted the outside crimson, installed a bathroom and parked a couch inside for lounging. A stove and sink are in the van’s future. A flat-screen TV sits on the dashboard, keeping tailgaters apprised of other scores. A row of wooden seats faces the screen; they were rescued from the old Bohler Gymnasium on the WSU campus.

This, Hawkes said, is “one of the pre-eminent tailgates for WSU.”

This group takes its food seriously, too. For the USC game earlier this season, Hawkes and his friends served 75 Maine lobsters. The recent Oregon game featured chili. They’ve been known to grill tri-tip steaks.

The Hawkes’ tailgate is potluck. Diana Prenguber of Issaquah, Wash., always supplies a veggie tray and dip and well as a plate of apples and Cougar Gold cheese. She also is in charge of the supplies – paper goods, dry food and chilled foods are carefully organized, inventoried and packed. The group can set up and break down in five minutes; it’s a well-oiled tailgating machine.

Grills don’t have much of a place here, Prenguber said. “I don’t usually like to barbecue because it’s messy.”

The Oregon game on Oct. 21 marked the first appearance of the camp stove; the late-season tailgates always feature cider and cocoa and a warm dish such as soup and chili.

On the beverage front, there’s beer and wine – especially wine.

“Gordon Brothers and Chateau St. Michelle are heavily represented,” Hawkes said.

No wonder. This tailgate crew includes Vicki and Jeff Gordon, owners of Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards, and St. Michelle CEO Ted Baseler.

When deciding what wine to bring, Vicki Gordon has one rule.

“We bring whatever is going to beat Ted,” she said with a laugh.

“Actually, we bring it all. It’s a great opportunity for us to pour to a lot of our friends.”

Debbie Lisser and her husband, Bruce, of Mount Vernon, Wash., also bring an assortment of wines to their tailgate in Pullman. She’s fond of a Terra Blanca viognier and has been known to whip up a little concoction called the “Cougarita,” using a store-bought margarita mix and adding raspberries or strawberries for a crimson color.

The post-Oregon celebration included grilled flank steak and salmon. Coming up on the menu: Lisser’s Apple Cup specialty, Cougar Gold Soup.

Cougar Gold and the other WSU Creamery cheeses generally have a place at the Lissers’ tailgate. “At the Apple Cup,” she said, “the Huskies beg for it.”

Even though the area’s major football programs are heading into their final home games – EWU on Saturday, the Apple Cup at WSU on Nov. 18 and Idaho on Nov. 25 – it’s not too late to get in on the fun.

Looking for some menu inspiration? Tailgating cookbooks are plentiful. This past spring, Mario Batali released “Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style.” Bob Sloan offers up “The Tailgating Cookbook,” while David Joachim – cooking “expert” for the American Tailgating Association – has “The Tailgater’s Cookbook.”

Other than that, what tips do these local tailgate veterans offer?

Come early to get a good parking spot, Seyhanli said. Make sure your grill is in good condition and is big enough for the job. Bring footballs and Frisbees for the kids to toss around. And most importantly, be sure to keep warm and comfortable.

“As far as I’m concerned, you have to have everything. You need utensils and enough chairs for everyone. Bring a big table for setting the food on,” he added, saying a card table just won’t do.

Don’t plan for a picnic, he said, “Plan like you’re going to a family reunion.”

Other tips? “Position yourself near a bathroom,” Vickie Gordon said. But not too close, Prenguber added with a laugh.

Both Prenguber and Debbie Lisser advise using cups to serve chili, stew or other soups. Bowls are apt to spill.

Bruce Lisser reminds people to bring lots of ice and, he adds, a good attitude. “Because win, lose or draw,” he said, “we’re back next weekend.”

Alicia Seyhanli serves these ribs with an assortment of cheeses and some Washington wine. She suggested a zinfandel from Maryhill Winery. She bakes the ribs the night before the game and reheats them on the grill at the stadium.

Tailgate Ribs

2 racks of baby back ribs

2 tablespoons seasoning salt, or to taste (Seyhanli likes Klink’s Mediterranean Buckaroo Rub, see note)

1 bottle prepared barbecue sauce, such as Texas Best Mesquite Barbecue Sauce

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Rinse rib segments well, pat dry and place on a baking sheet. Liberally season the meat with the seasoning salt or spice rub of your choice. Baste segments lightly with barbecue sauce.

Bake until meat is tender, 2 to 3 hours, basting with barbecue sauce every 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow the ribs to cool. Refrigerate until party time. At the game, toss the ribs on the grill and baste again with barbecue sauce until hot.

Note: Klink’s Mediterranean Buckaroo Rub is available at Klink’s On the Lake, at Klink’s Williams Lake Resort. Or, it can be purchased at Egger Meats on the South Hill or Sportsman’s Warehouse in Spokane Valley, according to Alicia Seyhanli.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Debbie Lisser whips up this cheesy soup each year for the Apple Cup.

The recipe doesn’t call for salt – Lisser said she thinks the cheese brings plenty of salt to the pot. Feel free to add salt if your taste demands it. She added that she’ll have some extra Cougar Gold cheese shredded for sprinkling on top.

Cougar Gold Soup

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup grated carrots

3 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups milk or half and half (half and half will make a much richer soup)

2 to 3 cups shredded Cougar Gold Cheese

1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Black pepper

In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, melt butter over moderate heat.

Add onion and celery and sauté until tender. Stir in flour until blended.

Gradually add chicken broth and cook until slightly thickened over moderate heat. Add grated carrots and potatoes and cook until just tender but still firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Add milk or half and half and reduce heat to low.

Add cheeses and stir until cheeses are melted. Season with pepper, to taste.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8, using 4 cups cheese total: 406 calories, 28 grams fat (17 grams saturated, 62 percent fat calories), 18 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrate, 85 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 835 milligrams sodium.

Maple-Rosemary Planked Salmon

From David Joachim, “The Tailgater’s Cookbook”

1 cedar or alder plank, about 6 inches by 12 inches by 1/4 inch

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus two sprigs for garnish

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (2-pound) salmon fillet, bones removed

6 lemon wedges

Before you go: Place the wood plank in a 2-gallon freezer-weight zipper-lock bag or other big, strong plastic bag. Cover with water, seal bag and chill in cooler for two to 10 hours.

Mix everything else except the fish, rosemary garnish and the lemon wedges in a 2-gallon freezer-weight zipper-lock bag. Slip fish, skin side up, into bag of marinade. Seal and chill in cooler for one to four hours.

When you get there: Heat the grill to medium-high and let rack get good and hot. Drain wood plank. Remove fish from marinade and place it skin side down on the plank. Brush and oil rack, then put planked fish in center and lay rosemary sprigs over the fish. Cover and grill until the fish is just a bit filmy and moist in the middle (about 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), 10 to 15 minutes. Move plank to a heatproof surface or cutting board. Cut fish crosswise into six pieces. Pass the lemon wedges for squeezing on top.

A note on planks: Joachim notes that while many grocery stores and kitchen shops sell cedar planks for fish, you also can find them at home stores or lumber yards. Any untreated – and he stresses “untreated” – 1/4-inch plank of cedar or alder will work.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 352 calories, 21 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 55 percent fat calories), 31 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 99 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 504 milligrams sodium.

Tuscan Vegetable Packets

From Bob Sloan, “The Tailgating Cookbook”

1 (8-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

4 cups baby spinach leaves, washed

2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 ounces button mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

6 slices of bacon, excess fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

At home: In a medium bowl, gently toss together the artichoke hearts, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic with the olive oil and salt.

Lay two 16-inch lengths of aluminum foil on a work surface.

Arrange three slices of bacon on the center of each piece of foil.

Arrange half the vegetables over each set of bacon slices. Divide the Parmesan evenly over both mounds of vegetables.

Bring the ends of the foil together and fold them tightly several times. Then fold up the sides to make a neat, sealed package.

At the tailgate: Prepare coals for a medium-hot fire. When coals are ready, place the packets on the rack and cook for 14 minutes.

Open packets carefully to avoid the escaping steam, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings, each packet holds two servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 261 calories, 19 grams fat (6 grams saturated, 63 percent fat calories), 10 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrate, 16 milligrams cholesterol, 4 grams dietary fiber, 1,000 milligrams sodium.

Cast-Iron Skillet Apple Crisp

From Mario Batali

2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

3 medium McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced 3/4-inch thick

3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 3/4-inch thick

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, preferably goat’s milk

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Light a grill. When coals are hot, push them to one side of the grill.

Put the bread crumbs in a large cast-iron skillet. Set the skillet on the grill opposite the coals; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread crumbs are nicely toasted, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the bread crumbs to a large bowl and stir in the light brown sugar and half of the melted butter.

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and zest. Add the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and toss well.

Set the skillet back on the grill opposite the coals and scatter half of the crumb mixture over the bottom. Spread the apple slices in the skillet in an even layer. Top with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Cover the grill and cook until the apples are tender and bubbling and the crisp is browned, about 45 minutes. Remove the skillet from the grill and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the yogurt with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve the apple crisp warm or at room temperature, with the sweetened yogurt.

Note: You can toast the bread crumbs and prepare the apple filling the day before serving. Keep the apple mixture refrigerated; let the crumb mixture stand at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 498 calories, 14 grams fat (8 grams saturated, 25 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 90 grams carbohydrate, 34 milligrams cholesterol, 2.6 grams dietary fiber, 282 milligrams sodium.