Still thinking about what to make for the big game? Brisket is one idea. Here’s another.

Fans watching today’s Super Bowl should be having seafood, Asian or good barbecue and steaks.

San Francisco is such a great “foodie” town with its pier-side crab meat cocktails or delightful dim sum in Chinatown. On one business trip to San Francisco, a friend and I dined on wonderful steamed crabs. Those crabs covered our whole plates, but somehow, we managed to do justice to the crabs.

On another visit, the dim sum was the best I have ever had. Even though today is game day, try making stuffed dumplings or crab Rangoon. Dim sum dishes remind me of tapas. Both are little dishes that offer several appetizers. Easy Steamed dumplings can be made with store-bought wonton wrappers available at most supermarkets.

Now, Kansas City is a whole other “foodie” town. It’s big and bold and lots of meat. I don’t know whether the city is better known for its barbecue or steaks. Both are good eating.

When my daughter was in a student culinary competition in KC, our group ate so much barbecue and steaks that we didn’t want to see a steak or barbecue for a while.

If a trip to the supermarket is in your future today, why not plan on at least a seafood dish and maybe a barbecue or grilled steak? Those that do not want to cook can pick up a package of frozen pulled pork that can be popped into the oven.

For the more seasoned cook, how about throwing a brisket on the grill and letting it cook low and slow until game time. Ribs are another suggestion with the thick, sticky sauce that is found in Kansas City. If planning to serve brisket, head to the supermarket early. The brisket will take about 8 hours on the grill. Perhaps buying it at the store or restaurant would be easier.

The easiest seafood dish is putting water and crab boil in a stockpot adding new potatoes, corn on the cob and whole mushrooms in the liquid. When the potatoes are done, add several pounds of shrimp for a good, old-fashioned shrimp boil. Don’t forget to spread layers of newspaper on the dining table, which makes cleanup easy.

Here are two last-minute Super Bowl suggestions that represent the two teams foodwise.

Chinese pork dumplings

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon finely chopped Chinese chives or regular chives

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce or Sriracha

1 pound ground pork

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

50 dumpling or wonton wrappers

1 cup vegetable oil for frying

1 quart water or more as needed

Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon chives, sesame seeds and chile sauce in small bowl. Set aside

Mix pork, garlic, egg, 2 tablespoons chives, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger in large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle. Wet the edge with a little water and crimp together forming small plates to seal the dumpling. Repeat with remaining dumpling wrappers and filling.

Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place 8 to 10 dumplings in the pan and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Pour in 1 cup of water, cover and cook until the dumplings are tender, and pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Repeat for remaining dumplings. Serve with soy sauce mixture for dipping. – From www.allrecipes.com/

Kansas City barbecue brisket

4 1/2 pounds beef brisket

2 tablespoons sea salt

For the rub:

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons dry mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

Black pepper, to taste

3 heaping tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

2 1/8 cups ketchup

1 cup yellow mustard

Skin the meat and cover with the salt. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours

Light the grill with about 12 briquettes on one side. Place a tin of water on the other side and add a rack with an oven thermometer. The fire is ready at 225 degrees.

Mix the rub ingredients together and rub the meat all over. Place the meat on the rack and close the lid. This stage could take between 4 to 6 hours, until a meat thermometer reads 150 degrees. Wrap the meat in foil and place back on the rack. Close the lid once more.

Cook the meat this way until the thermometer reaches 203 degrees, just beyond the red zone on the thermometer. It can take between 1 and 2 hours.

Make the sauce over hot side of the barbecue or indoors if you prefer. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the shallots, garlic and salt. Stir until translucent. Add the paprika and black pepper. Stir. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and simmer until thick. About 15 minutes. Place aside to cool.

When the meat is up to temperature, push the rack to the hot side of the grill. Remove the foil and grill on each side for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up the bark.

Serve thinly sliced with the sauce and any other barbecue sides such as corn, coleslaw or potato salad. – From The Food Channel

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.