World Cup Food Challenge

World Cup in Review

2010-07-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

What is it about the World Cup that makes it so special? Somehow it manages the impossible, to keep the entire world’s undivided attention without firing a single shot. The world cup has indeed been called the great unifier and the world’s largest stage, with an estimated audience of 3.7 billion people, it’s easy to understand the monikers. Every four years it seems that a combustible rain falls upon our globe to alight passion and national pride the levels of which are never seen outside a war. This year’s rendition of the beautiful game’s ultimate test was no different; a world cup riddled with controversies and surprises, it made the world a more passionate place for a few short weeks.

Sunday’s final match between Spain and the Netherlands showed a little bit about everything that makes the beautiful game shine a little less brightly. From questionable calls to blatant mistakes by the refereeing team, the human component of the game showed exactly how fallible it could be. Even with the record setting 14 yellow cards and 1 red, it was easy to see that the match was far out of the control of Mr. Webb. The final descended into not much more than an all out war between the Dutch and Spanish, with the Spanish side prevailing in what was a very ugly game. Ironically enough, the Dutch national anthem sung at the start of the match is all about their previous war with Spain, in which they were victorious.

Both teams arrived at the pitch with very differing strategies, the Spanish had planned to tire out the older Dutch team with their signature short passes and strike towards the end, while the Oranjes sought to neutralize the Spanish passing with physical play and get ahead with counterstrikes. Things didn’t quite work out that way for the Dutch, and we saw the physical play descend into some of the ugliest fouls ever televised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjrV9PX0VbU

Nevertheless, we also saw flashes of brilliance from both teams that reminded us why it’s called the beautiful game. The Oranjes had two amazing runs led by striker Robben which were followed immediately by unbelievable saves from the Spanish goal-keep Casillas. Iniesta’s goal deep into the second half of overtime was nothing short of breathtaking, and catapulted the diminutive play-maker into immediate super stardom and a firm place in the history books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7fhk8nJljM

While all of our hopes where either validated or shattered, one thing we all agreed upon, FIFA needs to make changes. Be them better training for the referees or yielding to technology, the bad calls need to stop. It left all of us with a bad taste in our mouths and the level of their obtuseness is taking the beauty out of the beautiful game. In the end, what really matters is that we were able to see some of the world’s best athletes give all for pride and country; we saw some riveting battles, we saw some one sided matches, we saw beautiful performances upon the world’s greatest stage.

If this world were perfect we would all get to share in the victor’s ecstasy, but as it is not, we must be content with merely watching it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJhUz2-_2Ms

We hope you all had as much fun as we did during this world cup, it was certainly exciting! Let’s hope the next four years pass quickly so we may again revel in the glory of the World Cup, but until then, we hope you keep enjoying our recipes.

7/12: THE FINAL: Spain v Netherlands

2010-07-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Olé, olé, olé, olé!!! THE DAY HAS ARRIVED! It is amazing how quickly one month of feasting, drinking and excitement can pass. As you know, we've been pulling hard for Spain to take this year's Cup all along and we're sure that they will - after all, the Octopus has spoken (and rest assured, you won't find any octopus on our menu in his honor, despite their prevalence in Spanish cooking).
Our celebratory menu, which we plan on preparing just as soon as the massive hangover fades, highlights the Spanish conquest by taking over Dutch cuisine with Spanish flavors. Here at World Cup Food Challenge, Spain conquers on the pitch and in the kitchen!

Erwtensoep, also called snert, is a pea soup once referred to as the "glory of Dutch cuisine." It is traditionally made a day ahead to give the flavors time to steep together and served with a thick slab of kielbasa (smoked sausage). We guarantee that the world's best Dutch pea soup would fail to stand up against Caldo Gallego, the traditional soup of Galicia where foul peas are replaced with garbanzo beans (think hummus) and kielbasa replaced with glorious chorizo. Celery, eternally one of the most hated foods globally, is left out altogether. We do agree with the Dutch on thing, though - this soup is even better the next day.
Spain conquers Snert: Caldo Gallego Erwtensoep
1/2 pound thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
1 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight in water and drained
1 large onion, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 lb Spanish chorizo, sliced thinly
1 lb dark leafy green such as Broccoli di Rabe or mustard greens
Cook the pancetta in a large heavy pot over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered. Add the beans to the pot, cover in water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat and simmer, partially covered, ~45 min until softened. Add the onions, potatoes, and turnips and cook for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the chorizo and greens and cook for 10 minutes, or until the greens are tender.

Hete Bliksem literally means "hot lightning" in Dutch, despite its lack of hot or lightning. Plus one, however, for the fun name. A tart yet smokey take on mashed potatoes, it is typically served alongside Gehaktballen, or Dutch meatballs, one of the best loved dishes of Nordic cuisine. If you must try traditional Dutch versions, we recommend the recipe over at Kayotic Kitchen, where Kay blogs live from Gouda (and lucky for her, she's not much of a football fan - allowing us to plug her recipe without disdain).
Due to the Arabic and North African influences, meatballs are common throughout Spain, especially in Andalucia where they are served in tavernas, steaming in the cazuela alongside a tall glass of Cruzcampo. While recipes for Dutch meatballs call for a pinch of nutmeg and mustard to flavor the beef, the Andalucian version spices up rich lamb with cumin, paprika and a saffron-almond sauce.
Hete Bliksem simmers a slab of bacon in water and then uses this water to boil the potatoes, adding flavor. The potatoes are then mashed with the chopped bacon and sautéed apples. Our Spanish version uses a cansalada to flavor the potatoes and substitues tangly Cabrales for the tart apples. The addition of milk and ample butter create a creamy, indulgent purée where once was a pile of Dutch starch. Cansalada, a form of salted pork fat back is used abundantly in Catalan home cooking and you will be hard pressed to find potatoes that do not feature its delightfully fatty flavors. Any pork fatback will do and our recipe calls for a ham hock, more commonly found in American kitchens. Puré de Patatas (mashed potatoes) flavored with this fat are called Trinxat in Catalan.
Spain conquers Hete Bliksem: Relámpagos calientes (Hot Lightning in Spanish)
1/2 lb ham hock
3 shallots, diced but not finely
2 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup hot milk
1/4 lb Cabrales (Asturian blue cheese similar to Gorgonzola)
Brown the ham hock in oil at the bottom of a large stock pot. Add the shallots and sauté until soft. Add the potatoes, cover with water and boil the potatoes gently until tender, ~20 min. Drain off about half the water and then use a potato masher or hand mixer to purée. Beat in the butter and milk until thick and creamy. Stir in the Cabrales and season with salt and pepper.

Spain conquers Gehaktballen: Albóndigas Andalucia
2 lb Ground lamb
1/2 md Onion, minced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp Pimenton (Spanish paprika)
1 T minced parsley
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 Egg
1/2 c Flour
For the sauce:
1 lg Spanish onion, chopped
6 T Spanish olive oil
1 1/2 C beef stock
1/4 C Blanched almonds
1/4 tsp Saffron threads
3 Garlic cloves
1 T parsley
Combine the lamb through lemon juice and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Add the egg and mix well. Form into 1-in balls, dust with flour and refrigerate at least 10 min. Heat oil in a frying pan until just smoking. Add meatballs and cook until they begin to brown. Add the onion and cook until golden. Add stock and let simmer 15 min.
Pulse almonds, saffron, garlic and parsley in a food processor or spice grinder until a fine powder. Stir into the meatballs and serve immediately alongside the potatoes.

First made in Gouda in the 18th C, Stroopwafel are layered caramel wafers, legendary in the Netherlands with a rich Dutch history. Today, we give them a new, better tasting history - a Spanish one. The batter is fairly similar to an American waffle and the filling is a simple boiled sugar syrup and butter. If they make it to the Cup in 2014 we'll expect they'll discover better things whilst in Brazil and will come home with Dulce de Leche and Guayaba filled Stroopwafel, or say forget it altogether and just eat alfajores.
As Stroopwafel are typically eaten as a snack, rather then a dessert, we've put our version in as a cheese course that can be served as an appetizer or before dessert. If you've experienced cruise ship or country club fine dining, you're familiar with dainty Parmesan tuiles. I've always loved these, no matter how overdone, and am happy to conquer the Dutch by preparing them with a Spanish cheese.
Garrotxa, a nutty sheep's milk cheese from Cataluña, presents the walnut flavors of aged Reggiano, the crispness of Champagne and the freshness of young grass in a single cheese. You can also use Mahon, one of the few cow's milk cheeses of Spain, which has a butter and intense tangy flavor to it, but it is a crumbly cheese whose texture proposes a challenge to this particular dessert. It's flavors, however, wildly compliment fig. If you'd like to experiment, Cheese From Spain presents a wealth of facts and flavor profiles in astonishingly bad organization sure to suck you in, frustrate and delight.
A specialty of Andalucia, Pan de Higo was created to preserve figs for the winter. It not only travels well, looks lovely and pairs divinley with a variety of wines and cheeses, but it is possibly the easiest dish to make in the world - no cooking involved. I would argue that Pan de Higo probably yields the greatest impressive to effort ratio in the history of food.
Spain conquers Stroopwafel: Garrotxa 'Wafel' de Higo

Prepare the 'Pan' de Higo:

1/2 lb dried figs, stems removed and chopped

1/4 C Marcona almonds, toasted

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 T sesame seeds

½ tsp anise seeds

1 orange, zest and juice

Cinnamon, to taste

1 T honey

Brandy (optional)

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until chopped but not fine. Repeat with the figs. Mix the almonds, figs, cloves and seeds together. Add the zest and juice of the orange to taste. Add cinnamon to taste. Add just enough honey to make a thick, but spreadable paste. If moisture is needed, add brandy or more orange juice.
Prepare the Garrotxa 'Wafel':
6 T Garrotxa, finely grated
Sprinkle 1 T cheese on a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the cheese starts to bubble, remove and press down on a plate into a thin disc shape. Prepare the other 5 tuiles.
Assemble the Stroopwafel:
Glaze a Garrotxa wafer with the fig mixture (it will be easier to spread if warmed) and top with another wafer.

Griesmeelpudding is an old and rather traditional Dutch dessert that boils coarse, semolina flour into a sweet porridge. It is often served with raisins and sprinkled with cinnamon. While boiled porridge puddings sound fine and British, a custard of sweet rice milk infused with real cinnamon and orange essence wins any day. You may leave out the raisins, as many prefer, but growing up my Grandma always included raisins and I swear by them! Prevelant throughout Latin America, these versions of rice pudding thicken with evaporated milk rather than egg and cream since these ingredients were not widely available. If you've enjoyed these versions, the original Spanish recipe will delight you as the texture is far silkier and simply, heavenly.
Spain conquers Griesmeelpudding: Arroz Con Leche
3 T brandy
1/2 C sultana raisins
1 C long-grain white rice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon or orange
1/2 gallon (fresh) whole milk
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup cream
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
ground cinnamon to taste
Soak the raisins in brandy overnight. Remove the zest (the colored, not white portion of the rind) from the lemon or orange (I like them both and mix it up or use whatever is on hand). Soak the rice, zest, and cinnamon in water for at least 1 hr, preferably overnight. Add the milk and honey to the rice and simmer for ~30 min, making sure to stir the rice so it does not stick.
Whisk together the cream, eggs, juice and salt. Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the egg cream to the rice. Cook over low heat until thick. Stir in the raisins and sprinkle with cinnamon to serve.

7/11: Uruguay v Germany

2010-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that neither team will truly feel like a winner after this game, having come so close yet failing to make the Final, we'll try to give them something to celebrate with what we are pretty sure will be the World's first Uruguayan-German fusion menu.

Uruguay and Germany may be at odds today, but they agree on one thing: stuffed, rolled steak. Uruguayans have cleverly named their version matambre, literally taken from the words "kill hunger." Less creative, the German Rinderrouladen simply means "braised beef rolls," as the German tongue tends to simply string existing words together to create new ones.
Never a fan of German cuisine, and passionately rooting for Uruguay to beat them down, our recipe will, of course, air on the Matambre side. Rinderrouladen is usually filled with bacon, onions, mustard and pickles and then cooked on a stovetop, covered in beef broth. We prefer the Uruguayan preference for outdoor grilling and prepare our Matambre asado, braised in red wine. And while the addition of bacon to the dish is certainly appreciated, what ARE the Germans thinking leaving out the cheese?

Matambre Rinderrouladen or "Uruguayan hunger killer German beef roll"
1 1/2 - 2 pound flank steak
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese
1/2 green bell pepper
1 onion, minced
8 slices bacon, chopped
Butterfly the steak and rub with lime juice, pepper, salt, oregano and garlic on both sides. Pound flat. Layer the remaining ingredients across the meat and then roll up and secure with twine. Grill Uruguayan asado style for ~1 hr or sear and braise in the oven, brushing with red wine throughout the cooking process.
German fans, suffer and serve with gravy. Uruguay fans, enjoy and serve with Chimichurri.

Kartoffelsalat, the ubiquitous German sidedish, is a potato salad made with vinegar and pickles. Many Germans have seen the light and begun to add mayonnaise to their potato salad, just as they do in Uruguay where the local version, Ensalada Rusa, is a commonly served amongst such classics as Chivito and Milanesa.
Kartoffelensalada
2 lbs yellow potatoes, peeled
¼ lb German-style double smoked bacon, diced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 T German mustard
1 T mild vinegar
½ C beef broth
1 ½ T chopped fresh parsley
½ C mayonnaise
Boil potatoes until just tender. Sauté the bacon until browned, then sauté the bacon in their fat. As the onions soften, add vinegar, pickles, mustard and broth and simmer for 2 min. Remove from heat and add the parsley, bacon and mustard. Dice the potatoes and toss in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. For an extra Uruguayan touch, add a few hard-boiled eggs.

7/7: Spain v Germany

2010-07-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

We're typing with palms sweaty today as Spain faces Germany in this much anticipated re-run of the Euro 2008 final. For Germany, who replace the suspended Thomas Mueller? For Spain, will they replace Fenando Torres who has yet to find the net? The winner will face Holland in Sunday's final. It's no secret that Spain is our pick for this year's Cup and this will be a standing, jumping and punching only game as we put off today's menu until later in the evening. Our German Spanish fusion best be eaten as celebration for a Spanish win!

Wassail, a spiced hot punch often served at Christmas, comes from the Germanic phrase "waes haeil," meaning, "be healthy." In our German take on Sangria we use traditional Wassail spices to flavor our wine before making the sangria. We'll also let you in on a little secret, we've been drinking sangria for all the Spanish games all along!
Wassail Spiced Sangria
2 bottles dry red Spanish wine
4 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
2 tsp allspice
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, sliced thin
1 orange, juiced
1/4 C sugar
Lemon Lime soda for serving
Bring 1 C wine with the spices to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer at least 15 min until a syrup. Add to the remaining ingredients and let sit over night. When ready to serve, remove the spices and top each glass with a light lime soda.

Beer and fig, an unlikely combination to some, are a match made in Heaven, provided you chose a proper beer. Avery Brewing even released a fig beer with their Fifteen. German Doppelbocks, with their dark amber caramel malts and nutty hints of sweetness, provide a perfect match. We use one here in place of the traditional sherry in our German take on Lomo de higo, a pork tenderloin stuffed with figs and topped with Idiazabel, a lightly smoked Basque sheep's cheese.
German Doppelbock-glazed Lomo de higo
1 3 lb pork tenderloin
½ C serrano ham, chopped
½ C dry figs, chopped
6 dry figs, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp rosemary, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 bottle German doppelbock such as Spaten Optimator
Butterfly the pork loin and rub with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Soak the chopped figs in the beer for 10 min. Combine with remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Spread this mixture over the meat. Roll the pork and secure with twine. Sear in oil and then transfer to a shallow baking dish. Cover with remaining beer and stuff the 5 remaining fig slices and onion slices alongside it. Bake for 30 min. then turn off the heat and roast until 145F internal temperature.
Remove the pork from the pan and pour the liquid into a saucepan. Purée the liquid, figs and onion and then heat until reduced to a thick sauce.
To serve, slice a roulade of the stuffed pork loin, top liberally with the sauce and a thin slice of Idiazabal.
Note: The meat can be salted, stuffed and rolled up to two days before cooking. Cover and refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature before continuing.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: Try Käsespätzle, the German version of mac 'n cheese, or add Ghanian flavors to your German cooking with our Bananas Ghana Black Forest Cake. Put a German spin on an English classic with Gurkensalat tea sandwiches. Spain brings Manchego and Chorizo as well as Peras al Vino to the table. While they may win on the basis of these dishes alone, traditional Paella clearly puts them on top, so much so that we devoted an entire post to discussing their cuisine. Obsessed with garlic, Spanish classics such as Ajo Blanco and Gambas al Ajillo, are household staples.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

7/6: Uruguay v Netherlands

2010-07-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

This is sure to be an incredible game as the last Latin American country standing puts up a fight against what looks to be an all-European final. Our hearty feast, a celebration of all things fried, will keep you well nourished through all the fist pounding and jumping that this game is sure to inspire.

Holland fans can stock up on all things Dutch over at Typical Dutch Stuff, which sells everything from wooden clogs to frozen snacks. They are having a particularly large run on kroketten and bitterballen for the Cup games, so we presume these are the most popular game day snacks in The Netherlands. Thus, we've included recipes for both of those today but you can always order them frozen. Hup Holland Hup!
Luckily for us, they also offer a Recipe blog where you can delve further into the exciting world of Dutch cuisine beyond the Gouda.

Dutch Chivito with Bitterballen/Kroketten
Chivito, the Uruguayan national dish, appears a simple sandwich at first glance but is so much more! The dish was invented accidentally in a 1950's Punta del Este tourist restaurant for a woman who asked to eat chivito (goat in Spanish) and was served this sandwich instead by a kitchen that had apparently seen a run on baby goat. Typically prepared with think slices of churrasco and ham or bacon, our Dutch spin puts Kroketten in the mix for the beef.
Essentially the same as Bitterballen, a Kroket comes in a oblong shape rather than the traditional round ball. They are often served at cocktail parties or as a snack with a pre-dinner drink. Seldom made at home, Kroketten (the Dutch spin on the French croquette), are a typical bar snack, served alongside french fries like a Dutch Fish and Chips.
Mustard is entrenched in Dutch heritage and they take great pride in flavorful, artisan mustards made with whole mustard seed. Simply put, the yellow squeeze bottle will not cut it here.

Photo: Niclas on Picasa
Prepare the Kroketten:
½ lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 eggs, separated
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 tsp lemon juice
Bread crumbs
Simmer meat with salt, onion, and bay leaf in 1 ½ cups of water until meat is well done ~1 hour. Drain off the liquid and bring to a simmer in a saucepan. Add butter and then flour, cooking until thickened. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of curry powder. Beat the yolks and add to the stock mixture. Pour over the meat. Chill until firm ~2 hours. Form into oblong meatballs, roll in bread crumbs, dip in whisked egg white and then fry in hot oil. Serve with Dutch mustard.
Assemble the Dutch Chivito:
Lightly coat two pieces of bread with Dutch mustard. Top with fresh mozzarella and toast slightly to melt. Add a few slices of thickly cut, freshly fried ham and then the freshly fried Kroketten. Top with a fried egg, and lettuce and tomato if you like. The key word here is really fried.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: try our Slovak/Chilean take on the Dutch Uitsmijter breakfast or try our Danish, 'Burning Love,' take on the traditional Dutch Stamppot. The taste of Uruguay first grazed our World Cup Food palletes during the second game of the Cup as they won against France and won us over with an incredible Dulce de Leche Crème Brulée and came to pair, coincidentally once again with French flavors during our Latino conquest of duck confit with confit ravioli.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

7/2-3: Quarter Finals Feast

2010-07-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

As we move into the final round, we're changing things up a bit and preparing pan-country feast to celebrate each final. You can choose which game to prepare the entire feast for, or just munch on a single dish for each game. We plan on celebrating a Spanish win by cooking up the entire array of dishes on Saturday.
Our theme for the Quarter Finals Feast? Street Food!
The Netherlands v Brazil
All that cycling and harsh weather make for a hungry people, who snack all day and still find the stomach for a hearty dinner. Often overlooked on the culinary scene, the cosmopolitan city of Amsterdam offers a diverse array of street food from the Indonesian stalls to the ubiquitous pancake houses. The Dutch are passionate about their french fries and a heaping cone of frites can be purchased on nearly every street corner. Vleminckx is renowned for frying up the best selection, serving them with onions, frietsaus (essentially mayonnaise) or a peanut sauce called "oorlog," which is Dutch for war - see, I told you they were serious about their fries! Our version serves them alongside an exotic Brazilian hot sauce.
Brazilian street vendors offer all the usual hot dogs and hamburgers alongside regional specialties such as Pão de queijo (similar to the Paraguayan Chipa), salgadinhos (savory pastries), Iced Mate and queijo coalho grilled cheese kababs in Rio, and acarajé (black eyed pea fritters) and cocada (coconut candies) in Bahia. Whatever you buy, if it is savory, it is sure to come with Molho de Malagueta hot sauce. Known as "grains of paradise," malagueta peppers were one of the original exotic spices that lead Portuguese explorers to discover Brazil. A close relative of the serrano, these peppers are dangerously spicy. If you can't find the peppers, you can order the sauce from Rio's of Austin.
Molho de Malagueta
1/4 cup palm oil
1 C vinegar
1 small yellow onion, chopped
7 malagueta peppers
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. salt
Heat the oil over low heat in a small skillet. Add the onion and sautee until it's translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers, stir and cook until they are very mushy, about 15 minutes. Add the ginger and cook for another minute. Add the salt and stir.
Belgian Frites
3-4 C frying oil
2 lbs Idaho/Gold/baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4 in wide sticks
The streets of Amsterdam sell authentic Belgian-style frites, characterized by a crunchiness achieved only through skill and double frying. The first time they are fried, they are cooked until tender. The second time, often done hours later, they are transformed into golden and deliciously crisp frites.
Heat the oil to 325°F. Divide the potato sticks into batches of 1 C each. Fry 4-5 min. per batch until lightly colored but not browned. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are ready to serve. Repeat the frying process and then salt to taste.
Serve with Molho de Malagueta. If it is too spicy, try whisking some into mayonnaise for an authentic Dutch Frites experience.

Uruguay v Ghana
Uruguay street food includes the usual South American options of hot dogs piled high with every imaginable topping for less than a $1, endless varieties of empanadas and churros, along with regional favorites such as chivitos, milanesas and tortas fritas (fried biscuits).
Street food in Ghana is available from travelling pedestrian vendors, stalls, and ubiquitous "chop bars". Traditional African dishes, such as fufu, kenkey, banku, fried yams, and bushmeat kebabs are popular across the country while regional varieties use local ingredients such as fresh seafood along the coastline and fried cheese in Northern. Kenkey are steamed balls of fermented corn dough that come wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves. The dough is allowed to ferment for several days to take on sour flavors. If that doesn't appeal to you, and I can see why it may not, we'll go ahead and just eat ours fresh sans-sour. Classic accompaniments for kenkey include seasoned fried fish ( kyenam) or a fresh hot pepper sauce. Our menu uses kenkey as a base for Uruguay's best loved dish, Chivito.
Ghanian Chivitos
Prepare the kenkey:
3 C fine corn flour
1 T corn starch
2 1/2 C warm water
Corn husks
Knead the dough until smooth. Then prepare the "aflata," which is a part of the dough cooked with water and added to the uncooked dough. Mix 2 C water with 1 tsp salt and half the dough, then cook over medium heat 10 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the uncooked dough. Form the dough into balls and wrap each ball in corn husks. Steam for 1 hour.
Assemble the Chivitos:
Tope each kenkey with a slice of thin grilled steak or ham, pancetta, mozzarella and a fried egg.

Argentina v Germany
Germany has a number of Turkish street foods beyond the pan-European shawarma. Döner is similar to shawarma and available everywhere, especially in Berlin. Bavarian Fleischkäse, similar to meatloaf, is generally served with sweet mustard in a roll. Germany, known for its various types of sausage, lines its streets with ample wursts and beer is sold at all sidewalk snack stands.
In Argentina, vendors sell Choripán, a barbequeued sausage wrapped in french bread, or morcipan, the blood sausage (morcilla) version. Street empanadas are usually fried and can be made with beef, fish, ham & cheese or neapolitan. Other local street food includes local versions of the hotdog called pancho, tostados and lomitos. Sweets found in Argentine streets include caramel apple (manzana acaramelada), sweet popcorn (pochoclo) and a local snack called Garrapiñada, made of peanuts, cocoa, vanilla and caramel.
German Choripán
The Argentine choripán consists of a sausage made out of beef and pork, hot off the grill, split down the middle (called mariposa), and served on a roll.
First, prepare the Chimichurri using our recipe from the game against Nigeria way back in June. Then, chose your wurst. As in Bratwurst, Currywurst or other variety of German sausage. Slice a baguette down the middle, spread each side with Chimichurri and insert the grilled German sausage.

Paraguay v Spain
Our culinary journey through Paraguay as they've advanced in the Tournament has showcased many of their most popular street foods of sopa, chipa and milanesa. We even took a look at maté during an early Argentina game. In Paraguay, the local infusion of yerba mate is called Tereré and it is served cold, often with herbs such as lemongrass or fruit juices. Workers have a "tereré break" instead of a coffee break.
Street vendors are uncommon in Spain as snacks are provided by hole in the wall tavernas selling a variety of traditional tapas. In the bigger cities, fast food bocadillo (sandwich) and North African kebab joints can be spotted on many side streets. During ferias and other events, however, the vendors come out of the woodwork hawking everything from ice creams to legs of ham. By far the most predominant street food, the staple of Spanish late night eats, is the churro. While you may have experienced versions filled with dulce de leche or pastry cream throughout Latin America, the notorious fried pastries originated in Spain, where they are dipped in a thick, bitter hot chocolate, most often as club goers head home around sunrise.
In place of the traditional chocolate, we serve our churros with tereré de chocolate. The Republic of Tea sells a Double Dark Chocolate Maté that is fairly easy to find, or you can make your own by stirring dark cocoa powder into maté.

Churros
1 C water
2 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C butter
1 C AP Flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Bring water, brown sugar, salt and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the flour. Add the eggs and vanilla.
Heat ~2 in. of oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 375F.
Fill a pastry bag with the dough, using a star shaped decorator's tool. In Spain, churros are piped using a churrera, a cookie-press looking contraption with the start nozzle. You can buy one, use a cookie press or a simple pastry bag. The star shape is the key to provide the right look and crunchy texture.
Test your oil to make sure it is hot enough by piping a small amount of dough into it. If the dough bubbles up right away, the oil is hot. One at a time, squeeze a line of dough into the oil. Squeeze out as many as your fryer will hold and cook ~5 min. until golden, turning as needed. Drain excess grease and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: From The Netherlands we enjoyed a Stampot of Burning Love and a Dutch Uitsmijter sandwich. Brazil delighted our taste buds with Feijoada, Caipirinhas and passion fruit mousse. Uruguay found its way on the menu several times since opening day, twice fused with France in Dulce de Leche Crème Brulée and Duck Confi Ravioli. It was the clear winner over Ghana's Jollof rice, although a Ghanian spin on German Black Forest Cake took on one of this year's toughest teams with fury. Less exciting from Germany was their cucumber salad, Gurkensalat, spin on the English tea sandwich, but the Käsespätzle German take on mac 'n cheese will surely grace our kitchens again. Both are severely overshadowed by Argentina's contributions of Chimichurri, Malbec, Duck confit empanadas and especially, alfajores. If they can stand up equally well on the field we'll be impressed and surprised! Paraguay, with its hearty reflections of Argentina and indigenous cultures, never failed to please with dishes such as Sopa Paragauay, chipa, and the fried deliciousness of the Milanesa. Unfortunately for them, their up against intense competition. Spain's cuisine of Manchego and Chorizo, Peras al Vino, Paella, Ajo Blanco and Gambas al Ajillo clearly comes out on top, so much so that we devoted an entire post to discussing their cuisine.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/29: Japan v Paraguay, Spain v Portugal

2010-07-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

Our tapas tasting menu takes you across the world from Asia to Latin America, culminating in the flavors of Iberia.
A taste of Paraguay
Paraguayans are consummate snackers. Seldom settling down for a meal, they munch endlessly on chipa, a sort of indigenous spin on the croissant, which is hawked by chipa barreros that ride bikes touting fresh chip for sale throughout every neighborhood. While it comes in varying shapes and sizes, the medialuna, or crescent, is the most common, hence the comparison to a croissant. If chipa intrigues you, Anna Elise to Paraguay is a lovely little blog about an exchange student's experience in Paraguay and has much to say of the local culinary customs.
Chipa
1 1/2 C yuca harina
1 2/3 C corn flour (much finer than corn meal)
3 eggs
1 1/2 C grated strong cheese such as Cotija or Parmesan
4 T lard
1/2 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 425F. Mix the harina and cornmeal, cut in the lard with a fork and whisk in the eggs. Stir until fairly uniform then add the cheese and milk, kneading until smooth. Salt to taste. Shape. Bake ~15 min on a baking stone until golden and crisp. *Also known as tapioca starch/almidon de yuca/manioc starch, it’s widely available online or in Latin American markets. It should not be confused with manioc flour used for farofa which is darker and has a grainier texture.

A taste of Japan, via Portugal
Unbeknownst to many, the popular Japanese tempura preparation is of Portuguese origin, brought to Japan in the 16th C by missionaries. The batter uses cold water, soft flour and some leveaning to keep it fluffy and light. Traditionally mixed with chopsticks for only a few seconds, the mixture is lumpy, allowing for crisp balls of batter to form on the food. Thin slices of vegetables or seafood are dipped in the batter, then deep-fried in hot oil, traditionally sesame oil. Traditional tempura includes seafood and vegetables, but we honor seafaring, grilled sardine obsessed Portugal.
Sardines Tempura
1/2 lb fresh sardine fillets
1 1/4 C AP flour + more for the initial coating
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 C ice cold sparkling water
sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
Coat the sardines in flour, salt and pepper. Heat a sauce pan of sesame oil, or canola oil to 350F. Whisk together the 1 1/4 C flour with baking powder, water and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Keep the batter over ice as you coat the sardines, shaking off the excess, and fry ~5 min. until golden. Drain excess oil, sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve hot.

A taste of Iberia - bom apetite y buen procecho!
Gambas are a ubiquitous staple of taverna cuisine on both sides of the Iberian. In Spain they are prepared in a simple marinade of fresh garlic, lemon and oil, while in Portugal this preparation includes the introduction of a piri-piri pepper and Madeira rather than sherry. Both variations are cooked and served in earthenware cazuelas, but you can use any skillet. Our version includes the piri-piri, but the dish is divine even without it.
Gambas Al Ajillo/Camarões Piri-Piri
6 T Spanish Olive Oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 piri-piri pepper, sliced lengthwise in two
1lb medium shrimp
Juice of 1 lemon
In a cazuela or cast iron skillet, heat the oil, garlic, and pepper. When the garlic just begins to turn golden, add the shrimp and cook on high ~3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and parsley. Serve immediately, preferably in the same dish.

Many of my favorite tapas recipes are inspired by my favorite Spanish restaurant state-side, La boca in Santa Fe, NM. I had a crush on the chef there as a teenager just introduced to Spanish haute cuisine at El Farol and I followed him diligently when he finally opened up his own place a few years ago. For a delightful tapas tasting experience in Houston without all the cooking, try Oporto. Their menu offers a unique blend of many of the Spanish and Portuguese traditional dishes that you see here.

Almendras con Pimentón de la Vera
This simple preparation of marcona almonds makes for the ultimate bar snack. Pan fry in olive oil and season with fleur de sel and Spanish smoked paprika. I use an Applewood Smoked salt to enhance the smokey sweetness of the paprika.

The bruschetta with mushrooms, fried egg, truffle oil, reggianito
One of my current favorites and easy to prepare. I sauté a selection of wild mushrooms, such as trumpet, shitake and hen of the woods, in Spanish olive oil over low heat until soft. Then I add a dash of whatever red wine I'm drinking. When nearly all the liquid is absorbed, I remove from heat, grate reggianito on top, then distribute across slices of baguette. My boyfriend, chief egg fryer of the household, takes care of that, unless we are poaching, which is my job. I then carefully place the egg atop arranged bruschetta, season with fleur de sel and sprinkle with white truffle oil. If I'm feeling indulgent, I'll use black truffle powder instead.
As with true Spanish cooking, strict recipes are not at the heart and soul of these dishes - rather, be inspired, playful, and use the ingredients that speak to you to create your desired flavors.
Our recipe for Ajo Blanco, often refered to as "white gazpacho," is inspired by a recipe from José Andrés, who serves this dish at Jaleo in Washington DC with lump crap and garnished with green grapes.
Ajo Blanco
1 C blanched almonds
4 garlic cloves
2 C water
3 slices pan de campagne, crusts removed
4 T freshly pressed white grape juice
Splash of dry sherry
1 C Spanish olive oil
Combine almonds, garlic and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cool slightly. Purée until frothy, season to taste and and refrigerate. Serve cold and garnish with grapes.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: Regardless of what happens during Japan v Paraguay, the game and cuisine are sure to take backstage to the Iberian feast we have planned for Spain v Portugal. You're likely to have noticed by now through my single inclusion of Japan in a dipping sauce that this is a cuisine that has never quite been able to interest me. Paraguay, on the other hand, with its hearty reflections of Argentina and indigenous cultures, I find enticing. Dishes such as Sopa Paragauay, with the slight deviation of adding my homegrown green chile, and the fried deliciousness of the Milanesa make this landlocked Latin American country the clear winner in this match. My bets are on them for the game as well.

Portugal, the land of my beloved porto; the country that gave birth to Feijoada and spiced up Mediterranean dishes with Piri Piri has much to be proud of, but will forever take backstage to its larger neighbor to the east. Spain, more beloved to me even than porto for its Rioja, brings Manchego and Chorizo as well as Peras al Vino to the table. While they may win on the basis of these dishes alone, traditional Paella clearly puts them on top, so much so that we devoted an entire post to discussing their cuisine.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/28: Netherlands v Slovakia, Brazil v Chile

2010-06-28T09:56:00.001-07:00

Feeling as though I've exhausted the existing selection of traditional Slovak dishes that appeal to me, I'm happy to bid fairwell to the team as we proceed into the next round. Chile, on the other hand, is a country I wish I'd spent more time on. I recommend the recipes at Canela Kitchen, which posts straight from the source in Santiago, Chile. Her recipes include a variety of empanadas and puddings, which come in endless creative flavors in Chile such as corn and prawn, and are listed in both English and Spanish. We're posting two Chilean recipes today to bid adieu and cannot encourage you enough to take this opportunity to enjoy an awesome Carmenere.
Slovaks are shocked when they arrive in the US to find people pouring syrup and whipped cream on their French Toast - they eat it salty! Dutch Uitsmijter is a hearty open-faced sandwich of ham, eggs and cheese, often served for breakfast. Uitsmijter' means 'bouncer' in Dutch, telling the story of a late night snack served just before getting kicked out of the bar. I can think of few foods more perfect for a World Cup match.
If they aren't already serving it on French Toast, they certainly will be now.
I sincerely doubt we'll ever see the Dutch slathering a cilantro salsa upon their Uitsmijters, but for those of us in places like Texas where breakfast doesn't count if it's not served with salsa, a traditional Chilean Pebre ties this dish together perfectly. Similar but in many ways superior to pico de gallo, pebre is served on everything from grilled meat to sandwiches. If you cannot find aji chiles, a jalepeno will do, but firey flavors are not characteristic of Chilean cuisine.
Uitsmijter on Chlieb vo vajci (Dutch sandwich on Slovak French Toast)
Whisk 3 eggs (vajcia), salt liberally, and coat bread (chlieb) in the egg (typically, rye bread is used) then fry on a hot greased pan.
For the Uitsmijter:
Top the Chileb slices with ham and Gouda. Fry 2 eggs, sunny side up, then top the bread. Add Pebre to taste.
Chilean Pebre
1 onion chopped finely
1 green ají chopped
1 tablespoon of oil
1 tablespoon of cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Combine in a food processor - consistency should be chunky.
Chile v Brazil
An elegant red wine meringue traditionally served with crema inglesa, or clotted cream, this is the equivalent of a Chilean zabaglione. Brazilians are also fond of meringue and use it in almost every popular dessert from banana pie to the layered pavê desserts
They also prepare a red wine pudding called Sagu de vinho whose flavors may be reminiscent in this turron, although certainly not the textures. Taking inspiration from the Italian pairing of zabaglione and fruit, we pair the Turrón with the national dessert of Brazil- a simple yet heavenly passion fruit mouse. The combination of egg whites and condensed milk-based desserts calls on two cultural legacies that characterize modern Latin American cuisine - the legacy of the monks and the Nestlé market penetration that brought its canned milks to the South before fresh milk become widely distributed. Today, Brazilians still call Nestlé the "Leite Moça" or milkmaid.
Turrón de vino con Mousse de Maracujá
Prepare the Mousse:
1 C creme de leite (Brazilian evaporated milk) or cream
1 C sweetened-condensed milk
1/2 C frozen passion fruit or juice if you cannot find the pulp
(optional) one fresh passion fruit
Pureé in a blender until fluffy then chill for a few hours.
Prepare the Turrón:
1/2 C Chilean red merlot or cabernet
3/4 C sugar
3 egg whites
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of salt
In a pot heat the red wine with the cinnamon stick and sugar ~8 minutes until a heavy syrup. Remove cinnamon.
Beat egg whites with pinch of salt until soft peaks, then slowly drizzle in the wine syrup while beating the whites until meringue is cool.
To serve: Divide the chilled mousse into glasses and top with a dollop of turrón.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using our other recipes: Enjoy a Danish/Dutch Stampot of Burning Love along with Slovak goulash and bryndzové halušky. Slovakia's Bublanina is a clear winner, though we doubt they'll prove so successful in the game as opposed to the kitchen.

Brazil has dominated our menus when compared to Chile, as it will likely dominate the game. It would be difficult for anything to stand up to Feijoada and Caipirinhas

although the Chilean seafood included in our Paella provides ample competition.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/27: Germany v England, Argentina v Mexico

2010-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

With England sure to take the beating of the day, our menu takes a German, Mexican and Argentinean touch to a traditional English tea. Although the English once dropped whatever they were doing to break for afternoon tea, the modern teatime has been replaced by a simple snack throughout much of Britain. Luckily for royalty and tourists, the grandiosity of a formal high tea still prevails with its trays of scones and clotted cream and decadent pastry carts.

The tea, a classic Earl Grey, is served steeping in the pot alongside a small pitcher of milk. Classic accompaniments consist of tea sandwiches, particularly the cucumber, scones and their lovely accessories, and an assortment of petit forts and pastries.

English fans may argue with Argentina fans here, as I leave it up to you to serve your tea with Earl Grey or maté.

German Gurkensalat English Tea Sandwiches

The traditional cucumber sandwich, with its paper-thin slices of cucumber gently laying in a bed of crustless, light bread, is a delicate creature reflecting the era in which it was invented. With little nutritive value, these nibbles were a thing of pride for the Victorian upper classes whose lives of leisure did not require the hearty meats of the coarser working classes. Cucumbers are always peeled, crusts of bread removed, and sandwiches neatly cut in diagonally into four small triangles. Our German version uses the popular Gurkensalat cucumber preparation in place of the simple salt and lemon of the English cucumber.

Prepare the Gurkensalat:

1 Cucumber

1/2 C vinegar

1/2 C water

1/4 C sugar

2 T oil

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Sour cream, to taste

Handful of fresh parsley

Peel and thinly slice the cucumber. Sprinkle each slice with salt and let sit for an hour, then rinse and dry. The salting crisps the cucumbers, drawing out their water. Pour the vinegar, water, sugar and oil over the cucumber slices and toss to coat. Stir in sour cream until a thick, creamy consistency.

Assemble the sandwiches:

Neatly remove the crusts from a loaf of white bread. Arrange cucumber slices atop each slice of bread, top with a sliver of onion and a pinch of parsley, or use dried chervil. Cut diagonally twice to create four triangles.
Photo by Flickr: Dear Sweet Deer

Scones a la Mexicana

Few give Mexico the credit it deserves for bringing chocolate into the world, truly one of the greatest gifts every bestowed upon mankind. Originally a religious ritual drink, the xocolatl, the original Nahuatl word from whence "chocolate" was derived (it makes more sense if you say "chocolate" in Spanish), it was often flavored with vanilla, chili pepper and achiote. It continues to play an important rule in modern Mexican cuisine, from savory dishes such as a vast array of mole sauces to the thick, spiced hot chocolate that for me, characterizes the joy of a Christmas morning.

We use Ibarra brand chocolate for our Mexican scones, but you can make your own version by melting down bittersweet chocolate and stirring in cinnamon and vanilla.

Prepare the scones:

2 C AP Flour

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 T butter

3/4 C Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 C buttermilk

1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 400F. Whisk together the dry ingredients then cut in the butter and mix until a fine meal. Whisk buttermilk and yolk together, then add to the dough and knead until the dough just begins to come together. Add the chocolate. Press into a ~8 in. disc and cut into 6 wedges. Brush with milk if desired and bake ~20 min. until set and crumbly.

To serve, top each scone with a dollop of lightly sweetened Crema Mexicana.

Crema Mexicana
A delicately sour version of crème fraîche with a sensous drizzle, it can be purchased at any Latin grocer. Having spent 4 years in Boston before Texas, I understand that can be easier said then done if you live outside the Southwest. Luckily you can prepare your own crema by simply letting cream and yogurt sit out overnight. Simply bring 1 C heavy cream to 100-110F, then stir in 2 tsp buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt and let sit 12-24 hours, loosely covered, until thick. Then refrigerate a few hours to thicken further. You can use more buttermilk/yogurt to speed the thickening, but a longer fermentation process slowly develops more complex flavors that will be well worth your while. It will keep in your refrigerator for ~1 week.

Argentinean Alfajores

Coated in chocolate or meringue, rolled in coconut or dusted with powdered sugar, alfajores are lusty creatures of deceptive cookie-like appearances. They taste as though made from the fat rendered from the tenderloins of cherubs.
Having originated in the Arab world, their name derived from Arabic for "fancy sweets," alfajores have been popular in Argentina since the early 19th century and have spread across the Spanish speaking world as the cookie of choice. Dozens of varieties exist but the Havanna brand from Mar de Plata, Argentina, sells the most well-renowned and traditional alfajores. Houstonians can pick up an assortment at Central market and avoid the complexities of baking.

1/2 C shortening or butter (manteca for purists)

3/4 C sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

1 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 C fine ground almond flour or corn flour

Dulce de leche such as La Salamandra from Argentina

Preheat oven to 325F. Cream the shortening/butter and sugar, then add the egg, yolk and vanilla. Whisk together the flours and baking powder, then whisk into the shortening. Refrigerate the dough for a couple hours until workable, then roll out and cut into cookies. Bake 5-6 min. until lightly golden.

Once completely cooled, assemble the alfajores by spreading dulce de leche across one and topping with another. For a truly authentic Havanna alfajor, coat in melted chocolate.

While some poor refereeing calls might have cost England and Mexico dearly in their Cup aspirations, fear not, as the only poor call you can make here is to not engage in these tasty eats.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes. While it may be World War on the pitch, Käsespätzle (German mac 'n cheese) makes a great addition to our English Ploughman's Lunch, albeit with an Algerian twist. Earl Grey Ice Cream, however, would be an unlikely topping for our bananas Ghana take on German Black Forest Cake. While Argentina will always hold a special place in our hearts for blessing us with Chimichurri and Malbec, we'd find it tough to live without tacos, margaritas and Arroz Mexicana. They both win when filled with Duck confit in the form of empanadas and tamales, and while, sure, its all fun and games when we're all beat France, but only one will walk off the pitch a winner.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/26: Uruguay v S. Korea, USA v Ghana

2010-06-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

USA all the way today! As the World Cup Food Challenge steps out of the kitchen to feast on steak and attend an American Craft Brew festival in Austin, TX. We celebrated one of the greatest things coming out of the USA these days - our craft brew industry.

USA = Steak!

Take your pick from a variety of dishes from today's competing countries by looking back at our past menus: Eat Dulce de Leche Crème Brulée and Duck Confi Ravioli from Uruguay or Asian short ribs from South Korea. Later on Saturday, indulge in USA snacks such as Bacon Brownie Cupcakes and Texas Peach Pie. Ghana fans can prepare a savory Jollof rice or a sweet Black Forest Cake.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

Elimination Round

2010-06-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

On to the Round of 16! Stepping into the elimination stage, we take a look at the foods of those countries that have made the cut:

Uruguay found its way on the menu several times since opening day, twice fused with France in Dulce de Leche Crème Brulée and Duck Confi Ravioli. They'll face South Korea on Saturday, a country we've seen in spicy and distinctly Asian short ribs.

Later on Saturday, the US faces Ghana in an unexpected match. Ghana may compete on the pitch, but in the World Cup of Food, USA is a clear winner with Bacon Brownie Cupcakes and Texas Peach Pie over Ghana's Jollof rice. However, a Ghanian spin on German Black Forest Cake may be one of the 2010 WCFC's crowning achievements.

Later on in the weekend, England will face a formidable opponent in Germany in what is sure to be a violent match between the two rivals. While it may be World War on the pitch, Käsespätzle, or German mac 'n cheese, made a great addition to our English Ploughman's Lunch, albeit with an Algerian twist.
Earl Grey Ice Cream, however, would be an unlikely topping for our bananas Ghana take on German Black Forest Cake.

Argentina versus Mexico presents a great opportunity for exploring two complimentary, but unique and exciting cuisines. While Argentina will always hold a special place in our hearts for blessing us with Chimichurri and Malbec, we'd find it tough to live without tacos, margaritas and Arroz Mexicana. They both win when filled with Duck confit in the form of empanadas and tamales, and while, sure, its all fun and games when we're all beat France, but only one will walk off the pitch a winner after Sunday's game.

Come Monday, The Netherlands will play Slovakia to remind us just how tired we are of Gouda and dishes that end in "-sky." Nevertheless, we did enjoy both naming and eating the Danish/Dutch Stampot of Burning Love along with Slovak goulash and bryndzové halušky. The clear winner here is Slovakia's Bublanina, though we doubt they'll prove so successful in the game as opposed to the kitchen.

Brazil has dominated our menus when compared to Chile, as it will likely dominate during Monday's game. It would be difficult for anything to stand up to Feijoada and Caipirinhas
although the Chilean seafood included in our Paella provides ample competition.

Regardless of what happens during Japan v Paraguay, the game and cuisine are sure to take backstage to the Iberian feast we have planned for Spain v Portugal. You're likely to have noticed by now through my single inclusion of Japan in a dipping sauce that this is a cuisine that has never quite been able to interest me. Paraguay, on the other hand, with its hearty reflections of Argentina and indigenous cultures, I find enticing. Dishes such as Sopa Paragauay, with the slight deviation of adding my homegrown green chile, and the fried deliciousness of the Milanesa make this landlocked Latin American country the clear winner in this match. My bets are on them for the game as well.

Portugal, the land of my beloved porto; the country that gave birth to Feijoada and spiced up Mediterranean dishes with Piri Piri has much to be proud of, but will forever take backstage to its larger neighbor to the east. Spain, more beloved to me even than porto for its Rioja, brings Manchego and Chorizo as well as Peras al Vino to the table. While they may win on the basis of these dishes alone, traditional Paella clearly puts them on top, so much so that we devoted an entire post to discussing their cuisine.

6/25: Portugal v Brazil, Chile v Spain, Switzerland v Honduras

2010-06-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

We finish out the second week of World Cup Food with an exciting series between our favorite teams in pick and in food as we prepare to head into the knock-out round. On the menu today we're venturing into Paella, the quintessential Spanish dish, done in the style of Chile and Portugal, with Brazilian drinks, a Honduran appetizer and Swiss dessert.

What's that you say? N. Korea and Cote d'Ivorie also play today? We hadn't noticed.

Chile, with its extensive coastline, is known for its ample variety of seafood from squid, clams, lobsters and eels to the famous Sea Bass. Equally seafaring are the Portuguese who round out the top-five of global fish consumption (or so I read somewhere). Thus, these two countries from opposite ends of the globe unite in a single harmonious dish - the traditional Paella de Mariscos. We're spicing things up a bit with the influence of Portugal's former colonies, using piri piri peppers and ample garlic.
Paella is a slow, social cooking experience that if often enjoyed outside. We've included a traditional Honduran snack to enjoy while salivating over the aromas emanating from the paellera along with the classic Brazilian cocktail, the Caipirinha.

Traditional Brazilian Caipirinha
Prepared in the traditional style - no random fruity spritzes, no blending, no pitchers - just pure cachaça, lime and sugar in a glass. If you've ever wondered what separates an excellent Caipirinha from a mediocre one, chances are the trick was in the sugar. Authenic Caipirinhas are made with real sugarcane, sold in brick from under the name of rapadura (papelón in the Carribbean or panela in Mexico). If you can't find it, you can use turbinado sugar or order online.
Per single drink:
2 tsp rapadura, shaved
1 lime, cut into wedges
2.5 oz cachaça
Muddle the sugar and limes with a pestle or wooden spoon. Fill the glass with ice, top with cachaça and stir. For an authentic Brazilian toast, look all toasters in the eye, say "saúde!" and drink immediately.

Photo: Flickr Marcio Monteiro

Honduran Baleadas
A simple preparation of black beans and assorted toppings spread across a flour tortilla, the official breakfast/snack/symbol of Honduras is a food you'll find yourself going back to time and time again. Vary toppings from carnitas to guacamole, or top it all off with a fried egg as we prefer to do (we add fried eggs to everything).

Prepare the Honduran Flour Tortillas:

4 C AP flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 T lard
~1 1/4 C water
Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the lard, then add 1/4 C of water and begin to knead. Slowly add more water, kneading until the dough is smooth but no longer sticky. Let rest a few minutes then cut into ~10 balls. Roll out the tortillas and cook on a cast iron skillet set to high heat ~1-2 min. until brown spots form. The flat cast iron skillet specifically for tortillas is called a comal and is just the right size each tortilla should be.
Prepare the Frijoles Negros
Hondurans often cook with red beans but beans of any color will work.
2 lbs dried black beans, rinsed
1 Spanish onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to a whole jalapeño pepper (tastes vary)
Juice of one lime
1/2 C of red wine
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 T cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Boil beans for 5 min., let rest for 1 hr, then drain. Fry the bacon, then add onion, garlic and jalapeño. Add to beans. Add remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper as you mash the beans gently in the pan.
Assemble the Baleada:
Spread black beans across a warm tortilla and add your chosen topping. Traditionally, baleadas are topped with a creme fraiche-like "crema" that can be found at many Central American groceries.

Paella de Marisco
As in every rice dish, the type and quality of the chose rice greatly effect the dish. Asian rice such as Basmati will not do for paella. In Spain arroz bomba is sold specifically for paella and will absorb the liquid without getting mushy, but as it is difficult to find in the States, I often substitute the Arborio rice used for risotto.
While it is preferable to prepare your own caldo, or stock, any quality broth will do.
If you don't want to run out and buy a paellera, a large cast iron skillet works great and is perfect for cooking outside on the grill. Avoid using a non-stick pan as you want the rice to form the flavorful crust called socarrat. Many Spaniards swear its the best part of the paella - you can express love by offering your share of the crust to your loved one.

1 lb mejillones (mussels), cleaned
1/2 lb camarónes (prawns), traditionally with heads on
1/2 lb calamares (cuttlefish or squid)
1/4 lb pulpo (octopus)
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Piri Piri pepper, chopped
1 cup grated tomatoes
2 C rice
~4 C fish stock
Few strains of saffron, soaked in 2 T water
1 C dry white wine
Lemon pieces for serving
Bring the stock to a boil then turn down to a simmer.
Prepare the sofritto: Fry the garlic, pepper, onions and chile. Add the tomato and stir. Add the rice and let it stick to the bottom of the pan for a few seconds as it hisses or "sings." Add the wine and absorb. Add the stock, saffron and let simmer 10 min. You may need to add more water or scrap occasionally, but let the rice form some crust at the bottom of the pan. Add the seafood, tucking into the rice and cook ~15 min. until the rice is cooked al dente. Photo: Flickr benjieordonez

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: try Portuguese/Brazilian Feijoada with a Korean spin on Cote d'Ivoire's traditional plantains or Korean-spiced Portuguese hens and Honduran Tres Leches Cake with Spanish poached pears. If you didn't get a chance to try our Spanish Fondue with a Chilean Carmenere and Honduran dessert, you must go back to what has been one of our favorite meals of the tournament. As we get deeper into the tournament, it's time to bring out the leftovers, mix & match, and let the fusion menus run wild like a frenzied North Korean defense.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

Spicy World Pure Spanish Saffron 2 grams - Fresh!

Spanish Saffron Acrylic Box (3 pack)

Paella Seasoning Sachets with Saffron

6/24: Paraguay v New Zealand, Slovakia v Italy, Cameroon v Netherlands, Denmark v Japan

2010-06-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

Known as the single most defining dish of Slovak cuisine, Halušky are translated as potato dumplings, but are really more of a cross between gnocchi, spätzle and polenta. Much like the Slovak culture itself, the dish blends flavors from its various borders. Though topped with just about anything, and over 30 varieties dominate menus at Slovak cafés, the most common addition is bryndza, a farmer's sheep cheese, and bacon. The combination produces the national dish of bryndzové halušky.
Preparation is nearly identical to gnocchi, but in the final stages more water is added and the dumplings are cooked into more of a polenta-like texture, particularly once the cheese is added. This makes for a very Italian but distinctly Slovak dish.
We substitute ricotta salata for the Slovak farmer's cheese, bryndza, but any Italian sheep's cheese will lend similar flavors to the dish. While the texture of ricotta is preferable, pecorino shavings could also be delicious. I'm thinking of trying this again with a peppered pecorino. One of Italy's oldest cheeses, pecorino's origins go back to the legend of a shepherd that filled his flask with sheep's milk for a long trip and the milk accidentally fermented during his travels. If you can't find either of these cheeses, or they prove to be too expensive, which they often are, try making your own ricotta.
Due to the central role of potatoes in Danish cooking (you remember the "Jeg er en heldig kartoffel!" from Stamppot of Burning Love?) and their own version of potato dumplings, we're going to consider our dish representative of Denmark as well.
In place of the bacon, we're adding a Paraguayan touch to our Halušky by topping it with a Milanesa, a bread and fried meat, not unlike the southern chicken fried steak but much improved upon it. If you find you become a fan of the Milanesa, join the club - there's even a Facebook group!
Paraguay and New Zealand are strangely alike in culinary heritage. In Paraguay, historic influences of the Guarani culture blend with European settlers and in New Zealand, the Māori indigenous influence modern cuisine and distinguish the island from the Aussies. By far the most representative of the Maori's role in cooking are the traditional hāngi preparations that involve slow roasting meats on heated stones in a covered pit. In an ideal world, we'd roast a pig in the hāngi and use that meat to prepare our Milanesa. If you dare to try it, we'd love to see the pictures!
Halušky a la Italia y Paraguay
Prepare the Halušky:
2 large potatoes
5 T flour
1 egg
3 tsp salt
Peel two large potatoes and shred finely. Add egg, flour and 1 tsp salt. Knead into a soft dough, adding flour or water if necessary.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the dough into small pieces and boil until the dumplings float.
Photo: Flickr: mylifeisyummy

Prepare the Milanesa:
3 thin cuts of beef steak or veal chops
Juice of 1 lime
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
2 C fresh bread crumbs
Soak the meat in lime juice, and gently pound into 1/8 in thickness. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
Beat egg with garlic, oil and salt. Coat the beef with the egg wash and then cover with breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil until a golden color.
Assemble the dish: Scoop the Halušky out of the water using a slotted spoon. Stir in the ricotta and top with Milanesa.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: try Slovakian Goulash on Sopa Paraguay and a New Zealand take on the Italian classic Zabaglione or Dances with Bublanina, our Slovakian twist on the most famous dessert from down under: the Pavlova. An unusual preparation of yuca as Cameroonian Couscous with a Japanese dipping sauce turned out to be a favorite, as did our Burning Love take on a Dutch Stamppot. As we get deeper into the tournament, it's time to bring out the leftovers, mix & match, and let the fusion menus run wild like a frenzied North Korean defense.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/23: USA v Algeria, Slovenia v England, Australia v Serbia, Ghana v Germany

2010-06-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

While Algeria is unlikely to make it to the next round, their cuisine is here to stay in my kitchen. Even though France has the nasty habit of poaching off Algeria’s best football players (Zinedine Zidane, need I say more?), Algeria is playing much better than the country they gained independence from a few decades ago. In retaliation, Algerian cuisine tends to borrow as heavily from French cooking as France does from Algeria’s football talent. A fascinating blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, Algerian foods create dishes similar to my Spanish favorites but with intricate layers of spices more suited to my chile-loving New Mexican palate. Today we prepare a traditional North African Tagine with Merguez, Algeria's well-renowned lamb sausage. Typically served with khabz, an Arabic flatbread, we chose the Serbian version, Lepinja, as we move into the Round of Leftovers.
An Australian Chardonnay, such as the Grosset Piccadilly with its generously buttery notes of melon and peach, enhances the complex flavors of the Tagine while taking the edge off the spice.
Algerian Merguez Tagine
If you cannot find Berbere spice blend, you can make your own by grinding equal parts chile, ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice and cardamom. It is a wonderful spice blend to have in the pantry for use in everything from marinades to popcorn.
1 lb Merguez, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 large onions cut into chunks
2 tsp Berbere spice blend
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Pinch of saffron threads
2 Yukon potatoes cut into chunks
2 carrots cut into chunks
1 C vegetable stock
1/2 C white wine
1 cinnamon stick
1 can cooked chickpeas
1/4 C dried apricots
1/4 C dried dates
Oven: 400F.
Sauté the Merguez in oil to brown, then add the onions and cook until golden. Add the spices and simmer until fragrant, ~3 min. Add the vegetables and sauté a few minutes. Add the stock, wine, chickpeas and fruit. Cook 1 hr, adding liquid, water or stock, if necessary.
For Lepinja, see Sunday 6/13 for Serbia v Ghana.

Germany v Ghana
When someone suggested I make a German Chocolate Cake for today's game, I giggled and explained that it would be more representative of Team USA than Team Germany as the recipe originated in 1950's Texas and was named after a certain Englishman of the surname German who happened to create the ever popular supermarket baking chocolate. Though derived from German's Baker's Chocolate Cake, the 's was dropped and many a potluck was graced with its presence. The Black Forest Cake, on the other hand, or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, is purely German, originating in the Black Forest region of Germany known for its sour cherries and the cherry liqueur known as Kirschwasser. I've never prepared a Black Forest Cake as I'm not a fan of the cherry topping, but when the idea of mixing this classic German pastry with a traditional Ghanian dessert came to be, I figured I'd give it a go.
Schwarzwälder Ghanatorte

Prepare the cake:
4 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
1 C sugar, sifted
1 C plain flour
1 T cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp baking soda
Oven: 350F
Grease a 9 in round springform pan. Sift flour, cocoa, cream of tartar and soda. Beat whites and salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks. Beat in yolks one at a time. Fold in dry ingredients gently in batches. Bake for ~35-40 min. Photo: Photobucket Lotsacravings
Bananas Ghana
8 bananas, sliced
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 C orange juice
3 T Apricot Brandy
Blend the sugar and cinnamon. Dip the bananas in the cinnamon sugar until well coated. Place in a casserole and cover with orange juice and brandy. Bake at 350F for 20 min. Top with shredded coconut and sour cream sweetened with brown sugar.
Ganache:
1/2 C dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 C cream
Warm the cream in a saucepan over very low heat then add and melt the chocolate until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Beat until soft and pale.
Crème Chantilly:
2 C cream
3 T sugar
1 1/2 T Apricot Brandy
Beat cream, sugar and kirsch until stiff.
Assembly:
Cut the cake into three layers. Brush each layer with brandy. Then layer alternate rings of ganache and Bananas Ghana. Repeat with the next layer. Place the final cake layer on top and coat the top with ganache. Frost the sides of the cake with Crème Chantilly and pipe rosettes along the rim of the top. Decorate with bananas and chocolate curls.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before!

Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: try A Serbian-Slovenian take on German Käsespätzle, an Algerian twist on the English Ploughman's or Bacon brownie cupcakes from the USA or indulge in a Texas Peach Pie al English mode. Experience an exotic Algerian Tagine served with Serbian flatbreads and satisfy your sweettooth with our unusual Ghanian spin on Germany's Black Forest Cake or Enjoy the ultimate Australian feast by grilling Kangaroo. We topped off Serbian cevap on a bed of Ghanian Jollof rice with our pairing of Slovenian potica with Algerian mint tea and put a taste of Germany in an old English classic with Gurkensalat Tea Sandwiches. As we get deeper into the tournament, it's time to bring out the leftovers, mix & match, and let the fusion menus run wild like a frenzied North Korean defense.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/22: France v S. Africa, Mexico v Uruguay, Greece v Argentina

2010-06-22T11:22:00.001-07:00

Twelve days into the World Cup Food Challenge and we've addressed the cuisine of all 32 competing countries. As we move into the elimination rounds we become more selective in the kitchen as well as on the pitch. The menu for today begin evolving last Thursday during the Mexico v France game. Upon all the jokes regarding French surrender, I thought, wouldn't it be brilliant if I took something ubiquitously French and wrapped it in a tamale? My first thoughts were of foie gras, but a few price checks cut that out from the budget. After briefly considering a simple pâté but dismissing its integration with Mexico, I arrived at the idea of duck confit - a dish I've always wanted to prepare. The famous confit de canard, a salt-cured preparation of duck leg slowly poached in it's own fat, is a source of great pride and joy for the French; ensconcing it in traditional Latin street foods brings the sweet irony of the games into our kitchen.

Also playing today are Uruguay and Argentina, two countries similar in backgrounds and tastes known globally for their elegant baked empanadas. Uruguay, with its unusually heavy Italian influence, brings all the traditional pastas to the table. To represent these countries, and also because its genuinely never a good idea to have too many tamales around, we're including our duck confit in empanadas and ravioli!

A classic confit is prepared with a fattened bird, as for fois gras, using the wings and breasts in addition to the legs. If you are lucky enough to possess a source for a fattened duck or goose and an ample supply of their fat, by all means, you are far luckier than I am! Those of us impoverished and sans fattened ducks shall settle for a few cheaply procured birds from the neighborhood Korean grocer and a quality Spanish olive oil. While the type of fat used greatly effects the flavor, use of any fat accomplishes the essence of confit - slow poaching in fat keeps the flavors and juices from escaping as the gentle heat breaks down the meat into delicate, moist flesh.
You can order a 2 lb bucket of duck fat or even Hudson Valley Duck Leg Confit. As duck fat rendering and confit are such slow processes, this is a great resource in case of duck fat emergencies.
Us Houstonians, blessed with the glorious grocery of Central Market, can purchase duck fat at our local butcher's counter or about $6/lb.
Photo: Flickr cinnachick

France: Confit de Canard
4 duck legs, with thighs
~1 Qt Duck, goose or pork fat or even olive oil
Rub ~1/2 tsp per leg of salt into the flesh and skin of each leg. You can also add an equal amount of fresh herbs to the mixture. We went with a mixture of thyme and rosemary. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
After the legs have been cured, remove excess salt and lay, skin-side-up, on a baking tray. Sear in oven at ~400 F until browned (~15 min). Remove and turn the heat down to 225 F. Cover the legs with fat and roast ~2 hrs until tender. Crisp the legs at 420 F until the skin is golden.
Once the confit has cooked, it is best to let it rest in the refrigerator for a few days before eating in order to allow the flavors to develop. The duck will keep, submerged in fat, for months in the refrigerator. We recommend you revisit your confit weeks down the line and watch its flavors develop. Make sure to save some for the World Cup Finals!
Since we're using the excess fat for our dough, we'll prepare the tamales, empanadas and ravioli immediately and then reserve most of them for a few days before eating. Today, however, is game day, so we're "forced" to try one of each. Such are our terribly challenging lives.

Mexico: Tamales
Masa para tamales is possibly the first thing I ever learned to make. As a toddler, I never thought I would grow up to substitute rendered duck fat for our homemade lard and post it for the world to see. Alas, traditionally we prepare the masa by combining harina, creamed lard, water, a pinch of chile powder and salt by hand until a thick, sticky consistency. All ingredients are added by taste and feel, with a heavy dependence on the exact ingredients used, as homemade lard and brands of harina will vary, and perfection is a simple but glorious art achieved after years of masa making.
1 1/2 C Masa Harina
1/2 C fat
~2/4 C water
~ 1/2 tsp salt
Today we replace the traditional lard with rendered fat from our confit preparation. If your duck has not yielded enough fat, use the extra fat your purchased to prepare the duck. We also leave out the chile powder to let the duck's subtle flavors shine.
To prepare the tamales, spread each husk with ~2 T of masa.
The masa should cover the husk enough to form a cohesive enclosure but not so much that it is thick and dominating. Then spread each tamal with ~1 T of confit.
Fold sides together, sealing with a bit of masa, and fold the ends of the corn husk down to hold them together. You may prefer to tie the ends with strings from the corn husks as folding technique comes with time and many a tamal with ooze out of its husk and drown in a tragic death of dough.
Once assembled, steam the tamales for 40 min. You should have about 2 dozen medium-sized tamales depending on the size of your corn husks.

Argentina: Empanadas
Variations on an empanada take forms of small, large, baked, fried, yeast dough, fatty dough, and on and on through Spain and the countries of its former empire. Argentinean empanadas are baked, rather than fried, in a small, crescent shape. Their dough is heavy and crisped on the outside with the golden sheen of an egg wash.
Prepare the dough:
1 package or 1 T baker's yeast
1 1/2 C water or milk
3 T of remaining fat from confit
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 T sugar
~4 C AP Flour
Oven: 400F
Soak the yeast in 1/2 C warm water (105-115 F).
Bring remaining water or milk to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add fat, salt and sugar. Cool to lukewarm.
Add flour until it forms a cohesive dough. Do not let the dough rise.
Roll out to 1/8 in thick and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. Place ~1 T of confit in center of the round, fold and pinch together, sealing the edges by pinching them between your thumb and forefinger, creating tiny ridges. Let stand for 10 min. then brush with egg wash and bake until golden, ~10 min.
You can make as many confit empanadas as you like, but will have excess dough. You can save the pre-cut rounds of dough in the freezer for months, or simply fill them with any mixture of minced meat.

Uruguay: Ravioli
2 C AP Flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 T olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting
Either by hand or using your mixers dough hook, combine flour and salt, then add eggs one at a time. Drizzle in 1 T oil and incorporate until dough forms a cohesive ball. You should knead for ~10 min before it is smooth. Brush the dough with remaining oil, cover and rest 30 min.
If you have a ravioli press, flour a work surface and roll out the dough until 1/8 in thick, then press into the ravioli cutter. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough and cut each square by hand similar to making the empanadas.
Fill each pillow with confit and fold to seal the ravioli, gently pressing to seal. Dust the ravioli with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Cook in boiling salted water for ~4 min. or until they float to the top.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before! Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: try South African-Mexican Bobotie Tacos and Uruguayan-French Crème Brûlée, Korean ribs with a side of Greek Salad and Nigerian Zobo, or pair Nigerian Suya with Argentinean chimichurri. As we get deeper into the tournament, it's time to bring out the leftovers, mix & match and let the fusion menus run wild like a frenzied North Korean defense.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

Rougié Duck Confit 2 duck legs 575grams (20.3 oz) Rougie

Rendered Duck Fat - 1 gallon

Rougie Duck Fat - Imported from France - pack of 2

Maseca Corn Flour, 4.4 lbs

6/21: Portugal v North Korea, Chile v Switzerland, Spain v Honduras

2010-06-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

We spice up a traditional Portuguese grilled chicken today with gochujang, a thick hot sauce that forms the flavor basis for many Korean dishes.
A deep, red paste, gochujang is made from chili powder, fermented soybeans and other seasonings such as rice, sweet potato or honey. You can find it at your local Korean market or order online. A common dinner in Portugal, this grilled chicken is basically a dish of foul glazed with a spicy sauce. You can use a roasting chicken or even chicken breasts, but we chose to use cornish hens for their rich flavors.

Asado is popular in Chile, where it is usually accompanied by pebre, a spicier equivalent of the Argentinean Chimichurri and represented in today's dish by the Korean gochujang. The dish would go phonomanally well with any number of Chilean Cabs in honor of today's Chile vs. Switzerland game.
To represent Switzerland, chose a wine with the most neutral flavors you can find.

Korean Spiced Frango Piri Piri

1 T sea salt

4 cloves garlic, halved

1 T sweet paprika

2 T finely chopped cilantro or parsley

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 C red wine vinegar

~3/4 C olive oil as needed

1/4 C Korean gochujang

1 roasting chicken or 4 small cornish hens

Use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic with the salt into a paste. Add paprika, parsley and pepper. Drizzle in the vinegar and then add oil to make a mushy, spreadable paste. Stir in the gochujang.

Butterfly the hens and coat generously with seasoning. You will have left over paste to use for basting. Place skin side up on a hot grill and grill, basting generously, for ~15 min. Turn over and repeat. The birds are done when they reach 165 F. Photo: Flickr: kattebelletje

Ample Tres Leches left over from last Wednesday's Honduras vs. Chile match, we're representing Honduras once again today with their most widely known national dessert. To accompany our Tres Leches and honor Spain, we're also poaching a few spicy pears.

Peras al vino

3 pears, pealed and cored

1/2 C sugar

1 cinnamon stick (add more if your sticks are not fresh)

1 C dry Spanish red wine

1 C water

Whisk together the sugar, wine, water and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the pairs. Turn down to low and simmer until pears are soft and have absorbed most of the liquid.

Slice the pairs and arrange atop the Tres Leches for a beautiful plate, or serve a pair whole on the plate with a side of cake.

HEY! We've seen that cuisine before!

Cook the foods of today's competing countries using other recipes: Feijoada from Portugal, Korean BBQ Ribs or Kimchi or Spanish Fondue! As we get deeper into the tournament, it's time to bring out the leftovers, mix and match, and let the fusion menus run wild like a frenzied North Korean defense.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/20: Slovakia v Paraguay, New Zealand v Italy, Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire

2010-06-21T09:39:00.001-07:00

Chances are, you spent the morning in the kitchen filling cupcakes to look like Little Debbie snack cakes because they are your dad's favorite treat and then went fishing in the afternoon. No? Regardless, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY and a legit excuse to miss a day of World Cup Food Challenge cooking unless your father is from one of today's competing countries. Luckily, where I'm from in New Mexico, we make a dish very similar to today's Paraguayan recipe (with the addition of locally grown green chile) and tend to grill a la Brazil on special occasions like Father's Day. If that is not for you, we hope you can incorporate a few of today's select recipes or restaurants into your celebration.

Slovakia v Paraguay

One of only two landlocked countries in S. America, Paraguay is called the "Corazón de América." Bordered by Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia, Paraguay's cuisine reflects this deep cultural fusion and is unusual in South American for its lack of seafood. Milanesas and empanadas from Argentina are popular, as well as guarana sodas from Brazil. Dishes such as sopa paraguay and chipa set Paraguayan cuisine apart. As Paraguayans tend to skip breakfast, snack vendors line the streets selling versions of chipa for "merienda." Usually crescent shaped but nothing like a croissant, chipa is made from cornmeal, yucca and cheese or it can be served filled with shredded beef in the form of chipa so'o.

We plan to make chipa later on in the games but have included a recipe for Sopa Paraguay, the country's most well-known dish, for today. The Sopa is typically served with soups or stews and we felt it would make a hearty pairing with Slovak Goulash.

Sopa Paraguay

1 large onion, chopped

1 C queso fresco

1 C mild cheddar, grated

2 C cornmeal

2 C corn kernels

1 tsp salt

1 C milk

6 eggs, separated

Oven: 400F.
Sauté the onions in oil until golden. Whisk together the cheeses, cornmeal, corn, salt, milk and yolks. Add the onions.

Whip the whites until soft peaks and fold them into the batter.

Pour the batter into a greased 10x13 in pan and bake ~40 min. until set.

Slovak Goulash

1 lb of beef or pork, diced

4 potatoes, diced

1 onion, diced

1 T Hungarian paprika

2 carrots, diced

In a large pot, sauté the onions until golden. Add the paprika and simmer a minute until fragrant. Add the meat and brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots, cover with water and simmer 15 min. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste, cover with water and simmer ~35 min. until potatoes are soft.

Italy v New Zealand

Dessert represents Italy today with a simple yet decadent traditional Zabaglione, a custard that must be mastered as a basic of Italian cooking. We're tossing in New Zealand into the dessert with a kiwi sauce, as Zabaglione is typically accompanied by a coulis or fresh fruits.

If you were an undying fan of our Pavlova and would like to stick with New Zealand for dessert, try the recipe for traditional Anzac biscuits our friend posted over at EmuisEmo.

Kiwi Zabaglione

1 C cream, whipped to stiff peaks and chilled

1/4 C sugar

1/4 C vin santo or marsala

1 T aged balsamic

3 kiwis, peeled and sliced

1 T fresh lime juice

1 T honey

Sprig of fresh mint

Whisk the yolks with sugar, wine and balsamic over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk vigorously until thick and foamy. Remove from heat and whisk until completely cool (an ice bath helps if your arms tire). Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard and chill ~20 min.

While the Zabaglione chills, prepare the sauce by covering the kiwis with juice, honey and mint. To serve, place the kiwis at the bottom of a martini glass and spoon the Zabaglione over them. Photo: www.chefspencil.com

See our recipes from last week's Brazil and Cote d'Ivoire games.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Dining Guide tells you where and why.

6/19: Ghana vs. Australia, Cameroon vs. Denmark, Netherlands v Japan

2010-06-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

Ghana and Cameroon are represented today by leftovers of two national dishes: Jollof rice and Fufu. We're serving these alongside an exciting Australian recipe that took some serious researching to achieve. Yes, we found kangaroo meat. And we're throwing it on the barbie.

Since Kangaroo is an extremely low fat, high protein meat (you've seen how they jump!) it must be cooked carefully to retain some moisture. We soak our kangaroo fillets in oil for a few minutes before searing on a hot cast iron pan. Carefully salted and peppered, we also opted to slightly bread the 'roos so as to further retain moisture and add flavor.

To further develop the essence of Australia, above and beyond eating adorable marsupials, we've included this handy video.

A few recipes that caught my eye, courtesy of the Kangaroo Industry itself:
Carpaccio of Kangaroo with Chutney
500 gm Kangaroo Fillets
200ml Virgin Olive Oil
120ml Red Wine Vinegar
100g Melon Chutney
Chill Kangaroo fillets and slice as thin as possible – place on a chilled plate with the chutney. Drizzle the red wine vinegar and olive oil over the kangaroo slices and serve.
'Roo Mash
250g Kangaroo Back Loin
1 Sweet Potato
1 Potato (large)
3 Baby Onions (roasted in the oven)
200ml Beef Jus (fancy name for beef stock - Ed)
1 tablespoon Bush Tomato Chutney
1 Parsnip
50g Butter
Make a mashed potato with both the sweet potato and normal potato with butter and seasoning. Place beef jus, chutney and baby onions in a pan and reduce until thick. Peel parsnip and shave into thin slices and deep fry. Sear the kangaroo.
Place mashed potato in the middle of a large flat plate. Place the seared kangaroo on mashed potato facing inwards. Pour chutney jus over the kangaroo. Put roasted baby onions around the meat and place parsnip crisps on top to serve.
Wallaby Bolognese
Finely chop 1 onion and 1 apple and fry together until transparent. Add 500gm wallaby mince, salt pepper, pinch of nutmeg (to taste), 400gm tomato puree, 1/2 cup red wine. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve with 1 pkt cooked spaghetti. Serves 6-8.

The Netherlands vs. Japan
It's Saturday, we have a house full of food and we're taking the day off from this game. Do Heineken sake bombs if you dare.

Until tomorrow, happy kangaroo grilling.

Can't fry that sweet kangaroo face and prefer to eat out instead?

Our Houston dining guide tells you where and why.

Week One Review

2010-06-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

A few upsets, a full kitchen and a collection of new global recipes later, we've survived the first week of the 2010 World Cup Food Challenge. We'd like to congratulate everyone taking the Challenge on a great first week and pat ourselves on the back for surviving. In just 7 days we've prepared menus that highlight the national cuisines of over 30 countries! We are only missing Australia and Italy, which, although we did not address them specifically, we touched on through the dishes of their culinary neighbors.

Missed out on all the action? We're recapping the week in World Cup AND World Cup right here with some of the highlights. Make sure to be in on the action next week by following @worldcupfood on Twitter and joining our Facebook page!

Day 1 opens with a bang as France and Uruguay come to a goalless draw after an intense game and South Africa puts up a fight against Mexico...

... and we create what we believe to be the world's first South African margarita and taco.

The opening day party at Paparrucho's is 100% Mexico - Cuervo runs rampant, not a word of English is spoken and free breakfast tacos abound!

Argentina's classic steak accompaniment, Chimichurri, lends such perfect flavor to the Nigerian barbeque Suya, that we think even the Nigerian team would agree to eat it despite their nasty loss to Argentina.

Balkan meatballs taste perfectly at home on a bed of Ghanian Jollof rice.

Left out of the food tournament until today, but never one's to be pushed aside, long-term World Cup runner-ups Germany take their seat as the great white hope of Europe as they give a proper thrashing to the team from down under. Australians responded with a keen, "let's see 'em play ruby, eh, mate?" To that, the Germans punished us all by making this horrible rap video in German about their 4 goals against Australia. Apparently this group is making a "motivational rap" for each of the German games.

Stamppot of Burning Love not only fuses Danish and Dutch cuisine into a single bowl of rich awesomeness, but may also be the best name for any dish EVER. It's also likely the best thing since sliced Gouda to come out of either of these countries (yes, I know the 'best restaurant in the world' is in Denmark but its hardly representative of popular home cooking).

Meanwhile, our side of Cameroonian Couscous took to a side of wasabi far better than the team took to the field with Japan.

Creating our World Cup Radio station on Pandora has introduced us to some cool new artists, a few songs that have eternally wounded our ears, and has mainly just served to produce the most bizarre assembly of music ever played within a single hour.

North Korea surprised the world with a solid fight against favorites, Brazil, but ultimately, North Korea's Pyongyang style kimchi fell to the side of robust Brazilian favorite, Feijoada. Still, their single goal against powerhouse Brazil is sure to be one of this year's most memorable Cup moments.

An uneventful game between the Kiwis and Slovakia didn't stop us from creating an eventful dessert in the whimsically named, Dances with Bublanina.

Nearly a week into the Tournament and mostly draws to show for it, Spain manages to make people across the world tear their eyes out with rusty spoons as they suffer through the most unexpected loss to Switzerland. Possibly no longer the favorites, they're still our team and we're counting on Spain to come back. We drown our sorrows in a pot of cheese as Spanish fondue and wash it down with a Chilean Carmenere. Disregarding the loss, we persisted in posting a guide to Spanish regional cuisine. How the Swiss managed to score against Casillas will continue to baffle us.

As expected, Honduras takes back stage to the strong Chilean team, though the 0:1 score is better than some may have hoped for. Their version of Tres Leches Cake, however, proves to be one of the real winners of the week.

Through blogging efforts throughout the week, with some help from Twitter, we discovered a few friends taking the World Cup Food Challenge alongside us in places from Arizona to England. We also noted that the American FoodNetwork does not appear to have noticed the World Cup is actually going on right now.

Despite the 4:1 thrashing that played out on the field, Argentinean Malbec turned out to be the perfect pairing with the spicy Korean short rib recipe we discovered at cleverly named MyEpikorean.com, our new go-to source for all things Korean cooking.

A week into the Tournament, anyone not upset over Spain's loss got their kick in the pants when Serbia, winning their first game against this rival since 1962, took down Germany 1:0. After losing to Ghana, no one expected Serbia to come back against Germany. Over at World Cup Food Challenge, we were expecting Serbian cevap to come back strong as we determined what to do with the leftover meatballs. Those that gasped at Serbia's dominance on the field would still appreciate the Balkan flavors intertwined with German Spatzle.

Leaving the knock-out rounds for Group C up in the air as we round out week one, England and Algeria came to a draw. In that case, English fans may not appreciate our Algerian take on their classic Ploughman's lunch.

After leading the game by 2 goals throughout the first half, Slovenia tied it with USA but in our kitchens, exclusive of faulty refereeing, excluded Slovenia from the most American of all desserts: bacon brownie cupcakes. You won't have to wait until the 85th minute for the USA to score with this dessert!

6/18: Germany v Serbia, Slovenia v USA, England v Algeria

2010-06-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Only one week into the World Cup Food Challenge and the kitchens are filled to the brim! After today, each team in the tournament will have played at least once and we can officially begin to use leftovers. Today's menu uses leftover ćevapčići from the weekend's Serbia v Ghana game, incorporating the Balkan meatballs into a traditional Käsespätzle, the German take on mac 'n cheese. To accompany our Serbian/Slovenian German Mac 'n Cheese, we felt it'd be best to stick with something a bit light. Trying to find light and flavorful British fare, however, proved to be one of the toughest tasks of our endeavor; blending that British dish with Algerian flavor, even more so. We settled on an unlikely dish: An Algerian Ploughman's. Our take on the classic English Ploughman's spices up the working man's lunch box considerably.

To make life easier on us since it is Friday and all, ćevapčići also happen to be one of the national dishes of Slovenia.

Serbian-Slovenian Käsespätzle

2 C AP Flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/2 C milk
4 T Butter
2 C shredded Emmantaler
1 onion
Leftover Serbian ćevapčići

Prepare the Spaetzle: Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together eggs and milk. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients and knead until smooth. Preheat oven to 350 F. Boil a large pot of salted water. Next you will have to cut pieces of the dough into the water - either using a spaetzle press, potato masher or even a cheese grater with large wholes. The dough is quite sticky though, so make sure to flour your chosen tool. Once the dough floats to the top, it is done.
Assemble the dish: Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a casserole dish. Toss with butter, cheese, and cevapici. Bake 15 min. or until cheese is melted. While baking, fry the onions until dark gold. Top Spaetzle with onions to serve.

Algeria vs. England

The Ploughman's is a cold meal composed of a slab of cheese, a pickle (actually what Americans would call relish or chutney), crusty bread, a salad and a beer. Algerians, particularly fond of salads and possessing a passionate affinity for fennel, provided an easy recipe to add a burst of bright, crisp flavors to our Ploughman's. I got lost exploring Algerian cuisine through the site of Chef Zadi, a French born Algerian who is literally writing the book on Algerian cuisine, lending French technique to the cause. A complex interplay of European and Arab influences with unusually French styles, Algerian cooking is fascinating and we'll be sure to visit it again next week.
Harissa is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking but can also be purchased in Middle Eastern stores. Typically made from piri piri and Tunisian hot red peppers, the flavors are not unlike those of New Mexican and Guajillo peppers that may be easier to find state-side, depending on your access to a Middle Eastern grocer. Houstonians can find a variety of harissas at Phoenicia.

For the salad:

1 fennel, the bulb sliced and remainder shredded

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 blood orange

Olive oil, preferably Algerian

Cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice from one end. Whisk the juice with a splash of oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the fennel and endive with the orange dressing and let sit in the fridge for at least one hour. The juices will start to cook the onion. To serve, cut the remaining half of the orange into wedges and arrange atop the salad.

The "Pickle" (relish or chutney): Harissa

10-12 dried red chili peppers (add a red bell pepper for less spice)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes, drain and remove stems and seeds (keep a bit of seed if you like things really spicy). Combine in a food processor with remaining spices. Add olive oil until the sauce is a nice, smooth consistency and salt and pepper to taste. It will keep for at least a month in the refrigerator.

The Crusty Bread: Algerian Bouzgene Berber bread
1 lb semolina

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 tbsp. olive oil

olive oil for frying

Coarsely mix the semolina, salt and 2 T oil, then gradually add water - kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. Shape the dough into four balls and roll each ball into a flat round ~1/4 in. thick. Fry each round until dark spots appear, then flip and repeat. You can also bake the pita at 375F until it stops puffing.

The Beer: Never one to recommend an English beer, my plan is to honor Germany here with a rich, malty Dunkel like the Flensburger.

USA vs. Slovenia

Slovenia addressed earlier in the menu, we could have left out the USA on this one but were inspired by this trio of three beloved American dishes - bacon, brownies and cupcakes. Crossing over two quintessential American desserts, we bake our brownie dough in cupcake pans. This allows us to make a spectacularly fudge-like dough but still achieve the crisp of a more cake-like brownie.

Bacon Brownie Cupcakes
4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 oz sweetened chocolate

8 T butter

1/2 C sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 C AP Flour

2 T cocoa (not Dutch-processed)

4 strips bacon

Oven: 350F.
Grease a standard muffin pan (we like jumbo but not mini, they'll get to crispy).

Fry the bacon, remove and pat dry. The bacon should be crispy but without char- any chunks of fat that are still white should be discarded. Melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter in a double broiler. Cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour and cocoa together, then combine with the chocolate. Stir in the pieces of bacon and chocolate. Bake ~30 min., making sure to allow brownie cupcakes to cool before removing.
Note: I use El Rey chocolate whenever possible.Whatever you use, remember that the end result will greatly reflect the quality of the chocolate. The same applies to the bacon. Artisan dry-cured bacon takes these brownies to new levels. Houstonians can purchase Grateful Bread bacon at local farmer's markets.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Houston Dining Guide tells you where and why.

Thursday 6/17: Argentina v Korea, Greece v Nigeria and a break from dessert

2010-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

Since I am, to say the least, unfamiliar with Korean cooking, we've taken today's dish from an awesome and cleverly named blog: MyEpikorean. Epikorean! How can you not love that? Even better, their recipe for Korean short ribs goes smashingly well with the deep, intense flavors of Argentina's national wine.

You may also notice today's menu is a bit short. You can thank Spain for that. Upset about the loss, we drank away our sorrows yesterday.

We've opted to skip out on the sweets today and finish our dinner with something healthy. Our kitchen is already filled beyond capacity with desserts, which I've begin to actually ship off to friends at this point (want some pie, pavlova, povitca, tres leches? come on over!)

Argentina vs. Korea: Korean Short Ribs and Argentinean Malbec

Kalbi Jim (Korean Short Ribs)

3 lbs short beef ribs, thickly cut

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

6 T soy sauce

1 C Pineapple juice

1 C rice wine

1/4 C Maesli Ju, Green Plum Wine or Grand Marnier

1/2 C water

1 T fresh ginger, minced

1 T sesame seeds

2 Korean sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

10 ginko nuts, shelled

2 T sil kochu red pepper pieces

Score and butterfly the ribs. Toss all ingredients into a large pot, clay if you have one. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the nuts and simmer for another 20 min. Remove the lid and turn the heat up to high, cooking for another 20 min. while stirring frequently, until meat is shiny and liquids reduced. If you prepare this overnight, you can scrape the congealed fat off the top once it cools.

Recipe adapted from original by MyEpikorean.com.

Greece v Nigeria: The Real Greek Salad and a Nigerian Zobo drink

Nigerian Zobo is a tea or soda made from roselle, an old world species of Hibiscus native to Africa. The dried flowers for Zobo can be found at every market as can the sugary tea, but those of us outside Africa will make do with the Western version of dried hibiscus, commonly found at Mexican markets and labeled as "para Jamaica" - the Mexican version of Zobo. Luckily, I have some authentic roselle tea flowers that my friend brought me back on a recent trip to Thailand.

Zobo

2 C dried hibiscus flowers

a few sprigs of fresh mint

1 C of sugar

1 C fresh squeezed orange juice

5 C water

Bring water to boil in a large pot. As soon as it reaches a boil, take the pot off of the heat, add the dried hibiscus and mint sprigs and cover. Let steep for at least one hour, then strain, pressing liquid out of the flowers. Stir in the sugar and juice.

Stir in 4 C cold water to drink as a tea or top with a splash of ginger ale to serve as a soda.

If you prefer salad in the more American style, before your meal, then go ahead and have this first. However, by no means are you allowed to put lettuce in it. It's not the "Greek-American" team that is playing today, it's the Greek national team, so do them the honor of making their amazing national dish the right way - not lettuce, no weird sweet creamy dressings.

The Real Greek Salad

4 large, ripe tomatoes (in season now!)

1 red onion

1 cucumber

1/4 lb fresh Greek feta

1 clove garlic

1 lemon

Greek oregano

Greek olive oil

Greek olives

Simply chop the tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Whisk the a couple of tablespoons olive oil together with the garlic, a splash of lemon juice and oregano together. Then toss with the salad, adding more oil and lemon to taste. Top with feta and olives.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Houston Dining Guide tells you where and why.

World Cup Food Around the World!

2010-06-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Around the world, as global citizens step up to take the World Cup Food Challenge, food magazines, websites, blogs and cooking channels alike are cooking up World Cup cuisine.

Taking the World Cup Food Challenge alongside us are the Emu Is Emo blog and the folks at Foodspotting. +1 to Foodspotting for offering prizes for participants but -10 for allowing them to cheat with foods like Shrimp Cocktail for Denmark and a New England Seafood Stew for Ghana. We expect a little more research could have revealed all authentic dishes in San Francisco as we did in Houston.

We'd like to congratulate Eilonwy at Emo for being the only other participant creating inspired fusion dishes daily (same as our concept), and even better, providing a diverse soundtrack and wit to go with it. Our favorite thus far is her recipe for Nigerian "Scam-Free" Empanadas.
Equally impressive and fun to follow are the folks over at Cooking vs. Sports, who, in addition to taking the World Cup Food Challenge, also regularly blog about pairing foods with various sporting events. Their Flikr photo stream provides serious eye candy that is sure to work up your appetite.

Several sites have specific dishes from each country pitted up against one another in cutthroat group matches.
The Good Food Channel
Japan is currently winning the largest percent of the vote, represented by Tempura. However, keep in mind, some of the dishes chosen make utterly no sense. Italian Tiramisu vs. Paraguayan Corn Bread? That's as about as fair a match as Saudi Arabia vs. Germany in a really futbol match. Still, the voting is all done by visitors to the site, so if your team isn't winning, you can at least vote for their food!

SecondHelping

Over at this Australian blog each national dish is paired with its respective beer and then pitted against one another. The only problem? The blogger, of apparent Fosters lineage, has horrible taste in beer.

World Cup Food & Drink The folks at this Wordpress blog are cooking up some tasty dishes daily inspired by the day's games.

All competition aside, some focus simply recipes from competing countries and educating the interwebs about varied global cuisines.

Food Network UK

In the World Cup Experience Section, you'll find several countries highlighted each week with informative articles on culture and cuisine and at least a dozen recipes. Picks for the week include South Africa, France and Mexico, with their guide to South African cuisine boasting a tantalizing recipe for Pumpkin Lamb Bobotie that makes me want to rush out and make bobotie tacos again, this time with pumpkin. You have to admit though, our Bobotie was far better looking.

Food Network US, on the other hand, does not appear to have noticed that the World Cup is even going on it all and has devoted their homepage to the likely subjects of reality shows and 50 burgers (because THAT has never been done before).
We even discovered a World Cup Food Challenge from the 2006 tournament, which included many delicious countries that didn't make this years cut such as Ecuador, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. World Cup & Plate is fun to peruse, although recipes are not provided. They also include fun beverage pairings.

¡Viva España!

2010-06-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

So today's game didn't quite turn out the way I'd hoped or expected. No I'm not changing the menu to Swiss Paella either. To honor the team, I'm posting a write-up on Spanish cuisine, an area where Team Spain is always sure to win!

Photo: JustFoodNow.Com

Spain - Ravenously Regional

The folks at JustFoodNow published this great introduction to the regional cuisines of Spain. Their article begins with this mouthwatering picture of croquettas along with a spot on recipe. Should Spain make it to the final we'll be sure to include croquettas in our menu.

They continue on to highlight the olives of Andalusia, their groves the legacy of centuries of Arabic rule.

Other foods discussed include Fabada Asturiana, Basque sheep cheeses, Cantabrian flan, Castillan Manchego, Crema Catalana, Galician seafood, and of course, Jamón Ibérico from Extramadura.

They've also posted a recipe for the classic Spanish cure for a hangover, Chocolate con Churros, something I suspect many of us may be needing in the coming weeks.

6/16: Honduras v Chile, Spain v Switzerland, S. Africa v Uruguay

2010-06-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about today's meal since this project was barely a dirty thought in the back of my mind. When I looked at the schedule and saw Spain playing Switzerland, I was elated. Finally, an excuse to make Manchego fondue, a dish I have not eaten in nearly a year. Richly satisfying, my Spanish fondue is not a dish I would recommend other countries start competing with. Luckily, Chilean cuisine, save for the addition of a few very latin dishes and fruits, is nearly identical to traditional Spanish cooking. Not wanting to leave Chile out, I'm making the sacrifice and pairing the fondue with a Chilean Carménère, the grape for which Chile's wine regions are most renowned. It also happens to be one of my favorite wines, though overshadowed by Rioja but hey, I'm giving Spain the cheese AND the meat here. A medium bodied wine, the Carménère will compliment rather than do battle with the complex flavors of the manchego and chorizo, but its smokey and spicy notes will be sure to bring something to the table.

If I will indeed by celebrating the Spanish win that I expect, this may just be the best meal EVER!

Spanish Fondue

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 C dry Spanish white wine

1.5 lb Manchego, grated
1 T cornstarch
2 tsp Pimentón (Spanish Paprika)
2 T dry sherry (optional)
Sauté garlic for ~1 min in oil.

Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add cornstarch and season with Pimentón, salt and pepper to taste.Transfer to a fondue pot and add a splash of sherry just before serving. Fondue dippers are up to you, but I'll be going with the following: pain de compagne, roasted garlic and of courses, slices of Spanish dry-cured chorizo. Serve with Chilean Carménère such as Montes Alpha.

For dessert, Honduras

Although hesitant to include this ubiquitous Latin dessert, I concluded one more authentic, quality Tres Leches recipe on a global network swarming with the culinary equivalent of blasphemy wouldn't be such a bad idea. Since the dessert did originate in Nicaragua it makes sense to feature it here, represented by it's northern neighbor. Characterized by ample use of coconut and renowned for its rum, Honduran Tres Leches puts a complex and flavorful spin on the Mexican version that is most widely known throughout the States.

The "Real" Tres Leches Cake
Prepare the cake:
1 C AP Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs
1 C sugar
3 tsps real Mexican vanilla
1/3 C milk
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs. Beat the yolks, gradually adding 3/4 C sugar until pale and frothy. Stir in milk and vanilla. and gently combine with flour mixture. Beat whites until soft peaks, then slowly add the remaining 1/4 C sugar until stiff peaks (French meringue, do not over beat!) Fold the whites gently into the rest of the batter. Pour into prepared pan and tap to even the surface. Bake ~30 min until set.
Prepare the leche:
5 oz evaporated milk (1 can)
12 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
1/4 C good quality coconut milk (not sweetened)
1/4 C heavy cream
Good dark rum such as Flor de Caña to taste ~4 T
Mexican vanilla to taste ~1 T
Whisk together all of the above ingredients.
I also used a splash of this Coconut Chocolate liquor a friend recently brought me from the BVIs.
Assemble the cake:
Pierce the surface of the cooled cake with a fork and pour the leche over the cake, allowing it to absorb the liquid. You may have to wait up to 30 min for the cake to take all of the liquid. If it sits overnight in the fridge, even better!
Prepare the topping:
Although the whipped cream topping is tasty, I encourage you to try a meringue at least once for both texture and aesthetic. I recommend using an Italian meringue here since the stability is helpful in serving the cake.

Meringue Topping
2 large egg whites
2/3 C sugar
1/4 C water
A pinch of cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla/rum or a splash of both
Boil the water and sugar together until it reaches soft ball stage, 235-240 F. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, add vanilla/rum. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly. Beat until the bowl is cool and the meringue is glossy. Spread or pipe in a design onto the cool cake.
I like to run a torch over the meringue for a few seconds to give it nice golden peaks. Decorate with slices of mango, or as in our case,flambéed bananas.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Houston dining guide tells you where and why.

6/15: New Zealand v Slovakia, Cote d'Ivorie v Portugal, N. Korea v Brazil

2010-06-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Dilemmas, dilemmas. After searching endlessly for a Pavlova in a Houston restaurant to represent New Zealand in our World Cup Dining Guide, I realized that most people don't actually know what a Pavlova is! This gorgeous meringue and whipped cream fruit tower named after the famed Russian ballerina has somehow fallen off our culinary radar. I've been looking forward to making it ever since.

Unfortunately, New Zealand is playing on the same day as Portugal, my favorite country for baked goods. What to do? Create a menu of just desserts?

Even better, Portugal and Brazil playing on the same day provides a unique opportunity to address two national cuisines in a single dish!

It's also quite handy that modern Portuguese cuisine is heavily influenced by the cultures of its former African colonies and vice versa, so the Ivory Coast and Portugal compliment each other well. Feijoada, a stew of beans and pork is a typical Portuguese dish, although far more well-renowned is the Brazilian version where the Fava beans are replaced with black ones. Here we combine the traditional Feijoadas of Portugal and Brazil with the quintessential Ivoirian snack of fried plantains.

Comprised of over 60 unique ethnic groups, the Ivory Coast has varying regional cuisines, but is united by common cash crops that are remnants French rule. A the leading producer of cocoa and third largest producer of coffee, you may wonder why I did not choose an Ivoirian dish based on these staples. I never buy cacao or coffee from West Africa, which has not only destroyed much of the region's rainforest but employs one of the largest child and slave labor forces in the world. So here's my plug: buy fair trade cacao and coffee! Although it would have been ironic if we'd paired Ivoirian slave cacao with North Korean flavors. But no irony can justify the horrendous flavor profile of such a dish!

Instead, the pungent sweetness of the plantains should compliment North Korean kimchi, as it is known to be of a softer, less garlicky flavor than its southern counterpart. North Korean cuisine is known for its cleaner, milder tastes. Kimchi, the most well-known of all Korean foods, is a pickled vegatable dish served as a banchan (side dish) in countless variations in nearly every Korean meal. It will serve us well here since we can spice up the same kimchi later and call it South Korean. Never fear, the only thing totalitarian about this dish is that it's totally tasty :)

Feijoada with kimchi-plantain banchan

Feijoada

1/2 lb dried fava or great northern beans, soaked overnight and drained

1/2 lb black beans, soaked overnight and drained

1/2 lb bacon

1/2 lb carne seca (spicy dried beef)

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

Bay leaf

3/4 lb chourico/linguica, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 dried red chili

Chicken stock/broth

In a large pot, cook bacon until it starts to crisp. Add chourico and cook until lightly browned. Add onions and cook until golden, then add bay leaf, garlic and chili. Add remaining ingredients, adding the broth gradually to desired texture. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and chili.

Photo: 1.bp.blogspot.com

Banchan: Pyongyang style kimchi; fried plantains

As kimchi must pickle over the course of a few days, we're picking ours up at the local Korean grocery. However, I've posted a recipe so as to explain what is involved in making kimchi at home.

1/4 C coarse sea salt

1 head Napa cabbage, cut into small wedges

3 cloves garlic

1 in piece of ginger root

2 T Asian Fish Sauce

1 Asian radish, peeled and grated

1 small bunch green onions cut into 1-in pieces

1 T Korean chili powder

Dissolve the salt in a 1/2 gal container. Mince the garlic and ginger or combine in food processor with the fish sauce (once again, I call on my immersion blender). Combine the radish, onions and garlic mixture in a bowl with the chili powder. After squeezing and patting as much water as possible out of the cabbage, stuff the leaves with the radish mixture and stuff into the brine. Let sit for 2 to 3 days.

To prepare the fried plantains, simply slice two ripe (blackened) plantains and fry ~3 min until golden. Ivoirian plantains are typically fried in palm oil since olive oil is too expensive, which you are welcome to try, but I would not recommend it for health or flavor reasons. Toss the plantains with kimchi and serve in the closest thing you can find to a cute little banchan dish.

New Zealand vs. Slovakia

The Pavlova is said to have originated in the 1920's during one of the dancer's visits to New Zealand. More than just a meringue, the Pavlova is low baked, leaving a soft inner texture and traditional decoration with exotic fruits such as passionfruit and kiwi. In honor of its origins, we've decided to go with kiwis.

In order to create a Slovak element to our Pavlova, we've served it atop a traditional Slovakian pastry colorfully named "Bubbly cake." Slovakia seems to have taken the spicier, tastier end of the Czech republic split in the culinary department and offers some tantalizing dishes. I hope to revisit the Country later on in the tournament. Their desserts are typically built around some sort of pancake or coffee cake and topped with a fruit sauce such as blueberries. The name, "Bublanina" dervies from its bubbling batter during baking. Yes, Bublanina's batter bubbles during baking - say it three times fast! We've adapted the recipe to include less sugar so as to better compliment the Pavlova topping and left the blueberry sauce for final serving atop the meringue. Also, TX blueberries are in season.

Dances with Bublanina

Prepare the Bublanina:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs divided, at room temperature

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (optional)

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cream of tartar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and stemmed

Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Butter or lightly coat with cooking spray a 9-inch-by-9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, sugar and yolks until light and fluffy. Add liqueur, if using, orange zest and salt, mixing well. In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Alternately fold in egg whites and flour into butter-egg mixture. Turn batter into prepared pan and scatter blueberries evenly over top. Press down into batter with a spatula. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut into 6 equal pieces.

Prepare the Pavlova:
4 egg whites at room temperature

1 C of Castor sugar

1 tsp white vinegar

1/2 T cornstarch

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C cream

Fresh kiwis, sliced

1 T fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 275F. Line a baking tray with foil and draw a 7 inch circle on the foil (don't tear the foil). Set aside.

In a clean, medium-sized metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until the whites form soft peaks. Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites, until your egg whites form glossy stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add the vanilla and gently fold the mixture again.

Now gently spread the meringue in the circle on the foil to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center so you have a very slight well in the middle.

Bake the meringue ~1:15 or until it goes a very pale, pinkish color.

Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.

Blueberry Sauce

1 pints fresh blueberries, washed and stemmed

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 T sugar

Reduce berries in a saucepan until sauce is desired consistency.

To assemble the Dances with Bublanina:

Arrange the Bublanina on a cake plate and top with the meringue.

Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks and gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula. Arrange kiwis on top and drizzle blueberry sauce to serve.

Prefer to eat out instead? Our Houston Dining Guide tells you where and why.