7/11: Uruguay v Germany

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.