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.
World Cup Food Challenge
Showing posts with label Uruguay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Uruguay. Show all posts
July 13, 2010
July 6, 2010
7/6: Uruguay v Netherlands
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
June 28, 2010
Elimination Round
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.
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.
June 22, 2010
6/22: France v S. Africa, Mexico v Uruguay, Greece v Argentina
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.
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.
June 12, 2010
2010 First Meal!
Mise en place for Dulce de Leche Crème Brulée
Scalded dulce de leche cream, tempered sugar and egg yolks...best things ever.
The bobotie is ready to be baked!
Onto the ginger beer...creating a gingered sugar cane syrup with panela.
Dusting the rims of the glasses with gingered sugar cane.
Bobotie is ready and smells delicious!
Salud y buen provecho!
South Africa vs. Mexico - Bobotie tacos!
And at last, dessert:
June 10, 2010
6/11: South Africa v Mexico, Uruguay v France
Known as the "rainbow nation," South African cuisine incorporates the cultures of indigenous peoples, India, Britain, Malaysia, and various other former Dutch and Portuguese colonies through the East Indies. The most widely known style of South African cooking is "Cape Dutch," a remnant of the prominence of the Dutch East India Company that brought the flavors of Bengal, Java and Malysia in the form of curries, sambals and allspice to the African continent.
While there are many intricate South African dishes that would intimidate any average American cook, preperations of pigs head come to mind, we've decided to include one of the best loved but most broadly palatable national dishes, bobotie: baked spiced meat and egg.
Our menu serves bobotie in the traditional manner, with a side of rice. However, we're spicing things up by preparing a Mexican rice instead of the plain yellow rice and placing the bobotie in fresh tortillas for an extra Mexican touch.
To begin our multi-continent meal, we've chosen a cocktail that marries the flavors of South Africa and Mexico in one easy recipe that only a Nazi wouldn't love.
For the finish, we've blended two of the most widely known flavors of France and Uruguay easily into a simple, single dessert.
Buen provecho y bon appétit!
Afrikaan Margaritas
1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 oz simple syrup
Ginger beer
Shake tequila, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice and pour into ice filled glasses about half way, then top with ginger beer. Known as gemmerbier in Afrikaans, ginger beer is fairly easy to make at home with some patience or you can find it in specialty food stores. South African ginger beer is stronger than most American brands so we recommend their popular import, Stoney. We'll be making ours at home with some ginger syrup and my home carbonator
.
Bobotie
1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 T curry powder
1 T Spanish paprika (not traditional but we threw it in at the end for added flavor)
1 lb ground beef or lamb (we're using lamb)
1/4 C slivered almonds, toasted
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 C milk
1 T mango chutney or apricot preserves
1/4 C raisins or dried apricots
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 bay leaves
Oven: 325F
Sauté onions and ginger in oil until golden, season with salt & pepper. Add turmeric and curry powder and simmer ~1 min until fragrant. Add the meat and cook until nicely browned, then stir in the almonds and cook for ~2 min.
While the onion mixture is cooking, tear the bread into medium-sized pieces and cover with 1/4 C milk and a pinch of salt. Once the milk is absorbed add it to the meat and cook for a few minutes more. Stir in the chutney and lemon juice. Spoon into a shallow baking dish.
Whisk eggs, nutmeg, zest and remaining milk, then pour over meat. Press bay leaves into dish and bake until center is set, ~35 min. Let stand for ~15 min.
Arroz a la Mexicana
1 C white rice
1 C chicken broth diluted with 1 C water
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 C chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch Mexican chile powder (I use homemade New Mexican powder from my family farm)
Handful of cilantro
Brown the rice in a saucepan of hot oil, then add the remaining ingredients to the pan, breaking up the chunks of tomato. Cover the rice mixture and allow to cook for ~15 min. Once the rice has absorbed the moisture and is nice and fluffy, add your desired chile powder to taste. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Dulce de Leche Crème Brûlée
2 C cream
3 T Dulce de leche
1/2 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
Oven: 325°F
Place six ramekins in a water bath. Whisk eggs and sugar until pale, then slowly pour the hot cream into the yolks, whisking thoroughly. Pour custards into ramekins and bake ~35 min. until set. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.
To serve, sprinkle ~2 tsp sugar evenly over each custard and heat with a kitchen torch until a burnt curst forms atop each custard.
*Note: Great brands of Dulce de Leche
abound and now, after Central Market's Argentina festival, us Houstonians don't have to look hard to find them. If you don't have access to dulce de leche, its simple and easy to make your own by boiling a can of condensed milk in a saucepan for a few hours (make sure to remove the label first!).
While there are many intricate South African dishes that would intimidate any average American cook, preperations of pigs head come to mind, we've decided to include one of the best loved but most broadly palatable national dishes, bobotie: baked spiced meat and egg.
Our menu serves bobotie in the traditional manner, with a side of rice. However, we're spicing things up by preparing a Mexican rice instead of the plain yellow rice and placing the bobotie in fresh tortillas for an extra Mexican touch.
To begin our multi-continent meal, we've chosen a cocktail that marries the flavors of South Africa and Mexico in one easy recipe that only a Nazi wouldn't love.
For the finish, we've blended two of the most widely known flavors of France and Uruguay easily into a simple, single dessert.
Buen provecho y bon appétit!
Afrikaan Margaritas 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 oz simple syrup
Ginger beer
Shake tequila, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice and pour into ice filled glasses about half way, then top with ginger beer. Known as gemmerbier in Afrikaans, ginger beer is fairly easy to make at home with some patience or you can find it in specialty food stores. South African ginger beer is stronger than most American brands so we recommend their popular import, Stoney. We'll be making ours at home with some ginger syrup and my home carbonator
.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 T curry powder
1 T Spanish paprika (not traditional but we threw it in at the end for added flavor)
1 lb ground beef or lamb (we're using lamb)
1/4 C slivered almonds, toasted
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 C milk
1 T mango chutney or apricot preserves
1/4 C raisins or dried apricots
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 bay leaves
Oven: 325F
Sauté onions and ginger in oil until golden, season with salt & pepper. Add turmeric and curry powder and simmer ~1 min until fragrant. Add the meat and cook until nicely browned, then stir in the almonds and cook for ~2 min.
While the onion mixture is cooking, tear the bread into medium-sized pieces and cover with 1/4 C milk and a pinch of salt. Once the milk is absorbed add it to the meat and cook for a few minutes more. Stir in the chutney and lemon juice. Spoon into a shallow baking dish.
Whisk eggs, nutmeg, zest and remaining milk, then pour over meat. Press bay leaves into dish and bake until center is set, ~35 min. Let stand for ~15 min.
Arroz a la Mexicana
1 C white rice
1 C chicken broth diluted with 1 C water
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 C chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch Mexican chile powder (I use homemade New Mexican powder from my family farm)
Handful of cilantro
Brown the rice in a saucepan of hot oil, then add the remaining ingredients to the pan, breaking up the chunks of tomato. Cover the rice mixture and allow to cook for ~15 min. Once the rice has absorbed the moisture and is nice and fluffy, add your desired chile powder to taste. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Dulce de Leche Crème Brûlée2 C cream
3 T Dulce de leche
1/2 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
Oven: 325°F
Place six ramekins in a water bath. Whisk eggs and sugar until pale, then slowly pour the hot cream into the yolks, whisking thoroughly. Pour custards into ramekins and bake ~35 min. until set. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.
To serve, sprinkle ~2 tsp sugar evenly over each custard and heat with a kitchen torch until a burnt curst forms atop each custard.
*Note: Great brands of Dulce de Leche
abound and now, after Central Market's Argentina festival, us Houstonians don't have to look hard to find them. If you don't have access to dulce de leche, its simple and easy to make your own by boiling a can of condensed milk in a saucepan for a few hours (make sure to remove the label first!).
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