The golden plate

Following the 2014 World Cup, one dish at a time.

[thegoldenplate]

JULY 13 - WORLD CUP DAY 25 - ARGENTINA VS GERMANY - THE FINAL

ARGENTINA: Alfajores (Cookies with dulce de leche)

What a bittersweet ending for Argentina.

Tough break guys.

But second place is still pretty sweet.

And worse comes to worse, you have officially the best dessert of the whole tournament. 

I know, cookies seem pretty uninspiring, but these are something else. Like the lightest shortbread ever made, the biscuit just melts away in your mouth. The creamy heavenly caramel of the dulce de leche just brings it to the next level, officially clinching The Golden (dessert) Plate for Argentina. Well done Argentina, well done.

RECIPE

Prep time: 35 minutes. Rest time: 30 mins. Cook time: 10 mins 

Makes around 20 sandwich cookies

(Dulce de leche will add around 1 hr to cooking time)

INGREDIENTS

For the alfajores:

110g of cornstarch

45g of flour (a soft flour is best if available, like cake flour)

120g unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cognac/brandy (optional)

40g caster sugar

1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

For the dulce de leche:

1 can of condensed milk (400 g)

METHOD

Dulce de leche:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a small glass baking dish or pie plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Place dish in a larger baking dish and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the smaller dish. Transfer to oven and cook until condensed milk has become deep golden brown, about 1 hour.

Remove from oven and whisk dulce de leche while still hot.

Alfajores:

Preheat oven to 160ºC

Cream the sugar and the butter using a stand mixer or hand mixer

Add a pinch of salt and sugar

Add the vanilla extract and cognac

In a separate bowl, sift together the cornstarch, flour and baking powder. Mix into the creamed sugar and butter mixture. Rest in the fridge for at least half an hour, for the flour to hydrate and butter to harden

Flour your rolling pin and surface. Roll the dough to 4-5 mm thickness. Cut rounds with a cookie cutter or glass

Bake for 9-10 mins

Spread dulce de leche on one cookie, cover with a second and enjoy!

Original recipes from Test 4 the Best (Alfajores) and Serious Eats (Dulce de leche)

[thegoldenplate]

JULY 13 - WORLD CUP DAY 25 - GERMANY VS ARGENTINA - THE FINAL

GERMANY: Beef Rouladen with Rotkohl and Dampfkartoffeln (Rolled beef with red cabbage and boiled potatoes) 

What a finale. 

And so it is only fitting that we conclude this journey with a whopper of a meal - German Beef Rouladen It's a pretty epic dish - thin beef steaks wrapped around bacon, pickles, onions and mustard. It's as if a few decades ago some German grandmother took the ingredients of a sandwich and thought - who needs bread when you've got steak?

This old German granny (as I imagine) was pretty on it. Because this dish is so delicious and flavorful. Perfect for a standard Sunday evening, especially one with the most important match of the tournament.

And as I write, Germany is one point ahead, looking like they're about to seal the deal. But who knows, there's a few minutes left to go... and I've got a second dish for the night - Argentinian Alfajores (cookies with dulce de leche). Maybe a last minute goal to bring us into the penalties?

RECIPE

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 1.5 hours 

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the beef rouladen:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

8 slices beef top round steak, (1/4 inch thick and about 2 pounds)

Salt and pepper to taste

8 bacon strips

1 large onion, cut into thin wedges

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 cups beef broth

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

For the red cabbage:

1 red cabbage, cored and shredded

1 small yellow onion, finely sliced

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 medium tart apples (Golden Delicious, Fuji, Braeburn, etc), cored and sliced

1 cup unfiltered apple juice (to just cover the cabbage)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or more to taste)

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of caraway seeds

2 cloves

For the potatoes:

6 to 8 medium red-skinned potatoes or yukon gold

1 tsp  salt

water to cover potatoes

butter

parsley

METHOD

Beef

Lightly spread mustard on each slice of steak; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1 bacon strip and a few onion wedges on each slice; roll up; secure with toothpicks.

In a large skillet, brown beef in oil until no longer pink; drain. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. (Begin cooking cabbage, and then potatoes during this time)

Remove meat and keep warm. Combine flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Remove toothpicks. Return to gravy; heat through.

Red cabbage:

Fry the bacon over medium heat and remove, leaving the fat.

Saute the onion until soft and slightly browned.

Add the apple juice, salt, brown sugar, cabbage and simmer for 20 minutes. (Begin cooking potatoes during this time)

Add the apples, crumbled bacon and cook for 30 minutes longer or until desired doneness.

During cooking, add apple juice if needed to cover the cabbage.

Just before completion, taste for acid/sweet balance and add juice or vinegar if needed.

Potatoes:

Wash the potatoes well and dry. If large cut them in half or quarters. Fill a pot with enough water to almost cover potatoes; add salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the potatoes.

Drain water and place the pot back on the hot burner without cover and steam dry for a minute or two, shaking the pot a few times to evaporate the water.

Peel the potatoes with a sharp knife and place them in a serving dish.

Pour a little melted butter over potatoes in serving dish.

Original recipes from: Taste of Home (Beef rouladen); Chow.com (Red cabbage); and Just a Pinch (Potatoes)

[thegoldenplate]

JULY 12 - WORLD CUP DAY 24 - NETHERLANDS VS BRAZIL

NETHERLANDS: Kletskoppen

So the month of football is nearing its end. Whether you're on the verge of a deep melancholic state as you begin to fear life for the next four years without any more World Cup matches, or if you're rejoicing as you'll soon have you regular life back, I'm a firm believer of wrapping things up with something sweet. So here is something sweet to begin to bring the World Cup to a close...

It's another Dutch dish (back to back!), but that's what I get for going full gung-ho with three Brazilian dishes earlier in the tournament (see: Feijoada, Moqueca de camarão and Brigadeiro).

This lovely cookie is crisp and light, perfect on its own with a cozy mug of tea - or my personal suggestion, as an ice cream sandwich (plain vanilla will do, but feel free to be more adventurous). Bonus: they only take 5 mins to bake! No brainer for an impromptu sugar craving.

RECIPE

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 10-20 mins (depending on number of batches of cookies.

Makes around 20 cookies

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons of butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 cup of brown sugar, tightly packed

1/3 cup of plain flour

1/4 Spanish peanuts

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400F, place rack above the middle position

Cream the butter with the sugar and the cinnamon. Add flour one tablespoon at a time until it's all absorbed. Fold in the peanuts. 

The dough should be slightly sticky but easy to work with. If it sticks too much, add a little bit of flour or refrigerate the dough for ten minutes, then try again.

Test one cookie by rolling a little piece of dough into a large marble-sized ball. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the dough marble on top and slightly flatten it with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 5 minutes. The dough will spread significantly because of the high sugar/fat content, but will burn quickly so keep an eye on it

Take the tray out of the oven, let the cookie cool for a minute or two, then transfer on to a cooling rack, where it will harden as it cools. Did it spread too much? Add half a tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. Not spread enough? Add half a tablespoon of water. Try again. Once the dough is right, roll the rest into balls and bake (aka steps 4&5)

Original recipes adapted from the The Dutch Table

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JULY 9 - WORLD CUP DAY 23 - NETHERLANDS VS ARGENTINA

NETHERLANDS: Gehaktballen & Boerenkool (Meatballs and mashed potatoes with kale)

Ok, so this dish is officially behind schedule, but I've got a household plumbing disaster to blame for it (turns out it's kind of hard to cook when you can't wash any pots and pans). But better late than never!

Back to the dish - when scouring the net for a dutch dish to make that wasn't a pea soup, this dish just sang to me. Who doesn't love meatballs? And what's not to love about giant meatballs?

The meatballs came out surprisingly juicy and tender, considering their hefty size, and coupled with thick gravy and creamy mashed potatoes and kale (for more on stamppot, see Stuff Dutch People Like), it was altogether a super satisfying meal.

Top tip: be extremely delicate when turning the meatballs, 50% of mine fell apart due to overly vigorous turning during searing. Give them some TLC and you'll be fine.

RECIPE

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 1 hr 10 mins.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs

500 grams (18 oz) ground meat, half-and-half

2 shallots or one small onion

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, ground

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, ground

2 tablespoons of prepared mustard

2 slices of white bread

100ml (3.4 fl oz) milk

2 tablespoons of flour

50 grams (1.8 oz) butter

100ml (3.4 fl oz) beef bouillon

Mashed potatoes & kale

500 grams (1.1 lb) kale

1 kg (2.2 lb) potatoes

25 grams (9 oz) unsalted butter

50ml (1.7 fl oz) milk, warm

Pinch of salt

METHOD

To make the meatballs:

Mince the onion.

Add the ground meat to a bowl, mix in the shallots, the egg, the nutmeg, the salt, pepper and mustard, and knead a couple of times until the spices have mixed well with the meat. Cut the crust off the bread, soak it in the milk and add it to the meat. Dispose of the rest of the milk. 

When the mixture has come together, divide it in four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, roll the meatballs through the flour and set aside.

Heat the butter in a medium sized skillet and sear the meatballs on all sides.

Lower the heat, place the cover on the pan for a good twenty minutes, then turn the meatballs over and simmer for another ten. (Suggest beginning the mashed potatoes during this 1/2 hour)

Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan, cover and simmer for another twenty minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the pan, add beef stock to the pan and stir to loosen up all the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan. Taste and see if you need to adjust salt/pepper or bind the pan gravy with a little bit of cornstarch or flour.

To make the mashed potatoes:

Wash the kale. Rip the leaves off the stems and slice the leaves into narrow strips. Peel the potatoes, quarter them and place them in a Dutch oven.

Add water to barely cover the potatoes, add the kale on top. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil.

Boil on a slow flame for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are done.

Pour off any cooking liquid that may remain and mash the vegetables with a fork or a potato masher. Add the butter and the milk (or use some of the cooking liquid for a lighter option) and stir into the purée. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. 

Original recipes adapted from the The Dutch Table: Gehaktballen & Boerenkool

[thegoldenplate]

JULY 8 - WORLD CUP DAY 22 - BRAZIL VS GERMANY

BRAZIL: Brigadeiro 

Oh Brazil. What heartbreak! This kind of defeat (7-1 for those somehow not following the match) feels unreal - and on home turf even, surrounded by millions and millions of fans. 

I felt like I needed a drink to get through the match. But luckily I had chocolate.

These truffle-like gooey Brazilian chocolate bon bons were initially dished up in a celebratory mood - but soon were consumed with a sombre tone. And they're certainly comforting: soft melting center, sweet from the condensed milk and heavy with coco. Like a hug from the inside. And it feels like a hug is exactly what Brazil needs right now. 

RECIPE

Prep time: 0 minutes. Cook time: 20 mins. Rest time: 1 hr.

Makes 20

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

 1 tablespoon butter

 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

METHOD

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, butter and condensed milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. At this point, the sides should be clumping together, and when you scrape the bottom, you can see the bottom of the pan. Here's a visual guide.

Remove from heat. Pour into a greased pan and let rest until cool enough to handle.

Spray your hands with cooking spray or rub some margarine into your palms and fingers. Pull out 1 tablespoon of chocolate and form into a little ball. Repeat.

Cover with sprinkles, chopped nuts or coco powder. 

Eat and commiserate.

Original recipe adapted from the Allrecipes.

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JULY 5 - WORLD CUP DAY 21 - COSTA RICA VS NETHERLANDS

COSTA RICA: Chifrijo

Chifrijo, aka the 'king of Costa Rican' bar food, is an incredibly layered dip/dish, with a base layer of white rice, followed by savory beans, then a portion of chicharrón (small cooked pieces of pork), topped by Costa Rican chimichurri (pico de gallo) and accompanied by tortilla chips and some avocado.

Hungry yet?

If English pubs offered bar snacks like this, I wholeheartedly believe it would reverse the strange habit that seemingly most English pub patrons have of not eating until stumbling home at midnight when they wander past a greasy chicken shop.

It's got everything you need and want in a bar snack (or any meal) - full of starch, spice, salt and a bit of a kick from the pico de gallo. Plus it feels so light and zingy that it's perfect for the summer season.

I made some adaptations to the recipe just to keep is slightly more manageable and a tinge healthier. The original recipe is from Diners, Dives and Drive-ins, unfortunately (one of the most irritating food programmes to grace tv screens worldwide. Who can stand Guy Fieri? I don't understand how he still gets any screen time) and the deep frying of the chicharrón seems appropriate for a diner, dive or drive-in - but a bit much for a simple home-cooked meal. But if you're looking for a fully authentic crispy fried chicharrón, here's the original recipe.

RECIPE

Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 1 hr.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Pico de Gallo:

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno, minced, optional

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

Juice of 5 limes or lemons

1/2 teaspoon salt

Chicharron:

Oil

One 1-pound slab whole pork belly with skin, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 to 10 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons salt

Black Beans:

8 ounces black beans, washed and rinsed

2 whole cloves garlic plus 1 clove, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Salsa Lizano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Rice:

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 cup uncooked white rice, medium or long-grain

1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional toppings:

1 Hass avocado, quartered, optional

Tortilla chips

METHOD

For the pico de gallo (aka chimichurri):

Combine the cilantro, jalapeno, onion and tomato in a large mixing bowl.

Add the lime juice (there should be enough juice to fill the bowl almost all the way up the mixture). Season with the salt.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the chicharron:

Heat 1 tablespoon in a medium pot over medium heat. Allow the oil to become very hot. Once the oil is hot, add the pork (you should be able to hear the sizzling fry song).

Cook the pork, stirring as often as possible, for 20 minutes.

Add the garlic and salt and continue to stir until the pork has a lovely golden brown color, 20-30 minutes longer.

Remove the pork from the heat and allow to cool.

Dice the pork into small pieces. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Once the oil is completely hot, flash-fry the diced pieces of chicharron until they have a deep, rich brown color and a crunchy texture. Set aside until ready to build the chifrijo. 

For the black beans:

Combine 5 cups water, black beans and the 2 whole garlic cloves in a medium pot. Bring the contents to a boil.

Combine the oil, minced garlic and yellow onion in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Cook until the onions are a golden color, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes.

Remove the pot of beans from the heat and add the sauteed onions and garlic, Salsa Lizano, cumin, pepper and salt.

Return the pot to the heat and reduce from a boil to a simmer. Give one more stir, cover with a lid and allow the beans to cook until tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

For the rice:

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onions, and saute until the onions are translucent.

Add the rice, 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring the rice up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover.

Cook until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy, 25 to 35 minutes.

Building the dish:

Now that all components have been prepared it's now time to build the chifrijo. In each small soup bowl, add a spoonful of the black bean liquid, 3 heaping tablespoons of the rice, 4 tablespoons of the black beans and 4 tablespoons of the chicharron. Top the chicharron with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pico de gallo and a quarter of the avocado, if using.

Serve with tortilla chips on the side. 

Original recipe adapted from the Food Network.

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JULY 4 - WORLD CUP DAY 20 - GERMANY VS FRANCE

GERMANY: Currywurst

This was a highly requested recipe (from the very first day of this adventure to be exact). And fair enough: this typical German street snack has so many of the things I love: meaty sausage, tangy sauce and a fantastic fusion injection of curry powder.

This curry infused sauce just puts ketchup to shame. I'm pretty sure fish and chips are never going to be the same again...

RECIPE

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 20 mins

Make enough sauce for 3

INGREDIENTS

Ketchup 200 g

Water 125 ml

1/10 Onion, finely minced

Oil

Paprika, 3.5g

Curry, 20 g

METHOD

Sauté the onion in the oil until it is transparent

Add paprika and curry powder to onions and quickly sauté it just to bring out the flavor.

Add the ketchup and water.

Boil uncovered until the sauce is thick.

Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Serve the currywurst sauce over Bratwurst with an extra sprinkling of curry powder.

Original recipe from Fine Dining Lovers

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JUNE 31 - WORLD CUP DAY 19 - ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND

ARGENTINA: Empanadas

I have so much love for tasty savoury bites encased in pastry: calzones, pasties, samosas... need I say more?

This is amongst the best of them. For an unseasoned empanada consumer, there are so many lovely unexpected elements - bouncy boiled eggs, salty olives, mellow minced beef, soft potatoes, sharpness from the fresh spring onions, all encased in crisp and buttery pastry.

We served our little meaty pastry pockets with a light salad and chimichurri sauce. (Do Argentinians actually eat empanadas with chimichurri or was it a culinary faux pas equivalent to putting prawn cocktail sauce on a lamb roast? Who knows. It was delicious.) 

RECIPE

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins

Makes around 25 empanadas

INGREDIENTS

300g mince (cheap fatty mince is best for this recipe)

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper

1 medium potato, very finely cubed and boiled until tender

2 eggs, hardboiled

2 large or 3 medium spring onions

65g green pitted olives (plain or stuffed with peppers)

750g savoury short pastry, pre-rolled sheets make this easy

Eggwash

METHOD

Boil eggs and potatoes

Heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan and sauté onions until translucent. Add mince and brown. Add paprika and cumin and season to taste. (Keep in mind the olives will add a salty note later.)

Cook for a few minutes more, then add cooked potato and combine. Leave mince filling to cool. At this stage the filling can be refrigerated overnight to allow the flavours to infuse.

Chop spring onions, finely slice olives and peel and chop boiled eggs and potatoes. Reserve.

Roll pastry out to approx 2-3mm thick. Cut into approximately 12cm rounds.

Preheat oven to 180ºC, line two baking trays.

Spread cooled mince filling out in a wide, shallow dish. Top with spring onions, olives and eggs.

To fill, take a two spoonfuls of filling (or one if you're less greedy), place in the centre of a pastry round and moisten the edge of the round with a little water on your finger. Fold over and press to together, creating a half moon shape.

To seal the empanadas, starting at one end, pinch the edge of the pastry between your thumb and forefinger and twist, pressing the pastry back onto itself. Repeat over and over, creating a braided edge to the empanada. (Here's a useful tutorial). Alternatively you can press the edges with a fork.

Lay on prepared baking trays, brush with a little eggwash and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Original recipe for 'Tania's Beef Empanadas' from Our Kitchen

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 30 - WORLD CUP DAY 18 - NIGERIA VS FRANCE

NIGERIA: Party Jollof rice

In need of some comfort food after Nigeria's devastating loss?

Jollof rice is so warm and comforting, infused with tomatoes, peppers, stock and lovely spices. It's not hard to see how this dish has shimmied its way into the national cuisines of so many African countries.

I wasn't able to achieve the desired burn to make it truly party-style Jollof after some over-zealous adding of water to soften the rice, but maybe I'll save it for a real party. 

RECIPE

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: just over 1 hour 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 Plum Tomatoes

1 Tatashey (Red bell pepper) 

1 Red scotch bonnet pepper

1/4 cooking spoon tinned tomato puree

250 ml stock

Half a red onion

1/2 Ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 tbsp thyme

1/4 tbsp curry powder

1 seasoning cube

1 1/2 cups rice

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

METHOD

Soak the rice in hot water for some minutes, rinse with clean water, drain and set aside.

Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and wash well. Blend the tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper and onion into a smooth puree. Pour the blended puree into an empty iron pot and boil till there's no water left leaving just the concentrated puree in the pot. 

Add the tinned tomato paste into the boiled tomato and pepper puree. Add oil and fry the tomato/pepper puree while stirring constantly for about 5 mins. 

Pour the stock into the fried puree and mix. Add the dry thyme, curry powder, seasoning cubes (crushed) and salt to taste. Gently add the  rice into the puree and stock mixture and make sure the stock covers the rice, if it doesn't simply add water to ensure it does. Add the bay leaf to the pot and cover. 

Leave the jollof to cook and soften. Once you notice the liquid in the pot has almost dried up leaving concentrated tomato puree at the top, turn with a wooden spoon or spatula. Check if the rice is soft enough and also check for salt and if the seasoning from the stock is enough, if not add the necessary ingredients. If its not soft enough, add some more water and leave to dry up once more till its completely soft. 

Leave the rice to burn underneath till you begin to smell it. Once it completely dries up at the top, turn off the burner and open the pot slightly for the vapor to evaporate. 

Original recipe from Dobby's signature

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JUNE 29 - WORLD CUP DAY 17 - GREECE VS COSTA RICE

GREECE: Fasolakia (Green Bean Stew)

Wow. Who saw that goal coming from Socratis (what a name!) more than 90 minutes into the match? 

Not my Greek upstairs neighbour for sure. Or that's how I interpret what felt like the ceiling about to crash down on us in jubilation. 

This dish doesn't exactly provoke those kinds of emotions, but does fill you up with a deeply satisfying warmth. After weeks of meat-ful dishes, a vegetable craving kicked in and the Greek Fasolakia caught my eye.

Apparently almost every Greek cook and chef around has their own take on how to make the best green bean stew, and it's not hard to see why. The base ingredients here are lovely and soak up flavour, and so I imagine each different treatment just makes a slightly different dish. This version at least features soft green beans, infused with the tomato-based broth and soft melty potatoes. The parsley and peppercorns lend a nice kick, rounded out with some lovely crusty bread.

RECIPE

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes 

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil

1.5 onions, sliced

a few cloves of garlic, sliced or roughly chopped

3 whole peppercorns

3 tomatoes, chopped or grated, (about 4 cups)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 potatoes, sliced rather thickly

500 grams green beans

1 bunch parsley, washed and coarsely chopped

Some bread to soak up the sauce

METHOD

Cover the bottom of the pot with olive oil, about 1/2 cup. Heat the oil on high, add the onions and saute them for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, peppercorns, and half the parsley, and saute for another 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.

After boiling the tomatoes for 5 minutes or so, add the potatoes and stir them into the sauce.

Put the green beans on top. Do not stir them in! Keep them as a layer on top of the potatoes.

Make sure the liquid comes up past the potato layer to approximately the middle of the green bean layer. If not, add water to make it do so. It’s okay if the liquid even comes up to the top of the green bean layer, better to have the dish a little soupy than to have it not cook up properly, or even burn. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Do not stir.

Cover and simmer vigorously for approximately 1 hour.

Serve with crusty bread.

Original recipe from Mama's Taverna

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JUNE 28 - WORLD CUP DAY 16 - BRAZIL VS CHILE

BRAZIL: Moqueca de camarão (Brazilian Shrimp Stew)

Brazil! Brazil! Brazil!

I'm so rooting for Brazil to do well in this tournament. There's just something - almost magical - about a team being able to be its absolute best when surrounded by all the spirit of the home fans. 

But also, Brazilian food is delicious. I'd happily keep on cooking Brazilian for weeks as the team continues to advance. (Plus a fantastic Brazilian colleague has some good recipes I'm itching to try).

Needless to say, this dish is no exception. This is a lovely shrimp stew, fragrant with coconut milk and a tangy sourness from the marinade on the shrimp. It's surprisingly light for a stew, perfect for a summer evening.

RECIPE

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 50 mins 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 lb large shrimp in shell (21 to 25 per lb), peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk

METHOD

Toss shrimp with black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic, and lemon juice and marinate, covered and chilled, 20 minutes.

Purée tomatoes with juice in a blender until smooth.

Cook onion and bell pepper in olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add cayenne, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and remaining teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add tomato purée and simmer briskly, stirring, until mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk and bring to a boil, then add shrimp mixture and cook, stirring, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in remaining cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Original recipe from Epicurious

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JUNE 26 - WORLD CUP DAY 15 - GHANA VS PORTUGAL

GHANA: Chicken yassa

This famed West African dish had a lot to live up to in my mind - I rooted for it just as I hoped Ghana would claim a victory and sneak it into the next stage of the cup. Alas it wasn't to be.

Part of it is that the recipe is a bit too acidic for my taste - but I'm a bit of an anomaly. I'm not one for the widely accepted practices of, say, lime squeezed over pad thai or lemon on fish.

However, all the lemon and vinegar in the marinade really breaks down and softens the onions into incredibly soft and succulent little morsels, complemented by really tender chicken. So not all was lost! Next time Ghana, next time!

RECIPE

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 1 1/2 hours 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil)

400g chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces

4  onions, cut up

6 tablespoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons vinegar (cider vinegar is good)

1 bay leaf

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard (optional)

1 tablespoon maggi seasoning sauce (or Maggi cubes and water or soy sauce) (optional)

1 chili pepper, cleaned and finely chopped (optional)

cayenne pepper or red pepper

black pepper

salt

1 small cabbage, cut into chunks (optional)

METHOD

Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from the marinade, but save the marinade.

Cook according to one of the following methods. Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done. Cooking method 2: Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a frypan.

While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.

Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.

Reduce heat.

Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.

Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.

Original recipe from Food.com.

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 25 - WORLD CUP DAY 14 - ARGENTINA VS NIGERIA

ARGENTINA: Steak with chimichurri sauce

Hello all steak-lovers! 

After just one bite, I became absolutely convinced that a steak is not living up to its full potential unless it's lovingly topped with some herby, garlicky and slightly spicy chimichurri sauce. The base of red wine vinegar lends some much needed acid that cuts through the richness of the meat, and the parsley and coriander just lifts all the flavours of the steak. I spooned the leftover chimichurri over a simple green salad, and was one happy diner. 

RECIPE

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 5 mins 

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup (packed) fresh coriander (aka cilantro)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Steaks - cooked however you want! Suggest grilled or pan fried

METHOD

Puree all ingredients in processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Original recipe from Epicurious

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 24 - WORLD CUP DAY 13 - CÔTE D'IVOIRE VS GREECE

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: Kedjenou Chicken

I had no idea how amazing this dish would be. With almost no expectations, this humble dish is in serious contention of swiping the (highly coveted) golden plate award from Brazil's Feijoada.

Let's break it down. The main ingredients are simple: tomatoes, onions, peppers, thyme, bayleaf, chicken. But what really gives it the lovely smoky humming flavour is the smoked paprika, chilli and ginger.

The sauce is so incredibly flavourful, I'm willing to wager that for my veggie friends out there (or those embarking on meatless Mondays) that if you took the non-chicken ingredients, substituted in some veg stock and simmered it all on low for 30 mins, you’d get a similarly delicious sauce.

This way of cooking the chicken does make it wonderfully soft and tender. The original recipe calls for a whole sectioned chicken - I’ve opted for boneless and skinless chicken thighs, a lighter option - but I can only imagine how fabulous a seemingly simple chicken wing or thigh would turn out, given the Kedjenou treatment.

RECIPE

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 1 1/2 hours 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

300 grams chicken thighs

1 medium onion

1 green onion

1 fresh red or green pepper

2 tomatoes

1 tablespoon bouillon concentrated chicken stock (or 1 stock cube)

1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated

1/2 tablespoon garlic, grated

1 fresh sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (essential! normal paprika will not do for this recipe)

1 whole habenero pepper (deseeded)

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Place chicken in the oven-safe pot.

Slice tomatoes, onion, green onions, pepper and green pepper and grate the ginger and garlic. Place it all into the pot, along with the thyme, bay leaf, paprika, stock, salt and pepper.

Stir until everything is fully combined.

Seal the pot with aluminum foil and then cover it with its lid.

Place in the often and shake the pot a few times (every 30 mins or so) during cooking without opening the pot.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours.

Original recipe (and cultural background & explanation of the cooking method) from African Bites.

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 23 - WORLD CUP DAY 12 - CHILE VS NETHERLANDS

CHILE: Pastel de Choclo (Chilean corn pie)

By all accounts, a Pastel de Choclo appears to be a cooler and quirkier version of the bog-standard English shepherd's pie. And upon first (and second) taste, it's definitely quirkier - perhaps a bit too much for my taste.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the very beginning (the combo of chicken + olives + corn + raisins + minced beef is absolutely not one I've seen before). But some people at the dinner table liked it - and it is the subject of a mystery at the fantastic Eating Chilean blog. So in honour of Chile's match later today, here's a recipe for you to try out!

RECIPE

Prep time: 45 minutes. Cook time: 1 hours 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

200 grams chicken

1 1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 hard-boiled egg, quartered

1/8 cup raisins

1/8 cup black olives (traditionally kep whole, seed and all)

handful of basil leaves, minced

salt to taste

For the beef filling:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Take the corn kernels and pulse in a processor until finely chopped.  Heat the processed corn, chopped basil, salt and butter in a large pot.  Add the milk little by little, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.  Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  Leave to one side while you prepare the meat filling.

In a large skillet, sauté the onions in canola oil until transparent and fragrant.  Add the ground meat and sauté until brown.  Season with salt, pepper, paprika and ground cumin.

To prepare the pie, use an oven-proof dish that you can take to the table.  Butter the bottom of the dish and then spread the beef filling in an even layer at the bottom.  Scatter the hard boiled egg pieces, chicken, olives and raisins evenly on top of the beef mixture.  Cover everything with the corn mixture.  Sprinkle the top with sugar over the top to caramelize.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes until the surface has brown to a deep gold. If it hasn't browned, switch the oven on to broil or grill for a few minutes.  Serve immediately.  

Original recipe from Food Comas.

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 22 - WORLD CUP DAY 11 - USA VS PORTUGAL

USA: Pulled pork sandwich

A good pulled pork is an amazing recipe to have up your sleeve. It feels like magic to be able to transform a big ol' chunk of pork shoulder into super tender and so-easy-to-pull-apart loveliness.

This recipe is a bit more on the dry side - you can add your own barbecue sauce as you wish (in my case, our housemate's homemade sauce). It's full of flavour: loads of delicious spices and a hint of beer, (we used Black Sheep Ale). Paired with melted sharp cheddar, pickles or gerkins, it's the perfect way to set the scene for the USA v Portugal match later today.

RECIPE

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 3-5 hours 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt 

1 tablespoon mild paprika

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups beer

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

METHOD

Heat the oven to 325°F: Heat the oven to 325°F. Place an oven rack in the lower-middle of the oven.

Trim the pork: Trim off any large pieces of fat from the outside, but leave small pieces and the interior fat. If using boneless pork, cut the pork into several large fist-sized pieces. If using bone-in, leave the pork as is, on the bone.

Season the pork: Sprinkle the pork with salt, pepper, and spices. Rub the seasoning into the pork with your fingers so that the meat is evenly coated on all sides.

Sear the pork (optional): If you have time, searing will deepen the final flavor of your pork and give it some textural contrast. Warm the oil in the Dutch oven/pot over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, working in batches as necessary so as not to crowd the pan. 

Add the onions and garlic and nestle them around the pork in the Dutch oven/put.

Add the liquid: Pour the liquid over the top of the pork. The pork should be only partially submerged, with some of the pork remaining above the surface of the liquid.

Bring to a simmer: Set the Dutch oven/pot with the pork over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.

Cover and transfer to the oven: Once simmering, cover the Dutch oven and transfer the whole pot to the oven.

Cook for 2 to 4 hours, until fork tender: Let the pork cook undisturbed for 2 hours, then begin checking it every half hour. Total cooking time will be 2 to 4 hours depending on the amount of pork and whether it's bone-in (which takes longer to cook). The pork is done when it is fork-tender: when the meat can be easily pierced with a fork without resistance and easily falls apart with a little pressure. If you're cooking pork on the bone, the meat should be falling off the bone. If in doubt, cook the meat another half hour; it's almost impossible to overcook meat with this method.

Transfer the pork to a large bowl: Lift the pieces of pork out of the liquid and transfer to a large mixing bowl. When cool enough to handle, use two forks or your fingers to shred the meat into pieces. Remove any large pieces of fat or bones.

Strain the cooking liquid: Strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup. Skim the fat off the top of the cooking liquid.

Moisten the pork with cooking liquid or barbecue sauce (optional):For more moist and flavorful pulled pork, you can mix some of the cooking liquid back into the pork. Start with a little, mix, then add more until the pork is as wet or dry as you like. Alternatively, for barbecue pulled pork, you can mix in barbecue sauce.

Recipe adapted from the kitchn (great step-by-step guide here).

[thegoldenplate]

JUNE 21 - WORLD CUP DAY 10 - IRAN VS ARGENTINA

IRAN: Persian ground lamb and onion kebabs

I'm writing this 80 mins into the Iran vs Argentina match and wow - in my admittedly-limited-football-knowledge-mind - Iran are looking surprisingly dangerous for the Argentinian team. I like the idea of this underdog potentially winning against a team widely tipped to dominate the whole cup.

These persian kebabs are a little bit like that. It's a seriously simple dish - predominately minced lamb and onions - but little touches elevate it to something you just can't stop eating.

RECIPE

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 10 mins 

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

 1 medium yellow onions, peeled and grated

1⁄2 lb. ground lamb

1/2 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 egg, lightly beaten

1⁄8 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tsp. salt

1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 tsp. ground turmeric

1⁄8 tsp. paprika

1 pinch saffron threads

1/2 tbsp. butter, melted

Ground sumac, optional

METHOD

Drain onions in a sieve set over a bowl. Press onions to release more juice, then transfer to a large bowl, discarding juice.

Add ground meat, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, turmeric, and paprika, and mix well.

Divide meat mixture evenly into eighths and shape into 5" cylinders. Slide meat cylinders onto 8 large flat wide metal skewers, molding and flattening meat around skewer to make each kebab about 8" long, 1 1/2" wide, and 1/4" thick (or if not using skewers, shape meat into eight 8" × 1 1/2" × 1/4" rectangles). Set kebabs aside.

Heat a grill pan without sides over medium-high heat for nonskewered meat. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add saffron, and swirl threads around until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Crush saffron with a mortar and pestle, then add 1 tbsp. boiling water and stir in butter.

Brush kebabs with saffron butter. Put skewered kebabs over medium-hot coals or on grill pan; if cooking kebabs without skewers, put them on grill pan.

Grill kebabs until browned on each side and cooked through, 3–4 minutes per side. Brush kebabs with remaining saffron butter and sprinkle with a little sumac (if using).

Slide kebabs off skewers (if using skewers) and serve with Persian steamed rice and salad, if you like.

Original recipe from Saveur.