Recipes: Feast your eyes on this World Cup XI
THE World Cup may provide a feast of entertainment for football-lovers but the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ is also the inspiration for a feast of food.
If you get fed up with talk of Rooney and Messi, why not turn your attention to a rosti (from Switzerland) and a margherita (from Italy)?
There are some interesting lesser-known cuisines to try out from the 32 nations battling to win the tournament in South Africa.
If you’ve never tried – or heard of – Dutch oliebollen, Korean Republic chon or Slovakian bryndzove halusky then now is the time to hit the stoves for some inter-continental cooking.
Or why not just seduce a loved one with a cheeky Beijinho de Coco – otherwise known as a Brazilian kiss?
The Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers and Simon King, have teamed up with npower, an official supporter of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, to pick a selection of 32 recipes, which can be viewed online at www.npower.com/smartcooking.
Here’s our World Cup XI.
Australia - Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients:
85g porridge oats, 85g desiccated coconut, 100g plain flour, 100g caster sugar, 100g butter, plus extra butter for greasing, 1tbsp golden syrup, 1tsp bicarbonate of soda.
Method:
1. Heat oven to 180°C/gas 4.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the golden syrup.
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda to 2 tbsp boiling water, then stir into the golden syrup and butter mixture.
4. Put the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter and golden syrup mixture. Stir gently to incorporate the dry ingredients.
5. Put dessert spoonfuls of the mixture on to buttered baking sheets, about 2.5cm apart to allow room for spreading.
6. Bake in batches for 8-10 mins until golden.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 16
Chile - Prawn Ceviche
Ingredients:
250g raw peeled prawns, half a lemon, sliced, small bunch of coriander, leaves picked keep the stalks, half a papaya, finely diced, 3 tomatoes, finely diced, 1 onion, finely diced, 2 red chillies, chopped, 100ml mango juice, 2 limes, juiced, 2tbsp sweet chilli sauce, a couple of handfuls of mixed green leaves.
Method:
1. Poach the prawns in boiling salted water with the lemon slices and coriander stalks for 2 minutes.
2. Mix together the papaya, mango, tomato, onion, chilli, coriander leaves, mango and lime juice with the chili ketchup. Toss with the prawns.
3. Chill for about 10-15 minutes. 4. Serve on a bed of mixed leaves.
Serves: 2
France - Baked Brie
Ingredients:
100-200g whole round of Brie cheese (with the edible white casing intact), butter for spreading, almonds, flaked optional.
Oven method:
1. Heat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
2. Place cheese in an oven proof dish.
3. Spread top with butter; cover with almonds (optional).
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until centre feels soft when you push down with a spoon.
5. Serve warm with sliced French bread or crackers.
Microwave method:
1. Cut a cross in top of cheese.
2. Put on a plate suitable for microwaving.
3. Cook on high for 50 seconds-1 min.
4. Peel back the top and serve.
Serves: 4
