Your guide to the World Cup and its cuisine

USA (Jambalaya) Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, diced; 1/2 cup minced onion; 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper; 2 cups chicken broth; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed; 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, cleaned; 1 cup finely diced cooked ham; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 3 tablespoons cold water; salt and pepper; hot cooked rice for 4
Method :
In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain.In the bacon drippings, cook the minced onion and bell pepper until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, ketchup, and brown sugar; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Cut the shrimp into smaller pieces. Add the shrimp and ham to the first mixture; heat through. Blend cornstarch and cold water and then stir into the mixture. Cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with hot cooked rice.

• Argentina (Meat Empanadas) Ingredients
  1/2 cup shortening; 2 onions, chopped; 1 pound lean ground beef; 2 teaspoons paprika; 3/4 teaspoon hot paprika; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped; 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped; salt to taste; 1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
  Method:
  In a saute pan melt the shortening and add the chopped onions. Cook the onions until just before they begin to turn golden. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and salt to taste.Spread the meat on a sieve and pour boiling water on it for partial cooking. Allow meat to cool. Place meat in a dish add salt to taste, cumin and vinegar. Mix and add the meat to the onion mixture. Mix well and place on a flat to dish to cool and harden.Cut puff pastry dough into 10 round shells. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture on each round; add some of the raisins, olives and hard boiled egg. Slightly wet the edge of the pastry, fold in two and stick edges together. The shape should resemble that of a half-moon. You should have a 2/3 to 1/2 inch flat edge of pastry to work with. Seal by twisting edge, step by step, between thumb and index finger, making sure to add pressure before releasing the pinch and moving on to the next curl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place empanadas on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Be sure to prick each empanada with a fork near the curl to allow steam to escape during baking. Glaze with egg for shine and bake until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Brazil (Black Bean Stew) Ingredients:
  tablespoon oil; 1/4 pound chorizo sausage, chopped; 1/3 pound cooked ham, chopped; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 (1 pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced; 1 large red bell pepper, diced; 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice; 1 small hot green chili, diced; 1 1/2 cups water; 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 mango peeled, seeded and diced; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1/4 teaspoon salt
  Method :
  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the chorizo and ham 2 to 3 minutes. Place the onion in the pot, and cook until tender. Stir in garlic, and cook until tender, then mix in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, chile pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the chorizo and ham 2 to 3 minutes. Place the onion in the pot, and cook until tender. Stir in garlic, and cook until tender, then mix in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, chile pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.Stir the beans into the pot, and cook uncovered until heated through. Mix in the mango and cilantro, and season with salt.Stir the beans into the pot, and cook uncovered until heated through. Mix in the mango and cilantro, and season with salt.
• England (Shepherd’s pie) Ingredients:
  1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped; 6 Tablespoons butter, divided use; 1 pound roast lamb or mutton, finely chopped; 1 cup stock (made from drippings of the roast, fat removed); Salt and pepper; 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths; 1/2 cup (about) milk
  Method :
  Preheat oven to 375 F. Saute onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter until soft and lightly golden. Stir onions and butter, along with the stock, into the chopped lamb. Season well with salt and pepper, stirring until moist. Place lamb mixture in a large oven-proof casserole and set aside. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the hot pot over low heat. Stir 1 minute to evaporate any remaining water. Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and mash. Add enough of the milk to bring the mashed potatoes to a creamy consistency. Season well with salt and pepper. Spoon mashed potatoes evenly over the lamb in the casserole. Dot the top with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake 30 minutes on the top rack of the oven until browned.
• Spain (Paella) Ingredients:
  1/3 cup of olive oil; 1 small onion, minced; 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed; 3-5 tbsps minced fresh parsley; 1 generous pinch of saffron; 2 tbsps of chicken bullion; 3 skinless chicken breasts, cut in large chunks;2 green peppers, sliced; 1 red pepper, sliced; 1 tsp of yellow food coloring (optional ñ saffron is very expensive, a pinch of it is all you need for taste but a richer colour is desired); 8 oz tomato sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 4 cups of rice; 7 cups of water; salt; 1/2 lb - 1 lb shrimp, leave shell on; 1 lb scallops
  Method :
  Saute onion, parsley, and garlic in olive oil until the onion begins to become transparent. Add saffron, chicken bullion, chicken, peppers and saute until chicken has become white. Add tomatoe sauce, sugar, food coloring. Stir. Add rice and water and bring to boil. Salt to taste. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp & scallops, boil an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Simmer 10 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. If the rice appears to be getting too dry during the last 10 minutes, add more water. If the rice is too wet at the end of the 10 minutes, uncover and evaporate unwanted liquid.
• Italy (Spaghetti Carbonara) Ingredients:
  1 lb spaghetti; ¼ cup heavy cream; 4 eggs; ½ lb bacon, cut into ½-inch dice; 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ¾ cup freshly grated pecorino-romano cheese (parmesan may be substituted)
  Method :
  Fill a large soup pot with cold water and add a handful or so of Kosher salt. Stir and taste; it should taste like seawater. Cover the pot and heat the water until it boils.Add the diced bacon to a cold sauté pan and cook slowly over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.Drop the spaghetti into the boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions, about 6 to 9 minutes or until al dente, or tender but still firm to the bite. While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs, cheese, cream and olive oil in a bowl and beat with a whisk until completely mixed. Drain pasta, toss with the egg and cream mixture, then add the cooked bacon and chopped parsley. Serve right away, with additional grated cheese if desired.
• Netherlands (Botercake) Ingredients:
  1 1/8 cups butter, softened; 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla sugar; 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest; 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon salt; 5 eggs; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder
  Method:
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch loaf pan.Mix grated lemon rind with 1 tablespoon sugar.Beat butter and sugar with vanilla sugar and lemon rind until the mixture becomes white and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each one.Mix flour and baking powder together and then carefully fold into the butter and egg mixture. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.Bake cake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• France (Boeuf bourguignon) Ingredients:
  1 Kg chuck steak cut into 100gm cubes (about 4 inches); large carrot roughly chopped; large onion chopped; two fresh bay leaves; two cloves garlic crushed in their skins; two cloves; one bottle robust red wine; 10 black peppercorns; tablespoon Madeira; Beurre manie (teaspoon flour and teaspoon butter mashed together); tablespoon butter; chopped parsley; olive oil
  Method :
  Put the pieces of beef in a large glass bowl and add the next seven ingredients making sure that the beef is covered. Cover the bowl and allow to marinate for 24 hours.When ready to start cooking, take the meat out of the marinade and dry it thoroughly on kitchen paper. In a casserole heat a tablespoon each of oil and butter until the butter stops foaming and then add the meat pieces four at a time.Brown them over a high heat on all sides — they should look really crusty almost like a steak — and then take them out of the pan and add the next four, until you have a pile of fragrant beef.Add the drained vegetables from the marinade to the casserole and brown those too and then pour in the wine marinade. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and pile the meat back in. The meat should be entirely covered by liquid. If not add a little beef stock or more red wine if you have a bottle handy, bring back to a simmer and place in a low oven (140°C) for three hours.Take the casserole from the oven and carefully lift out the meat into a warm dish and set to one side.Strain the sauce into a clean pan and place it over a low heat. Allow it to come to a gentle boil. Add the Madeira and reduce until it tastes as strong as you like — the sauce should become almost syrupy. Whisk in the butter and flour mix and keep whisking until blended.Add the meat back to the sauce to heat through and serve a couple of large chunks per person with the sauce poured over, scattered with chopped parsley.
• Germany (Wiener Schnitzel) Ingredients:
  veal (2 pieces x 150 g); 2 tbsp flour; 1 egg; 4 tbsp butter; salt, pepper to taste
  Method :
  Beat the veal chops with the kitchen hammer, but don't make them too thin, the schnitzel chops should at least be 4 mm thick. Prepare one plate with flour, and another plate with the beaten egg. Season the chops with the salt and pepper from the both sides, put into the plate with flour and and remove the spare flour from the chops. There shouldn't be too much flour on the meat. Put the floured schnitzel chops into the plate with the beaten egg and place it into the hot buttered frying pan. Fry the chops for about 1 minute and a half on the lower side until golden brown, then turn to the other side, and fry for about 2 minutes. Fry the chops on the medium heat not to make them too dry.Remove the schnitzel from the pan, and put on the dishes. Serve with the fresh green salad or potato salad.
• Portugal (Sopa) Ingredients:
  1 lb sausage; 4 cups sauerkraut (rinsed); 1 cup chopped yellow onions; 2 cups drained garabanzo beans; 1 cup chopped red bell peppers; 2 cups beef or chicken stock; 1 cup finely chopped or grated carrots; 1 cup instant mashed potatoes (optional); 2 tbl chopped garlic; 1 bay leaf; 1 cup burgundy wine; 1/2 cup Madiera wine; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper
  Method :
  Peel the sausage and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Cook in a skillet or microwave just long enough to remove the fat. No longer than 2 minutes on high in the microwave. In a large stock pot or soup pot add the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and bell pepper until the onions are translucent. Add all the other ingredients except for the mashed potato flakes. Simmer the soup for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the mashed potato flakes to thicken the soup to a desired consistency.