World Cup Food Recipes - Iran

Iranian celery stew (Khoresht Karafs) with rice

Iran started their world cup campaign today against Nigeria. Sadly, it was the dreaded arrival of the first poor game of the tournament with the two sides doing very little to contribute to a "yawn-athon" of a match that - not surprisingly - finished goalless. Fortunately, Iranian/Persian food is far more interesting with the region's dishes typically offering fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance, meats such as lamb, goat, chicken and beef, as well as a wide variety of delicious herbs and spices that can take any meal to whole new levels of tastiness.

Iranian Celery Stew (Khoresht Karafs) Recipe

This recipe focuses largely on celery (as the name would suggest) and meat. It also regularly calls for the addition of mint as one of the herbs but I have deliberately omitted the mint, as I don't personally believe it is a herb which complements beef. If I were making this dish with lamb - or even goat - I would definitely add mint as well as the other herbs but this is all of course down to personal preference and the mint can be added if you wish, in similar quantities to the parsley and celery leaf.
 

Shin of beef

Ingredients (Serves One)

1/2 pound piece shin of beef
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (2 for sauteeing beef and 2 for celery)
1/2 small white onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon medium strength chilli powder
Salt and pepper
1 pint fresh beef stock
4 celery sticks
1 tablespoon roughly chopped celery leaf
1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley (plus extra to garnish)
3 ounces basmati rice
Juice of half a lime

Diced shin of beef

Directions

Shin of beef is a cheaper cut of meat, simply because it is fatty and requires long, slow cooking. This puts a lot of people off buying it but I honestly can't understand why - give me shin of beef before fillet steak any day! It's far tastier and every bit as tender if cooked in the correct fashion.

The first mistake many make is in cutting off the fat before cooking. Don't do this. Fat is not only flavour, it keeps the meat moist during cooking and it will largely render down as the meat simmers. Instead, simply chop the shin of beef to approximate one inch cubes - fat and all - with a very sharp knife.

Shin of beef, onion and spices ready for sauteeing

Pour a couple of tablespoons of the vegtable oil in to a large stew pot. Add the shin of beef, the onion slices, the turmeric and the chilli powder. Season well with salt and particularly black pepper.

Sauteeing shin of beef with onion and spices

Sautee the beef, onion and spices for a couple or three minutes over a medium heat until the meat is well sealed. Add the beef stock, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer as gently as possible for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Celery, celery leaves and parsley

Wash the celery sticks and the herbs under running cold water in a colander. Trim the celery sticks and chop to approximately one inch pieces. Roughly chop the parsley and celery leaves.

Sauteeing celery and herbs

Pour two tablespoons of vegetable oil in to a saucepan and add the celery and herbs. Gently sautee for a couple of minutes.

Sauteed celery is added to stewed beef

Pour the celery mix in to the stewed beef and stir well. Continue to simmer uncovered for around twenty minutes until  the remaining stock forms a thick, lush sauce. Squeeze in the lime juice, stir well, taste and adjust seasoning if required.

Rice is washed before it is cooked

Wash the rice in a sieve under running cold water. Add to a deep pot of salted water and simmer for ten minutes. Drain through the sieve.
 

Rice bed for celery stew is formed

Lay the rice in one half of a stone serving dish (if available). Pile it high at one side, gently sloping towards the middle of the dish.

Celery stew is added to rice bed

Spoon the celery and beef stew in to the empty half of the serving dish and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley.

World Cup Food Recipes - Costa Rica

Costa Rican Higado en Salsa is beef liver in a spicy tomato sauce

Costa Rica really must be wondering what they have done to deserve the World Cup group draw they have been handed. They find themselves up against England, Italy and Uruguay, three teams who would all have had an eye on a number one - or at worst number two - seeding in the old draw system. The task to progress is therefore even greater than the Central American side may have anticipated but who knows what can happen in the funny old world of football? Costa Rica kick off their tournament campaign later today against Uruguay so it seemed an appropriate time to look at just one of the country's popular dishes.

Costa Rican Higado en Salsa (Beef Liver in Sauce) Recipe

One thing Costa Rica can certainly bring to the World Cup table - irrespective of their realistic chances of progressing beyond the group stages - is some tasty food recipes. This is a dish (associated with a few countries in the region) which I selected for a number of reasons, including its simplicity and speed of preparation, for when you'd rather be watching the games than spending time in the kitchen. As always, I've added my own little minor twist or two. 

 

Rice is briefly stirred through melted butter

Ingredients (One Large Serving)

3 ounces basmati or long grain rice
1 ounce (1/4 stick) butter
6 fluid ounces fresh beef stock
8 ounce can chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons Worcester sauce
Few drops of Tabasco sauce (remember to be very careful with this ingredient - it is hot!)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Handful of mixed sliced bell peppers (capsicums)
1/2 small white onion, peeled and sliced
6 ounces beef or ox liver
Salt and pepper
4 or 5 large basil leaves (rolled and shredded), to garnish

Rice and beef stock ready for covering and baking

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

Pour the beef stock in to a small saucepan and gently heat. Transfer temporarily to a heatproof jug.

Melt the butter in the same pan while you wash the rice under cold water through a sieve. Add the rice to the butter and stir around over a low heat for a couple of minutes, just until the grains start to turn a little bit transluscent.

Put the rice in to a small casserole dish, spread evenly over the base and carefully pour in the beef stock. Put the lid on the dish and bake in the oven for twenty-five minutes.

Spicy tomato sauce ingredients

Add the canned tomatoes, garlic cloves, Worcester sauce and Tabasco sauce to a food processor/blender and blitz until smooth.

A few minutes before the rice is due to come out of the oven, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan and sautee the peppers and onion for a couple of minutes.

Sauteing peppers and onion

Pour the spicy tomato sauce in to the vegetables and bring to a very gentle simmer, stirring frequently.

Spicy tomato sauce is added to sauteed peppers and onion

The beef/ox liver should be chopped to approximately one inch cubes.

Fresh beef or ox liver

Take the rice from the oven and let it sit for five minutes before gently fluffing with a fork.

Baked rice is fluffed up with a fork

While the rice is resting for the five minutes, add the beef liver to the tomato sauce, stir and simmer for four minutes. This should see the liver cooked to perfection.

Beef liver is added to spicy tomato sauce and vegetables

Spoon the rice around the edges of a serving plate to form a containing border for the liver in sauce. as shown below.

Rice border is formed on serving plate

Taste the higado en salsa and adjust the seasoning as required. The liver in sauce can then be carefully spooned in to the centre of the plate and garnished with the basil to serve.

Higado en Salsa is spooned in to centre of serving plate

World Cup Food Recipes - Cameroon

Cameroonian meat and potato hotpot

Last night's opening match of the World Cup Finals didn't throw up much of a shock, with hosts Brazil opening their campaign with what was in the end a moderately comfortable if largely uninspiring 3-1 win over Croatia. Back in 1990, however - when it was the holders who participated in the tournament's opening match - a Diego Maradona captained Argentina side took on the Africans of Cameroon, expecting and expected to secure a convincing win to kick off the defence of their trophy. It was not to be, however, with the Cameroonians pulling off a shock 1-0 win which is still remembered by many to this day.

Cameroonian Meat and Potato Hotpot Recipe

The colourful character that is Roger Milla may long since have finally retired but the present day Cameroonian side kick-off their 2014 World Cup campaign today against Mexico, perhaps once again as at least slight underdogs. When looking for a Cameroonian dish to prepare for this World Cup feature, the biggest problem I encountered was in the availability of authentic and traditional ingredients. That was until I found a fairly simple, spicy potato hotpot which seems to be regularly prepared with a variety of different meats. I came across it prepared with everything from beef to smoked turkey so just to be a little bit different, I've used pork shoulder.

Pork shoulder steaks

Ingredients

1/2 pound pork shoulder meat, chopped to 1 inch chunks
2 tablespoons peanut/groundnut oil (vegetable or sunflower oil will be fine)
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 medium white onion, peeled and sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced or diced
3/4 pint fresh chicken stock
5 or 6 small to medium potatoes, peeled and halved
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
Handful of mixed sliced bell peppers (capsicums)
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped to a medium dice
2 ounces green beans, cut to 3/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon medium chilli powder (or to taste)
Freshly chopped parsley to garnish

Browning and sealing chopped pork shoulder

Directions

Gently heat the oil in a large soup or stock pot. Add the pork, season with salt and pepper and brown and seal over a medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. This should take only two to three minutes.

Onion and garlic added to browned pork

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sautee for a further minute or so until the onion is just softened. Pour in the chicken stock, stir well, bring to a simmer, cover and cook in this way for one hour.

Principal vegetables for meat and potato hotpot

When the pork meat has been simmering for an hour, it is time to add the remainder of the ingredients.

Diced tomato and green beans for Cameroonian hotpot

The potato, carrot, peppers, tomatoes and green beans can simply be tipped carefully in to the pot before being stirred through the meat and stock.

Vegetables added to part cooked pork in stock

The chilli powder should be added before the hotpot is given another thorough stir and brought back to a simmer for a further hour, this time uncovered.

Chilli powder adds a little bit of spice to the hotpot

Be sure to check on your hotpot ever ten minutes or so, giving it a bit of a stir and making sure it is not starting to boil dry. If you achieve a gentle enough simmer in the first instance, however, this shouldn't happen. If necessary, you can add a tiny bit of boiling water.

Cameroonian meat and potato hotpot is stirred and simmered

The hotpot is ready when the potatoes are just softened, the pork is tender and the remaining liquid has been reduced to a rich, thick sauce.

Cameroonian meat and potato hotpot is ready to serve

Give your hotpot a careful taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon in to your chosen serving dish and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Meat and potato hotpot is spooned in to serving dish

Chicken Thighs Rogan Josh Recipe

Chicken thighs rogan josh on salad with naan bread

Rogan josh is a dish unquestionably more associated with lamb than chicken. The versatility of chicken being what it is, however, I had no doubt this variation on the theme would work. Rather than use chicken breast fillets, I decided chicken thighs (skin on, bone in) may make for an interesting combination and I was not disappointed. I also decided to serve the chicken with a simple mixed leaf salad rather than rice, with some mini naan breads on the side to scoop up the sauce.

Rogan josh sauce and chicken thighs

Ingredients (Serves Two)

4 chicken thighs, skin on
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1 pound jar of rogan josh sauce
2 generous handfuls mixed salad leaves of choice
4 mini naan breads
Freshly sliced basil leaves to garnish

Browning chicken thighs

Directions

Wash the chicken thighs carefully in a bowl of cold water, pat them dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and add the chicken thighs skin side down. Cook for a couple of minutes to lightly brown the skin.

Browned chicken thighs and sauteed onion

Add the onion, turn the chicken thighs and cook fro a further minute or so.

Rogan josh sauce is added to browned chicken thighs

Pour the rogan josh sauce in to the pan and carefully stir/turn everything around to ensure the chicken thighs are evenly covered and as deeply immersed in the sauce as possible.

Chicken thighs in rogan josh sauce is simmered

Turn up the heat just until the sauce reaches a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to achieve a very gentle simmer, cover the pan and cook for thirty minutes, turning the chicken thighs with cooking tongs half way through.

Salad leaves are washed thoroughly under cold running water

Put the salad leaves in to a colander or sieve and wash thoroughly under running cold water. Shake dry and divide between two serving plates, forming beds for the chicken thighs.

Chicken thighs rogan josh are laid on salad bed

Lift the chicken thighs from the sauce with tongs and lay two on each salad bed, skin sides up. Garnish with the sliced basil leaves. Heat the naan breads per the instructions on the pack, cut in half and arrange on the plates as shown.

Tucking in to chicken thighs rogan josh

Steak, Kidney and Vegetable Pie

Steak, kidney and vegetable pie with honey roasted veg and chips

Coming Soon! - World Cup 2014

Next Thursday (June 12th) sees the start of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. 32 nations from around the world will be taking part and here on this blog, I am going to feature many of the cuisines of the participating nations, giving each of them my own little twist. I hope you'll stop by to see some of the dishes I come up with, whether or not you are a fan of the tournament itself.

Steak and kidney pie is a classic English dish but this recipe is a slight variation on the traditional. While vegetables are often included in the pie filling, this recipe sees them included in greater proportion. The pastry used to top the pie is also puff pastry, whereas shortcrust may be more common.

I have to admit that I cheated a little bit with the honey roasted veg served with the pie. They were bought oven ready in a foil dish from the supermarket but you could of course prepare them yourself entirely from scratch. The principal vegetables included were carrot, onions, beetroot and parsnip, with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a small pack of honey glaze also included.

Vegetables for steak, kidney and vegetable pie

Ingredients

1/2 pound diced stewing beef
1/4 pound diced ox kidney
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pint homemade beef stock
1 celery stick, trimmed and chopped
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 small carrot, trimmed and chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 pound puff pastry (for thicker pastry topping, use 1/2 pound pastry)
Flour for dusting/rolling pastry
Beaten egg for glazing pastry
1 pound pack of oven roasting vegetables
Homemade chips or French fries to serve

Browning steak and kidney for pie

Instructions

Pour the oil in to a large stew pot and gently heat. Add the steak and kidney, seasoning with salt, pepper and the dried thyme. Brown and seal the meat over a medium heat, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon.

Prepared vegetables are added to steak, kidney and beef stock

After two or three minutes and when the meat is evenly sealed, add the carrot, celery, onion and chilli as well as the beef stock. Stir well and bring to a simmer until the steak is tender. The timescale will vary depending upon which type of beef/steak you use but be prepared for it to take at least an hour, possibly significantly longer. When done, turn off the heat, cover and leave to cool completely. What you could do here is prepare the dish to this stage one night, let it cool and refrigerate it for easier dinner preparation the following evening.

Cutting pastry lid for steak, kidney and vegetable pie

Put your oven on to preheat to 210C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Select a pie dish which comfortably holds the pie filling. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface large enough that you can use the dish as a template for cutting the pastry lid to the correct size.

Steak, kidney and vegetable pie filling

Spoon the cooled steak, kidney and vegetables in to the pie dish and lay the cut pastry carefully on top.

Oven ready steak, kidney and vegetable pie

Crimp the edges of the pastry and glaze with beaten egg. Make sure you don't forget to cut two or three small steam vents in the centre of the pastry. Sit the dish on a roasting tray (this helps to contain any potential gravy leaks/spills) and place in to the hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Steak, kidney and vegetable pie

Check the instructions on your veg roasting pack. These veg were required to be roasted for forty-five minutes so were placed in the oven soon after the pie. This allowed them to finish cooking while the pie rested briefly after being taken from the oven.

Honey roast vegetables

The honey and rosemary required to be added to these vegetables shortly before they were ready, carefully being stirred through the veg.

Cutting in to steak, kidney and vegetable pie

This recipe was made to serve two people so the pastry was firstly cut in half before being lifted one half over the other as shown above.

Steak, kidney and vegetable pie filling is plated

Half the filling was lifted to the first serving plate with a slotted spoon before the relevant half of puff pastry was sat on top.

Honey roasted veg are plated with steak, kidney and vegetable pie

Half the vegetables were added to the plate, followed by the homemade chips. This was delicious so if you like steak and kidney pie but are looking for a slight twist on your usual recipe, why not give this a try?

Tucking in to steak, kidney and vegetable pie with roast veg and chips