By Suzanne Corbett, Food/Travel Editor
Missouri FIFA fans are blessed. There are six games being played in Kansas City. If you don’t have a ticket or plan to travel to KC to take in the excitement near the game, you may be planning to take in a watch party. Perhaps you’re planning to catch the action at City SC, Ballpark Village or 9 Mile Garden. Or maybe you plan to watch the game in the best place for any fan to enjoy a game – your own home.
The best watch parties are often those you throw yourself. Considering the counties competing, there are lots of food choices to consider that can make your watch party a winner. No matter the team you’re rooting for.
Of the six games Kansas City is hosting Curaçao vs Ecuador and Austria vs Algeria spike my interest. Curacao foods reflect a Caribbean cooking emphasize local ingredients as tropical fruits and seafood with Spanish, African and Dutch colonial influences. Ecuadorian foods reflect regional influences, spanning from the Andean highlands, the native home of the potato, to foods sourced from its coastline as plantains to river fish from the Amazon.
And Curacao is home to the Cardinals minor league player Jurrangelo Cjintje who is gaining a lot of attention for being an ambidextrous pitcher. We will have an article on his interest in the game on the site later this week.
Algerian and Austrian can prove a winning duo when you pair Algerian couscous severed as a side with Austrian Schinzel. And bring out the barbie when the U.S, takes on Australia. Grill up what I’ll call a World Cup surf n turf – Australian grilled shrimp and American pork steaks.
No matter which cuisine you serve, savor the international flavors and enjoy the games. The following recipes are provided with a little help from the tourism boards of Curacao, Ecuador and Algeria, along with recipes from I taught at Dierberg’s School of Cooking.
Locro (Ecuadorian Creamy Potato Soup)
¼ cup butter
1teaspoon sweet paprika
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cups water
4 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups half and half
½ pound Munster cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat butter in a large saucepan. Add paprika and onions, sauté for a few minutes. Add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, then add potatoes. Reduce heat until potatoes are just barely tender. Add half and half and stir until potatoes begin to break up. For a smooth soup pantoates can now be mashed or purred using a hand blender. Add in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with a slice or two of avocado.
Serves 6-8.
Curacao Shrimp Ceviche
1-pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup lime juice
¼ cup orange juice
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup diced seedless cucumber
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 small serrano chili, minced, (Seeds removed, if desired to reduce heat)
Sea salt to taste
Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Add the shrimp and cook for minutes, until they turn pink and opaque throughout. Remove for heat, drain and place in a bowl of ice water -chill for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.
Drain the shrimp thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels to avoid diluting the marinade. Chop shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and place them in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Pour lime juice and orange juice over the shrimp, stirring gently to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, allowing the citrus to “cook” the shrimp slightly and infuse flavor.
Add the red onion, diced cucumber, chopped cilantro, minced serrano pepper, and sea salt to the marinated shrimp. Return the ceviche to the refrigerator for another 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Drain off marinade and serve with toasted plantain chips. Serves 4.
Veal Schnitzel
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoon minced parsley
2 tablespoons paprika
pepper to taste
2 eggs, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Extra flour for dusting pork
8 boneless veal cutlets, pounded thin (Can also use chicken breasts)
Oil for sautéing
Parsley and paprika for garnishing
In a dish combine breadcrumbs, flour parsley, paprika, and pepper to taste. In a second bowl place an extra ½ cup flour, and place egg/water mixture in another bowl. Dip cutlets info flour and shake off excess, then dip into egg mixture, then into breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet while finishing the rest. Chill for about 30 minutes to set crumbs. Heat about a 1/4-inch of oil in a large skillet. Sauté over a medium heat until veal is golden brown on each side. Remove cutlets, drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 8.
Lemon Couscous
2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 (10ounce box) couscous
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
½ cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Combine 2 1/4 cups water, oil and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous, lemon zest and juice. Cover and allow to stand until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and toss in remaining ingredients. Makes about 7 cups.
Australian Lime Grilled Shrimp
1/3 cup butter
1 clove garlic, pressed
Juice and zest of 2 limes
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 ½ pounds shrimp, deveined in shell
Salt and pepper
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the garlic, lime juice, zest of 1 lime, chili, and parsley. Drizzle the butter mixture over the shrimp and sprinkle with zest of the second lime. Season with salt and pepper. Skewer shrimp or place on a grill basket and grill. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the flesh is just cooked through and shells are red.
Serves 4-6
Note: shrimp can be shelled before grilled. However, the shells give more flavor and help protect the shrimp during grilling.
Be looking for our article on the Cardinals connection to the World Cup games, elsewhere on this site.
