We picked Argentina because we were yet to do one of the South American countries, and Mr W just so happened to have an Argentina football shirt at the ready. Also, this was one of the first countries where we have an actual recommendation from a player! Although we didn't actually cook our meat asado style, as recommended by former Wycombe Wanderers midfielder Sergio Torres, we did our best to do Argentina proud!
We kicked off our evening listening to songs from Evita and then had some Argentine tango music playing in the background. We were about to try a little Tango ourselves but
(a) there is hardly room to swing a cat in our apartment
(b) we would have sounded like two pet elephants to our neighbours downstairs - and the last thing we'd want is them knocking on the door and catching us mid-tango!
The Menu
- Spicy empanadas and chorizo
- Argentinian rib eye steak with roasted potatoes and chimichurri sauce
- Divine dulce de leche
The starter was accompanied by the beer Quilmes, and to serve with the main course a bottle of Argentinian red wine called Ché.
When researching typical Argentinian/South American foods, the most common recipe I came across was the empanada, which is, I guess their answer to the pasty. Considering the fact that I worked right next door to the head office of Greggs for ten years this made me giggle (for anybody who flies into Newcastle airport – check out the Greggs' pasty signs on your way into the baggage area).
The dulce de leche looked relatively easy to make, and I decided to have a go at making it myself. Big mistake, big - huge! And indeed I, (or rather Mr W) had to go shopping to buy proper dulce de leche. Mine looked and tasted like sweet, lumpy wall paper paste with crushed beetles in it. But we can't get it right all of the time. I think my mistake was just that I was too impatient to let the evaporated and condensed milk simmer away and thought I knew what I was doing by putting corn flour in there – wrong!
The Verdict
Another sterling meal, my favourite part was the empanadas – the pastry was crunchy and golden on the outside and the filling slightly spicy, very nice. The main course was also really good, but the meat sweats really started to kick in quite soon. I think it was because it was a huuuuuge chunk of meat and I started to feel tired just thinking about eating it.
It was cooked quite rare, which I love but Mr W was not so keen. The chimichurri sauce was the saving grace as it made an already very good cut of meat absolutely sing with flavour and texture. Marks out of ten – a very respectable seven.
It was cooked quite rare, which I love but Mr W was not so keen. The chimichurri sauce was the saving grace as it made an already very good cut of meat absolutely sing with flavour and texture. Marks out of ten – a very respectable seven.
You'll find all of the recipes we used to make tonight's World Cup dinner at this site, and if you are in Paris and want authentic Argentinian products or cuts of meat visit Carnar in the 7eme arrondissement.
Remember you can follow us on twitter @worldcupdinners for more photos and suggestions of authentic World Cup dinners.
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