Here are a list of meals you might want to enjoy while you're watching the World Cup - gives it more of an 'ethnic' feel.

These recipes are compiled according to the groups in which each national team started their campaign.


Group F (Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Japan)

Australia - Garlic Scallops


Ingredients:


500 g scallop flesh
1 medium sized onion, diced finely

4 to 6 cloves of garlic finely chopped or crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil

100 ml pouring cream
4 spring onions sliced Chinese style (at an angle)

a splash of white wine (50 ml)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley


Directions:

Fry garlic and onion with oil in a medium hot pan for 2 minutes, but don't allow to colour. Add scallops, lightly cook on one side for 20 seconds. Continue to rum and cook for another 20 seconds and then remove from pan.
On medium to high heat, add the splash of white wine to pan and reduce for 1 minute, Add cream and reduce until the sauce thickens to a nice coating consistency.

Add scallops, spring onions and gently toss in sauce for about 1 minute, Place scallops on big mound of rice pilaf and pour over sauce, then garnish with chives or parsley.
Note: This lovely dish can be enlarged by the addition of Prawns and most fillets of fish.

Follow up:

Brazil - Moqueca Ensopado (Fish Stew)


Ingredients:


1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons salad oil

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato bisque soup
1 lb fillets of sole or other white fish cut into 2 inch pieces

fresh cilantro to taste (or only if you must, 1 teaspoon of crushed
coriander seeds)

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 minced clove of garlic

teaspoon crushed red pepper


Directions:
Cook onion in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until done, stirring gently from time to time. Serve over white rice. Makes 3 cups.


Croatia - Ajvar (Stewed Zucchini)


Ingredients:

2 lg Zicchini (Eggplants)
6 lg Red or green sweet peppers

Salt
Pepper

1 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Lemon, juiced

1/2 c Oil, preferably olive oil
Parsley, minced


Directions:

Bake zucchini and sweet peppers at 350 F until tender when pierced with a fork.
Peel skin from hot vegetables and chop or mince the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the garlic and lemon juice.

Gradually stir in as much of the oil as the vegetables will absorb. Mix well. Pile into a glass dish and sprinkle with parsley.
Can be eaten as a soup, or used as a sauce.


Japan - Yakitori Domburi (Chicken & Rice)


Yakitori is a sauce usually made with poultry, and it requires no marinating time. Domburi means that the dish is served over rice.


Ingredients:

6 large chicken breast halves
1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin or sake
1 teaspoon minced gingerroot

1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 scallions (with tops), cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
3 cups hot cooked rice


Directions:

Remove bones and skin from chicken breast halves. Mix soy sauce, mirin, gingerroot and garlic in medium glass or plastic bowl. Place chicken in soy mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Drain chicken, reserving soy mixture. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet until hot. Cook chicken over medium heat until brown on both sides and done, about 15 minutes.

Heat water, sugar and reserved soy mixture to boiling in 3-quart saucepan; boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in scallions.
Cut each chicken breast half into 6 diagonal slices by holding the knife or cleaver at a 45 degree angle to the cutting surface. Place 6 slices on rice in soup bowl. Spoon hot liquid over chicken.

Serves 6