The 2014 World Cup

ByGitanjali Roche, 06/02/2014

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Welcome to the Gourmandize World Cup recipe countdown!

We all know Pele and Ronaldhino, but do you know cachaca and cassava? Brazilian cuisine remains elusive to most of us, so we asked our Brazilian parners Receitas sem Fronteiras to help us cook our way through the World Cup! To get you in the mood for the games, we'll post one Brazilian recipe each day until the kickoff.

But first, here are some of the essential ingredients of Brazilian cuisine!

Cassava

Brazil is the world's largest consumer of the cassava root. Also known as manioc or tapioca root, it's a gluten-free vegetable that's easy to digest and easy to cook. In fact, it's a great side dish to the Brazilian national dish, feijoada! You can bake it into a cake, fry it to make cassava chips, or use it in any dish as a substitute to potatoes.

Lime Juice

Lime juice is full of vitamin C and therefore great to boost your immune system! Use lime juice to add some zest to any meal. Try sprinkling it on grilled fish, pulled pork or roast chicken. It's an essential ingredient of Brazilian cuisine, especially since combined with cachaca, it makes the world famous Caipirinha cocktail!

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is an extremely versatile ingredient, and one that is featured in the Brazilian Moqueca de Peixe, a traditional dish from Bahia that's similar to a fish or shrimp stew. You can use coconut milk as a susbtitute for cream in your cooking or as a base for any sauce, and you can even use it in desserts for an added exotic touch.

Brazilian Recipe Countdown!

Chef Tips and Tricks

VIDEO: Crispy Zucchini Potato Cakes

Combine summer zucchini with leftover mashed potatoes for a delicious, savory treat!

INGREDIENTS

5 Potatoes
1.5 Cup shredded zucchini
3/4 Cup shredded cheese
3/ Cup milk
1/3 Cup coriander, chopped
1/3 Cup basil, chopped
Parmesan, to sprinkle
Salt and pepper, to season

METHOD

Chop the potatoes in half, boil until very tender and drain.
In a bowl, combine the potatoes and zucchini. Add the grated cheese, milk, coriander, basil, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
On a baking tray, spoon out the zucchini-potato mixture and form into balls.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and grated cheese, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
When golden, remove from oven... and enjoy!