Favorite Regional Dishes from Competing Olympic Countries

The Daily Meal
Times, scores, and medals aside, these countries make a mean dish in the kitchen
Times, scores, and medals aside, these countries make a mean dish in the kitchen

With the Olympics in full swing, there's lots of buzz about who's winning gold and what sport is up next. After a jam-packed weekend, Olympic spectacles are already stealing the headlines - covering everything from record-breaking times and expulsions to drug testing. In light of controversies and gold medals, we're taking it a step further at The Daily Meal and thinking about the games in terms of food.

Click here to see Favorite Regional Dishes from Competing Olympic Countries

Along with being known for their athletic prowess, some of the competing Olympic countries are quite savvy in the kitchen as well. As announcers recalled the ancient Greek origins of the Olympics, we thought about how much we love Greek spreads, and while Americans were appalled when they saw Frenchman Yannick Agnel beat Ryan Lochte and the American team in the men's 4x100 free relay on Sunday, we wondered how his bouillabaisse tastes. The Spaniards are out of the soccer tournament this year? More time for them to make some simple yet satisfying pan con tomate. And while Chile hasn't made any major strides yet in terms of the games, we bet a Chilean tres leches cake tastes pretty good in their chic Brooks Brothers 2012 Olympic gear.

Whatever the story is, our minds keep racing back to our favorite regional dishes from competing Olympic countries. Make them in honor of your favorite country, or make them because they're the only thing you might enjoy about that team - no matter who you're rooting for in whichever sport, these recipes win the gold at The Daily Meal.

AUSTRIA -Wienerschnitzel with Warm Potato Salad

Sure, you may have heard a lot about Austria's top Olympic official resigning amid controversy, but have you ever tried the country's signature dish, wienerschnitzel? This recipe by Wolfgang Puck is straightforward but incredibly flavorful.

Click here to see the Wienerschnitzel with Warm Potato Salad Recipe



CHILE -Tres Leches Cake

While Chile hasn't had a notable event yet at the 2012 games, this tres leches cake by Todd English certainly has. We hope their athletes in two well-known sports, equestrian and boxing, are as successful as this recipe.

Click here to see the Tres Leches Cake Recipe




GREECE -Roasted Pepper & Feta Spread

Greece may have grabbed your attention with the recent expulsion of a certain triple jumper and her social media comments, but what really strikes us is how good their traditional htipiti spreads are. We love this recipe by chef Michael Psilakis because it's easy to make and has a salty kick from the feta.

Click here to see the Roasted Pepper & Feta Spread Recipe



Credit: P.J. Clarke's
Credit: P.J. Clarke's

AMERICA -P.J. Clarke's Cadillac Burger

When you think American, you might think about Olympians Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin, but we're also thinking of the all-American classic: the cheeseburger. This recipe from P.J. Clarke's lets you enjoy the "Cadillac" burger when you're not fortunate enough to visit one of the restaurant's locations.

Click here to see the P.J. Clarke's Cadillac Burger Recipe


Bouillabaisse, David Myers

Along with winning seven medals already this year in the games, the French are also praised for their elegant bouillabaisse dish - outside the games, that is. This rendition of the French classic was created by David Myers at Los Angeles' Comme Ça.






INGREDIENTS

For the stew:
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced, top reserved
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound sea bass fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces, bones and heads reserved
• 1 pound snapper fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces, bones and heads reserved
• 3/4 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
• 3/4 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Toasted baguette, for garnish

For the rouille:
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 red chile, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, cut into 1-inch dice and cooked, reserved in cooking liquid
• Fine sea salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the stew:
Combine the fennel top, thyme, bay leaf, and saffron threads together in a sachet. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, and sauté the fish bones, heads, and shrimp shells for 5 minutes. Add the onions, shallots, tomatoes, and garlic. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the vegetables become soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the sachet and the Pernod, turn the heat to high and boil until the Pernod evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add enough water to cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove sachet from the mixture, blend and strain it.

Place the mixture back into the large pot, bring to a boil, and add the sea bass and snapper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the mussels and shrimp. Continue simmering until the shellfish is cooked, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

For the rouille:
In a food processor, blend together the egg yolks, garlic, mustard, chile, and cayenne. Add the potatoes and blend. Begin adding the oil in a steady stream until all is incorporated. Add the vinegar, and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. If the rouille is too pasty, add a few drops of water to smooth it out. Serve spread on toasted baguette slices or stirred into the stew.

- Anne Dolce, The Daily Meal