By Leigh O'Connor.
As Blues coach Brad Fittler axed five players amid seven changes for Origin III on Wednesday, July 12, Maroons' fans merely smiled and ensured they were recipe ready for the big event.
To avoid a clean sweep at the hands of the Cane Toads, NSW also has to deal with injuries and history – the team has not won 3-0 since 2000, while the Maroons now have the chance to join four other Queensland teams as undisputed victors.
Whoever you support, there is no need to go hungry while watching the action – check out these four recipes to take footy food to a new level:
What could be more Origin than sliders with red onion marmalade and blue cheese – red onion for the Maroons and blue cheese for the Cockroaches. Curtis Stone takes something as familiar as a burger and makes it really special with the addition of the marmalade, which can be used for everything from sausages to pork chops, crackers and cheese.
Spicy rocket and sharp blue cheese pair perfectly with the rich beef and sweet marmalade; serve these for Origin and no matter which team you support, you’ll be the player of the game.
Everyone loves finger food that can be eaten with one hand during a footy battle so the other hand can be gamefully employed on drinks duty! Try these grilled pork belly skewers with a Japanese-inspired marinade of soy, dashi, sake and mirin to feed the hoards come Wednesday night.
No need to barbeque these babies - although if you are in Queensland, that could be possible – you can cook them under the grill in the oven, or even pan fry for a succulent, tender temptation, best enjoyed with an icy brew.
It’s such a culinary kicker to bite through the well-seasoned, crunchy crust of Korean fried chicken to reveal the juicy meat underneath. This recipe gives that thin, crispy, crunchy crust along with a spicy red sauce.
Also known as ‘the other KFC’, Korean fried chicken is highly popular in and outside the country, with the industry growing rapidly from fast-food fried chicken chains to Mum and Pop local venues, all with their own techniques, secret ingredients and variations.
Let’s not forget the vegetarians out there come game time…after all, they get hungry too. Jamie Oliver’s curried cauliflower fritters are ideal to serve with a ranch dipping sauce or simply with a dash of sea salt and splash of lemon.
Beer batter makes these morsels super crispy and moreish, ideal for kicking the opposition into submission as you score with a recipe that even carnivores will celebrate!
