If I were his World Cup Chef: Sulley Muntari (Ghana)

This story is #18 of 32, in my "If I were their World Cup Chef" series. Each post honors one world football player from each of the 32 national teams at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. As my muses, each inspires a recipe that I am privileged to offer as my gift ... to thank them for making the world more beautiful.

If you are following the Original LA Farmers Market/Monsieur Marcel recipe series, the end of recipe has grocery shopping tips.

How could I not know that the World Cup emotional rollercoaster would continue for me, even after my first two loves (Italy and France) went home? I am having a really hard time seeing some of my favorite, beautiful, grown men overcome with emotion and, cry.

That would include Sulley Muntari, 25, who scored Uruguay's only regulation time goal ~ a bullet from 40 yards away ~ in their final match (and, fyi, had also looked quite irresistible in June's Vanity Fair issue clad in only his briefs). I couldn't bear it, I had to turn off the TV as Ghana left the field after the quarterfinal with Uruguay yesterday, having lost in penalty kicks.

Even though my beautiful muse has not perhaps been the favorite darling of his national team coach (Friday was his first start in this World Cup), he plays with tremendous pride and passion and always promises his 100%.

He loved what it meant to be Africa's final reps in the tournament and said, It's like you are playing behind your house. You have all the people, all the continent behind you so it is a good feeling. I was moved to read this story (with photo) of how the team was invited to Nelson Mandela's home after their last match, with gratitude that they had truly won the hearts of their continent. By now they have returned to Ghana with their heads held high.

Muntari has spent most of his professional career in Italy, which is of course what originally endeared him to me. Other than time with youth teams in Africa and a short spell in England, he played with Udinesese for five seasons, and he has now been with InterMilan since 2008.

His homeland Ghana is a nation of tremendous diversity, and the food culture figures accordingly. Flavors are quite sophisticated with enthusiastic experimentation of exotic ingredients, notes, and textures. Sweets and desserts do not appear to be typical specialties, even though cocoa is one of the country's top cash crops ~ often called black gold.

Never mind that chocolate might not yet be a Ghanaian signature, it may become so once he tastes my inspired recipe.

If I were his World Cup Chef, I would have to bake a chocolate cake, one with the absolute essence of feel-better ~ that of sunny orange. Italy loves the combination of orange and chocolate, and he has said that he has settled well in my motherland. I would start with my simple chocolate cake recipe, and twist it up with orange in the batter and the glazed topping. Then I would dip fresh orange segments in dark African chocolate and pose them on top, in a design that looks like swirling sunshine.

My heartfelt intention would be to remind him that a bright, cheery, and hopeful spring will indeed follow the winter he may be experiencing right now.

Feel-better Chocolate Cake with Orange, for Sulley Muntari

1 cup flour
1/2 cup fine-quality dark cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
Zest of one fresh orange
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup warm or cold strong coffee

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 fine-quality milk chocolate bar, broken in pieces
Juice and zest of one fresh orange, for glaze
Segments of one fresh orange, patted dry, dipped in dark chocolate, chilled

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 8" round cake pan with cooking spray. Line pan bottom with cut-round-to-fit paper towel or parchment paper.

Sift together first 8 ingredients into large mixing bowl. In separate medium bowl, combine zest, oil, vanilla, egg, milk. Stir into dry ingredients. When just blended, add coffee; stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until tester inserted comes out clean. After 30 minutes, when cake is cool, turn out onto large plate and peel away paper towel/parchment.

Prepare glaze by heating cream in small saucepan until just hot. Add chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and creamy, remove from heat. Stir in orange juice and zest. Gently pour over cake, allowing excess to drain over sides of cake. Place chocolate-orange segments on top of cake in design that resembles sunshine rays. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Yields 8 servings.

Where to shop ~
for specialty ingredients and pantry staples, I love Monsieur Marcel
for produce, Farm Fresh and Farm Boy Produce
for breads/pastries, Thee's Continental Pastries, Monsieur Marcel, Breadworks
for fresh seafood, Bob Tusquellas Seafood Market
for meats, Huntington Meats, Marconda's Meats
for things hot, Light My Fire