Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - France

Bonsoir Europa this is Paris calling for the next installment of our Eurovision food tour....does anyone have a breath mint?

France's entry is a dish that I have wanted to do since the birth of the Chow Down to Eurovision, forty clove garlic chicken because I am garlic obsessed.

I could go on and on about my love of garlic but as this is the second last country I think it's best to....what is French for "just get on with it"?

Forty Clove Garlic Chicken with Creamy Garlic Sauce
Ingredients

• 40 cloves of garlic (skin on) 
• 1kg chicken thighs 
• 1kg chicken legs 
• .5kg chicken wings 
• 30mls olive oil 
• 30g lard 
• 1 large carrot 
• 1 leek 
• 2 stalks celery with leaves 
• Sprigs of parsley 
• Sprigs a thyme 
• Sprigs of tarragon 
• 250ml white wine 
• 80ml cream 

Method

• Cut the carrots into small batons (or just chop) 
• Roughly chop leek and celery 
• Add carrots, leek and celery to a large baking dish (one with a lid) 
• Add a handful of garlic cloves 
• Chop a couple of sprigs of herbs and add to vegetables 
• In a deep frypan heat the oil and lard and brown the chicken in batches (be careful this is a spitter) 
• Arrange the chicken in the baking dish and cover with remaining garlic 
• Add a few more sprigs of herbs 
• Pour the wine into the frypan and then pour over the chicken 
• Bake at 180 °C for 1 hour with the lid on 
• After 1 hour bake a further 15 minutes at 200°C lid off 
• Remove chicken and most of the garlic and vegetables from the baking tray onto a serving plate 
• Pass the liquid and any remaining garlic or vegetable through a sieve into a medium saucepan 
• Skim some of the fat off the top 
• Bring to the boil and whisk through 1-2 tablespoons of flour 
• When thickened add 1/3 cup thick cream 
• Pass the sauce through a sieve for an extra smooth sauce 
• Serve with extra sauce, roasted garlic and a crunchy baguette

A delicious base

Browned and ready to go in the oven

Golden and juicy the way chicken should be!

Who doesn't love a glistening thigh?

Lisa Angell delivered an incredible performance for France with one of best uses of video wall the contest has every seen! Yes I heard the people sing and I was ready to raise my banner high, unbelievably France scored just 3 points and come 25th!

I'm not sure what the voters were watching but I don't think it was this??

Past France Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Tarte Tartin

2013 Liver and Jam

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - France

Bonsoir, this is France calling, where things have gotten a little hairy both physically and emotionally.

Things may have been a bit cursed for this entry as there were a few hiccups, one being that the first time I typed it, working on the HTML I managed to clear the post the split second before it autosaved....oh well, start again.

The birth of this year's entry for France was a moment of fate.

I had bought my dear "Manu Feildel obsessed" friend MP a cookbook for her birthday (autographed... I am an awesome friend) so when he was launching his new book at his new Melbourne restaurant of course I had to escort her. (we paid not a sponsored post)

So after the meal and after they had revived some of the ladies and a couple of gentlemen from hyperventilating with a severe case of Manu lust there was a photo opportunity.

I was official photographer while MP had another book signed and hoped for a marriage proposal. 

She told Manu how I had given her an autographed book for her birthday to which he said I must have got a lot of brownie points for.

We did laugh about how he thought we were a couple, though MP didn't laugh as much when I said I was sure he thought she was on the better end of the deal.

So, ok, the birth of the dish...

While Manu was asking what we thought about the food, I pressed on and went straight into the "ok, so a Eurovision of food, what dish should represent France?"

While he was deliberating I could see my friend was having an issue using my camera to which I offered some assistance, "it's upsidedown love..."

"tarte tatin, it's upside down!" exclaimed Manu, and so that is how this entry was born.

We could even go so far as to say she was Manu's muse but that may put her over the edge........

It's lovely to see how excited he was to meet the guy from Don't Boil The Sauce!

Louisa Baileche continues our facial hair theme, as in 2003 she may have put her face in a tarte tatin before she went on stage as no matter how she flicked her hair it wasn't going anywhere, poor love.

Given it was Manu's suggestion I felt it would be a tad awkward not to use his recipe, unfortunately it wasn't in either of the books MP had.

A Google search revealed this version from Boy's Weekend which sadly I report doesn't work if you follow the method listed as you just end up with fried sugar.

For the caramel on the tarte tatin pictured I consulted the recipe in John Whaite Bakes At Home and then followed what I thought would work.

Worrying about what I should publish here as I didn't just want to say, thanks for the idea Manu, but your recipe doesn't work, I went back to Manu's website and found a copy of the recipe with instructions that look like they would work much better. (If only I was clever enough to try there first instead of relying on Google results!)

My twist to this apple tarte tatin is candied citron for that extra burst of flavour and I love the way it almost disappears into the caramel.

I will workshop my own version with the citron and a puff pastry base and publish that at a later date, when I'm sure it all works.

Till then this is Manu's version with the correct method.

Perfect just barely warm with some thick cream or ice cream.

Bon appetite!

 

Twin Twin wanted a Moustache in Copenhagengen but barely managed a whisker.

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - France

Bonjour, bonsoir, bienvenue Madame et Monsieur, while French is an official language of Eurovision if I keep going on with this things could get messy.
France is famous for its cuisine and today's recipe comes from a Frenchman I worked with several years back, let's call him François shall we.

He was 6 foot, early 40's salt and pepper hair with more salt than pepper and always dressed with such style people would actually swoon.

I used to find it hilarious that when he spoke, not a word of a lie, there were times when people audibly gasped. One day while dodging lusty bypassers we were discussing offal as one does.

He told me of a childhood treat of pan fried liver with raspberry jam, I told him he was nuts but as adventurous as ever I had to try it.
While his voice did nothing for me I did love his liver, you know what I mean.

Catherine Ferry sang Un, Deux, Trois with such energy in 1976 that she came 2nd and made it to the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013. No matter how hard I try I just can't get the clap, I hope you have better luck.

Liver and Jam

Ingredients

• 1 small liver (lambs fry)
• Seasoned flour
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. oil

Method

• Cut liver into thin slices
• Coat in the seasoned flour
• Pan fry in butter and oil on medium heat for about 1-2 minutes till cooked through
• Serve spread with raspberry jam, just trust me, oh and François.

Raspberry Jam
Ingredients

• 300g raspberries
• 150g sugar
• Juice of ½ a lemon

Method

• Simmer on low for about 30 mins, till the jam holds it shape on a chilled plate.
• Too simple!

 

 

Amandine Bourgeois will try her best for France on Saturday night with L'enfer Et Moi.

Bonne chance!