Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Latvia

Labvakar Latvia,winner of Chow Down to Eurovision 2014!
This is Melbourne calling, Hello, it's me, I was wondering oh never mind...

If you follow the Chow Down to Eurovision (and really who wouldn't) you will know I have wanted to make Latvia liverwurst for the past three years.

This year the plan was going to happen but unfortunately I couldn't get the pork livers for the farmer so it was onto plan B.  

Latvia is dare I say the most inspirational country in the Chow Down to Eurovision. While it's true Belarus provided us with Cheesecake, Latvia gave us Cake to Bake and now Love Injected.  

How is Love Injected food related? It indicates a filling....natch.

So what would be the natural receptacle for a liverwurst filling? Doughnuts of course, I can't believe there was even a second of doubt.

A liverwurst filled doughnut is the delicious realisation of the term Love Injected!

Latvian Liverwurst Doughnuts (30 doughnuts)

• 500g strong flour
• 14g yeast
• 40g caster sugar
• 10g salt
• 2 eggs
• 50g softened unsalted butter
• 250ml milk
• 25 ml water
• Icing sugar to roll
• 100g Latvian liverwurst
• 80ml cream
• 2 pork belly rashers
• 1 tbsp. honey

Method

• Heat 100 ml of milk in the microwave for 1 minute
• Add it to the remaining milk and water
• Add to a stand mixer flour, yeast, caster sugar, salt, eggs and butter
• Knead adding most of the liquid but retaining about 25ml
• While kneading add the remaining liquid if it is required, the dough should be soft and moist
• When dough is elastic (about 5-7 minutes) place in a oiled bowl
• Let rise for about an hour covered in plastic wrap
• Divide the dough into 30 pieces
• Roll each piece into a ball and place on floured bake paper to rise again
• Let prove covered in plastic warp for about 30 minutes till they spring back when touched
• Heat a pot of canola or sunflower oil (or deep fryer) to about 180°C
• I adjust the heat throughout the cooking as you see if they brown too quicker or are taking too long.
• Gently place the donuts in the oil about 5 at a time
• Flip them over when you can see the bottom is golden about 1-1.5 minutes
• When golden all over, drain on kitchen paper
• Roll in icing sugar
• When cool fill with liverwurst cream and top with pork crumb

Liverwurst cream

• Lightly whip the cream before mixing through the liverwurst 

Pork Crumb

• Roast the pork rashers in 180°C oven for about 30 minutes till crisp
• Allow to cool and then blitz in a food processor with the honey

I had the pleasure of meeting Aminata in Vienna while assisting her and Molly from Ireland and their backing singers take selfies. 

Aminata was very polite as I told her how her song had inspired the liverwurst doughnut, though I'm sure she was thinking what on earth is this bloke raving on about! 

A liverwurst doughnut is best tasted rather than describe the sweet, salty, meaty experience....pass me some beer icecream.

...And I was amazed how some people fan for the Eurovision here, in Vienna😍!

A photo posted by Aminata (@aminata_savadogo) on May 13, 2015 at 4:44pm PDT

One should always get selfies from multiple angles

After not qualifying for the Eurovision finals since 2009 Aminata's powerful voice and song secured them 6th place in the final.

The quality of an artist is evident when they can deliver an amazing performance sitting on a sofa with just a guitar and a great ensemble of singers.

Past Latvia Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Latvian Honey and Walnut Cake Winner Chow Down to Eurovision 2014

2013 Latvian Cucumber Salad

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Latvia

Labvakar (Good Evening) Saucers, this is Latvia calling.

You may remember from Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 that I had my heart set on making Latvian liverwurst till disaster struck when my old oven broke!

So this year it was definitely going to be liverwurst until it was announced that Latvia would sing Cake to Bake in Copenhagen.

So when you are given inspiration like that naturally you have a Cake to Bake!

If anyone reading this is thinking of entering the Latvian national finals next year, just think liverwurst.

Here's a head start "without you my world is cursed, I'll never forget your tasty liverwurst".
I'm sure it would sound much better in Latvian.

Latvia pulled off a win in 2002 with only their 3rd entry to the contest, I Wanna by Marie N.
Sadly since Intars Busulis with Probka (2009) they have been unable to qualify for the finals.

I've pick this song as today's hit from Eurovision's past as I enjoy the changing rhythms and I love an act that has a BYO projector screen.

 

Latvia also failed to qualify for the final of Chow Down to Eurovision in 2013 so I'm hoping this honey and walnut cake will put them over the line.
 

The glucose was added when I had run out of honey while doing another test batch, AB without knowing said it had more of a honey taste, plus it is so much easier to spread so it stayed.
 

 

Latvian Honey and Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 200g honey
• 100g glucose
• 2 large eggs
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsps. bi carb soda
• 600ml sour cream
• 250g mascarpone
• 150g caster sugar
• 125g walnut crumbs
• plus extra walnuts and honey to garnish

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• In a mixing bowl combine honey, glucose and eggs
• Sift in flour and bi carb soda
• Fold through till well combined
• Spread thin layers on 5 lined baking trays (or repeat 5 times if you have 1 tray)
• Bake at 180°C for about 3-4 minutes
• They should be golden, risen a little and not crispy
• Lay on a lined wire rack to cool, slowly removing the baking paper while still warm
• Allow to cool completely
• In a mixing bowl beat the sour cream, mascarpone, and caster sugar till smooth
• Place 1 layer of cake onto a board or serving plate
• Cover with a thickish layer of filling and sprinkle with 1/5 of the walnut crumbs
• Repeat with remaining cake and filling
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
• To serve either trim up the edges of the cake or leave it rustic
• Garnish with extra walnuts and a drizzle of honey
• Figs would also be a very welcomed guest artist  

 

 So moist and addictive reminiscent of a caramel chocolate ripple cake (or scallywag cake depending on where you grew up) 

 

This year Latvia will be represented by Aarzemnieki who have a Cake to Bake but hopefully after reading this they will definitely know how.

 

Could 2014 be the year to break the 5 year drought of Latvia not qualifying for the finals?

 

A song about cake has to have a good chance, who doesn't like cake???

 lai jums veicas!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Latvia

Welcome to Latvia and the start of the second semi final in the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013. Since Latvia hosted the contest in 2003 and an appropriate menu item was needed to celebrate I have loved Latvian liverwurst, that smooth creamy meat paste on a warm buttered English muffin..........oh sorry where was I?

The natural choice to represent Latvia this year in the Chow Down was Liverwurst and I was so looking forward to making it until disaster struck! If you follow me on twitter* you'll know my oven has broken! I opened the door and heard a hell of a crack and now the oven door wont stay closed. The poor old thing I suspect is older than I am so she had a good innings but I say it will be a little while before she is replaced for with younger shiner model. Thankfully I had completed the baking for most of this Chow Down so not too many countries have been affected.

Latvia and my liverwurst will have to wait unfortunately but it has been replaced with a much better option health wise anyway.

*If you're not following me on Twitter why aren't you?? @dbtsauce

Our past Eurovision hit is an homage to my broken oven, I'd ask why my oven breaks in the middle of the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 but only Mr God knows why! I could have asked if there are a lot of out of tune notes in this one but I know the answer to that, enjoy.

Latvian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients

• 2 large cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 100ml sour cream
• 2 tbsp. chopped dill plus extra
• juice of a small lemon
• salt and pepper

Method

• Slice the cucumbers and onion finely (I used the food processer)
• In a large bowl mix the sour cream, dill, lemon juice
• Add the cucumbers and onions
• Mix to combine and season to taste
• Sprinkle with extra dill to garnish 

Fittingly Here we go by PeR is a first taste of semi final 2, will we see them again in the final?

lai jums veicas!