Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Malta

Good evening Europe, Sydney, Melbourne and Sunshine* today we are tipping our toes in the warm waters of beautiful Malta.

But first a word from the lovely Maltese warrior Amber who had a message for all her fans in Australia. 

*a small suburb in Melbourne where Amber has family

Sadly in Vienna Malta just missed out on a place in the final coming in eleventh in semi final two.

Delivering such a deliciously strong entry in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 could it be Malta's time to take the top prize here?

I'm sure Amber would still want you to vote for Malta!

Stuffed Olives
Ingredients

• 300-400g olives pitted (I like green Sicilian but use your favourites)
• 95g tuna (canned spring water)
• 3-4 anchovies plus a splash of the oil
• 10g capers
• 1 slice of bread crust removed
• 1 spring onion

Method

• Blend all ingredients expect  olives in a food processor
• Put mixture into a disposable piping bag (you don't want tuna flavoured icing next time)
• Pipe each olive with the tuna mixture

So simple and I just love the colour of the olives....but wait I'm not finished yet!

Because it just isn't Eurovision without a reveal, the olives can also get treatment with flour, egg and Panko and then fried in hot oil till golden.

Salty, crispy, salty goodness, you will need to become a warrior as once these hit the table it will be on for young and old hunger games style!

Past Malta Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Pomegranate molasses ice cream 

2013 Makku- White bait 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Malta

Filgħaxija tajba this is Malta calling and welcome to the start of Semi Final Two in Chow Down to Eurovision 2014.

Last year Malta made it through to the final of Chow Down to Eurovision with tasty little fried white bait, yummo!

This dish was very similar to a Eurovision act with multiple reveals.

I knew that the dish would have pomegranate molasses as I had a beautiful bottle I was busting to use.

Reveal 1 it's going to be an ice cream

Reveal 2 an ice cream sandwich in fact
 
Reveal 3 ditch the sandwich, it's a chocolate podium!

Reveal 4 wish I had thought of it earlier, more seeds and they could be pomegranate mirror balls rather than flying saucers. (next time)

A small insight into how my mind works and the dishes for the Chow Down to Eurovision evolve....ok back to the music.

In 2008 Morena failed to qualify with Vodka, Gin would have been a much better option.....

 

Pomegranate Molasses Ice Cream
Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 100ml pomegranate molasses
• Seeds from 1 pomegranate

Method

• In a heavy base saucepan add milk, cream and heat to just below boiling
• Add egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk
• When milk is hot slowly pour into eggs, while whisking
• Once combined return the custard to the saucepan
• Keep stirring over a low heat until the custard thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Be careful not to overcook it or it will curdle.
• Add the pomegranate molasses and stir through
• Pass through a sieve and either chill on ice or in the fridge overnight. (the faster chill the less crystals)
• Put into ice cream machine and churn as per manufactures instructions
• When halfway through churning add the pomegranate jewels (leaving a few for garnish)
• Sweet, yet tart, yet sweet yet tart!

"Chocolate Podiums"
Ingredients

• 125g butter softened
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 1 orange zest and juice
• 1 egg
• 200g self raising flour
• 30g cocoa

Method

• Cream butter and sugar
• Add egg and beat through
• Add zest and juice of orange
• Add flour and cocoa and mix to combine
• Place about 2 tbsp. into a whoopie pie pan
• Bake at 180°C for 8-10 minutes
• Allow to cool completely before assembling, unless you want a puddle
• To assemble put a scoop of ice cream onto the biscuit and sprinkle some seeds....I know it's some really advanced presentation today!

 Coming Home will be performed by Firelight
While there is no mention of risk assessments will they place higher than Dr Gianluca Bezzina's Tomorrow and have the Eurovision trophy Coming Home to Malta?
 
Xorti tajba!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Malta

Yes hello, this is Valetta calling, we are in beautiful Malta. If Eurovision does nothing for you it should at least help you learn European capital cities. You may remember the little tiny fish that feasted my feet in Amsterdam, well as they say revenge is a dish that is best served fried. This dish was really tough to make because let us be honest here, how can anything fried be bad. I hope that the frying advantage can give Malta a winning chance as they usually send such good entries to Eurovision but are always pipped at the post.

 

Chiara or as she is known in this house "Miss Malta" is the queen of the Maltese "nothing but quality" ballad and placed 3rd in 1998 to Dana International of Israel in 1st and Imaani of the United Kingdom in 2nd place.
Miss Malta came 2nd in 2005 behind the gyrating bare chested Greeks, so being someone that likes patterns (not to a medically alarming level) I advise Malta to send her again so that they can score their first win.

 

This recipe is really addictively moreish but make sure you don't eat the whole 1kg of whitebait between AB and yourself for dinner as you could end up feeling a little poorly, I would imagine, OK, OK so I did it!

Makku - Whitebait
Ingredients

• 1kg whitebait
• 4 eggs
• 4-5 tbsp. plain flour
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1 minced garlic clove (optional)
• Oil for frying
• 1-2 lemons

Method

• Rinse whitebait in a colander under running cold water
• Leave the whitebait whole, head and guts intact, yum!
• In a mixing bowl add the eggs, flour and beat to a lump free batter but not too runny
• Season with salt and pepper
• Add the garlic and parsley to the batter (or leave out garlic and sprinkle parsley over at the end as pictured)
• In a large pot heat the oil on high
• In batches dip the whitebait in the batter and then fry till golden brown
• Reduce the heat of the oil if the whitebait are browning too quickly
• Drain in a metal colander over a bowl to maintain the crispness
• Place on a serving plate and season
• Sprinkle with parsley and add some lemon.

 

 

 

 

 

Will Gianluca be able to do one better than Chiara and secures Malta's first win with Tomorrow?

Xorti tajba!