Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Moldova

Buna Seara Europe/World we have arrived in Moldova, the first country for Chow Down to Eurovision 2015!  

 

If this is your first time to the Chow Down to Eurovision you will discover that each country will present us with a dish, a Eurovision entry from their past and a taste of this year's contestant.

 

We begin are musical journey into Eurovision history in 2008 when Moldova gave us Century of Love sung by Geta Burlacu. 

Geta has a flexible jazz voice that successfully navigates the scat sections with the trumpeter and in case you were unsure if this was lounge music, they decided to bring one with them.

I think Moldova would score well on The Block as who wouldn't want a lounge room with a cool moody trumpet player at the foot of the sofa??

Wonder if I could get one at Ikea?

Like the great Paul Oskar's 1997 Minn hansti dans for Iceland, I have a lot of respect for someone that can combine entering Eurovision with a lay down on the couch!

Sadly as with last year, 2008 saw Moldova fail to secure a place in the final, which may have had something to do with the teddy bear...great voice, great song, creepy teddy bear.

 

 

 

Our first culinary morsel of 2015 is sure to disappear in a flash from any Eurovision party buffet.

 

Placinte are a pastry covered dumpling/pie/pastie bites of deliciousness.

There are many methods of making and both sweet or savoury varieties.

 

Today Moldova is in the space between both with a chicken and pumpkin variety.

 

The chicken with the hint of garlic champion team savoury with the pumpkin making a very welcomed appearance for team sweet.

 

I suspect Moldova will do well in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 as covering anything in pastry is a good idea really.

 

Chicken and pumpkin placinte (makes 35-40)

Ingredients

• 300g chicken (breast or thigh meat)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion
• 200g pumpkin grated
• Salt and pepper
• Puff pastry (home made or bought see note)
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

• Mince chicken, garlic, onion and a good pinch of salt/pepper in food processer
• Transfer chicken to a bowl and mix through the pumpkin
• Either roll out pastry or thaw some bought sheets
• Brush the pastry with the egg wash
• Cut out rounds with a 9cm cutter
• Place a small spoon of mixture onto the pastry, fold over and seal the edges
• Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden
• Serve with dipping sauce of your choice, I went with sweet chill

Note on pastry: I made the pastry for the placinte featured which adds to the puffed up look, a little like a Eurovision reveal. They go into the oven all neat and oval but come out puffed and gorgeous.

 

I used about 3/4 of a 750g batch to get 40 placinte, so a packet of pastry should be enough to get 30+ depending on the size. My normal pastry recipe is from the Great British Bake Off - How to Bake but there are lots of recipes out there if you are going to make your own.

 

 

 

The offcuts became a very rustic pie

 

 

One plate just isn't enough!

The Moldovan entry to grace the Wiener Stadthalle stage this May will be Eduard Romanyuta with I Want Your Love.

While the selection process was rocked with allocations of vote buying, I think Britney Spears fans will give this song 12 points....ah yeah yeah yeah yeah

noroc!

Past Moldova Chow Down to Eurovision appearances:

2014: Moldovan Fish with Roast Vegetable and Feta Salad

 2013: Moldovan Beetroot Salad

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Moldova

Buna Seara this is Moldova calling and this year is the 10th year of Moldova participating in Eurovision.

So far they have qualified for the final every year bar one and if you ask me an 8:1 success rate is something to be proud of. 

Moldova's highest placing was in their first year of participation but that was with Grandma Bunica so she is a tough act to follow.

As Grandma Bunica featured in last year's Chow Down to Eurovision, we are going to hear from Sunstroke Project and Olia Tira with Run Away, they could have done with adding a Grandma.

 They placed 22nd

 

There is one performer in this act that lasts a lot longer than the official 3 minutes,  
Epic Sax Man which thanks to someone's hard work looping and YouTube you can enjoy for 10 HOURS!! 

That's almost longer than the voting.
 

I'm not sure if he has a nasal spray or blue pill but that's what I call longer lasting SAX!

This recipe was inspired by a Moldovan fish baked in a vegetable sauce, now I'm all for togetherness but I thought it might be nice to have the vegetables as a cold salad instead....yep, I never win friends:( 

 

Moldovan Fish with Roast Vegetable and Feta Salad
Ingredients

• 500g white fish (I went for a chunky rockling)
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
• 5 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 5 brown mushrooms, quartered
• 1 large leek, sliced 1 cm thick
• 1 red capsicum, cut into rough chunks
• 50g feta crumbled

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Place tomato, mushrooms, leeks, and capsicum on a baking paper lined tray(s)
• Lightly splash with olive oil and salt and pepper
• Roast for 30 minutes then allow to cool
• Marinate the fish for about 10 minutes in, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and 1/2 the chopped chives
• Heat an oven proof frypan on high heat
• Lightly pat dry the fish and fry for about 3 minutes on each side
• Put the frypan in the oven to finish the fish for about 10-15 minutes (internal temp of 63°C for those playing My Kitchen Rules along at home)
• The cooking really depends on how think you fish is so go with your gut (and thermometer)
• Combine all vegetables in a bowl and add feta and any remaining chives
• If required add another splash of olive oil
• The feta should take care of the salt component, but you better have a taste just to be sure.
• Slice the fish or serve whole on a plater to be shared
• The next time I make this I want to add rocket to the salad, it needs more green

 

Wild Soul (appropriate for a fish dish) will be performed by Cristina Scarlat for Moldova on the 6th of May (7th Australian time)

 

Will she continue the great final strike rate this year?

 

Noroc and happy 10th anniversary Moldova!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Moldova

I hope everyone made it through customs without a starring role in border security and is ready for the delights of Moldova. If you are a long time reader (first time commenter) to my blog you will be aware of my obsessive love of all things purple and my inability to not tear up at the sight of a grandmother. No seriously people we have been through this, you only need to say the words Maggie Beer and I well up.

So today is a celebration of both. For the grandmother we have Grandma Boonika, reportedly a neighbour/cousin of the band Zdob şi Zdub who they just had to bring along to the 2005 contest. I find her a true inspiration proving that you're never too old for Eurovision, there is hope for me yet. If you need me I'll be out the back practicing my little turns.

Now for the purple I found a Moldovan beetroot salad, that is so delicious with just the right balance of creamy texture and hint of garlic. You need to boil the beetroots but I suppose if you are "time poor" and don't actually like the people you are cooking for you could always use beetroot from a can. (Insert disapproving glare here) 

They placed 6th and I'm sure most of it was due to Gran.

 

 

Moldovan Beetroot Salad

Ingredients

• 4 Medium beetroots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 90g walnut crumbs
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt

Method

• Put beetroot into a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted water
• Bring the water to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes till the beetroots are tender
• When tender, remove beetroot from the saucepan and allow to cool
• Peel beetroot (or leave skin on) and grate into a mixing bowl
• Mince the garlic in a garlic crusher and add to beetroot
• Add remaining ingredients to the beetroot and stir to combine
• Salt to taste
• Let sit for an hour or 2 before serving (or eat straight away it's still yum)
• You can also garnish with extra walnut crumbs if you wish

 

Moldova will present O Mie sung by Aliona Moon in 2013.

noroc!