Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Slovenia

Dober večer this is Slovenia calling.

Slovenia appears to have become the unofficial home of cheese when it comes to the Chow Down to Eurovision.

Last year they were represented by a turkey schnitzel with the most drinkable gorgonzola sauce you may possibly just want a bucket of the sauce and some private time.

 

Today we will have a little less conversation, a little more choreography please!

 

In 2006 Anzej Dean was Mr Nobody in Athens although he was often mistaken for the love child of wolverine and teen wolf. (and before you comment saying it's ridiculous 2 men can't make a baby, pause for a moment to consider one is a werewolf and the other a mutant)

 

Moving on I'm sure everyone will be able to master this choreography before we tackle today's dish.

 

Alternatively you could spend hours watching the clip to try and find AB and I dancing away in the audience (hint read last year's Greece to know you won't see us)

 



 

Slovenian Cheese Cones
Ingredients

• 500g dry ricotta
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 small red capsicum, finely diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. hot paprika
• 1-2 tsp. salt

Method

• Add all ingredients to a bowl and fork gently to combine (you don't want it to become a paste)
• Mould about 2 tbsp. of the mix in your hands into a cone shape
• Not too big or it make collapse in the oven
• Place on a tray lined with baking paper
• Bake for 30 minutes in a 90°C oven, the lower the temp the better, it just about drying them out a bit to firm up.
• Enjoy as a spread on bread or just as they are
• Traditionally they are dried in the sun or next to a wood fired oven....at time of making I had neither.

The perfect way to start a Eurovision dinner.

 

This year's choreography is a touch more challenging and for true authenticity should only be performed in Koper harbour.

 

Round And Round will be performed by Tinkara Kovač, will she take Slovenia through to the finals and beat their highest finals placing of 7th?

Srečno!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Slovenia

Onto our third country in as many days, we really are moving along at a Contiki pace, well maybe just not as drunk. Slovenia's highest placing in a Eurovision final was 7th in 2001 and 1995, after first joining in 1993. Throughout the years Slovenia have been responsible for sending an array of performances to delight audiences from a James Bond theme in 1999, to cross dressing flight attendants, an operatic ET with a light up hand, mild bondage themes and a wolverine look-a-like.



Should I be too embarrassed to admit I made a replica of Slovenia 2003?

 

For the Slovenian dish I came upon a recipe for turkey, it is really just a sneaky way of getting Turkey to be part of the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013. I think this recipe will be a favourite amongst the Australian audience as it seems we love to crumb a poultry breast and cover it in cheese.

Turkey Schnitzel with Gorgonzola sauce

Ingredients

• 4 turkey breast fillets
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used panko)
• Salt and pepper to season
• 1/4 cup oil and a knob of butter fry pan frying

For the sauce

• 60g unsalted butter
• 195g gorgonzola dolce, chopped
• 200ml cream
• pepper to taste

Method

• Beat the egg in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water
• Put the flour and breadcrumbs on 2 separate plates
• Using a meat tenderiser pound the turkey breasts to flatten out a little.
• Coat the turkey in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs
• Heat the oil and butter in a hot frypan
• Pan fry the turkey for 2 mins each side
• Put the turkey on an oven tray and put in a 180 oven for 5-7 mins depending on thickness.
• Season to taste
• Serve blanched broccolini or chips and salad.

To make the sauce

• In a medium saucepan heat the butter over a medium flame
• Add the gorgonzola and cream and stir till melted and combined
• Pepper to taste

It will be Straight into Love for Hannah this year in Malmö,  

Srečno!