Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Netherlands

Goedenavond, grab your clogs, balls of cheese and red light globes we are in the beautiful Netherlands.

  

Long time Don't Boil The Sauce! readers of The Chow Down to Eurovision will be familiar with my connection to Amsterdam, my dear friend Chantal. 

The two previous Netherlands' Chow Down to Eurovision entries have been inspired by my travels and gifts from Chantal and this year is no exception.

I was thrilled when a Christmas parcel arrived from Amsterdam containing a book on Dutch food! She knows me so well! Grazie Bella!

Chantal also sent me the book that is now famous in my Twitter avatar.

(beard has grown a bit, might need a reshoot)

There is so much excitement in writing this post knowing that in a few weeks I will be back in Amsterdam having a croquette with Chantal. Since the last time I saw her she has become a mum to twins and I can't wait to meet the new family.

I know that as AB and I head to Schiphol and bid farewell to the Dutch family I will be wishing for just One More Night....Give me one more day!

Cue Ester Hart with One More Night, the golden diva came 13th in 2003.

Fresh from the tree out the back, you don't get fresher than that!

Dutch Apple Pie recipe adapted from Dutch Delight by Sylvia Pessireron
Ingredients

• 10-12 large apples
• 100g dried currants (soaked in warm water and drained)
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 175g sugar
• 250g butter
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 500g self raising flour
• 50g almond meal
• Extra egg yolk

Method

• Pre heat oven to 190°C
• Peel, core and quarter the apples
• Slice apples thinly
• Coat apples with cinnamon and sugar
• Either in a food processer or by hand mix the sugar, butter, eggs, salt until smooth
• Add flour and knead until it comes together and is no longer sticky
• Grease and flour a 26cm springform round cake tin (original is 28cm, I went for height)
• Cover base and sides with about 1/4 of the dough mix, pressing to try and make it even
• Add almond meal to the base to avoid a soggy bottom
• Layer the apples and currents into the pie, alternating till you have none left
• With remaining dough lay strips on the top of the pie in a traditional criss-cross pattern (or for a Eurovision reveal of the inside, just roll out and cover as you would a..um..pie)
• Brush with beaten egg yolk
• Bake for 50 minutes till golden
• Allow to cool before removing from cake tin (I didn't wait and mine was very crumbly...which isn't really a bad thing really)
• Serve with cream and/or ice cream

What more currants?

It didn't slice up as beautifully as the pie I had in Volendam but the flavour took me straight back there.

 It is common now for many countries to send contestants from X Factor or The Voice but The Netherlands has opted to send a The Voice judge Trijntje Oosterhuis

 Teamed up with the song writing brilliance of Anouk the Netherlands will again send pure class to Eurovision 2015 with Walk Along.

Will Trijntje be able to go one better than the Common Linnets and will we be all dining on bitterballen and apple pie at Eurovision 2016?

I'll turn my chair for this one!
veel success!

Past Netherlands Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Chinese Tomato Soup

2013 Bitterballen



Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Israel

ערב טוב this is Jerusalem, Israel calling.

Last year Israel was extremely popular in Chow Down to Eurovision with their dish Hummus with the Lot.

There is a limit to how much hummus one human can safely consume and without over sharing all I'll say is I know that exact quantity.

We are going to be having breakfast in Israel today with an apple fritter known as Apples in Pyjamas, it tastes just like a donut but it's an apple so you can truly say you only had an apple for breakfast.

Izhar Cohen provides the cardio to burn off our breakfast with Olé, Olé from 1985.

Get out the leg warmers, head bands and smile extenders this is classic 80's jazz ballet at it's Tony Bartuccio best!

Despite winning in 1978 Izhar placed 5th in 1985.

 

 

 

Apples in Pyjamas

Ingredients

• 3 granny smith or other tart apple
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Oil to fry (about a litre)

Method

• Add flour, milk, egg and a pinch of sugar to a jug
• Blend smooth with a hand blender
• Slice apples about 1/2cm thick
• Remove core with a cutter (I had a star cookie cutter)
• Heat the oil in a deep saucepan on high heat (raise and lower heat as required)
• In 2 separate bowls place some extra flour and the batter
• Coat the apple ring in flour
• Dip the apple into the batter and let the excess run off
• Fry for about 1 minute on each side till golden brown
• Coat in cinnamon sugar (add as much or as little cinnamon as you like to a bowl of sugar)
• These would be perfect with ice cream for a quick faux apple pie
• If you work quickly you don't need lemon to stop the apples going brown, the flour also helps to slow the process

 

 

 

Can Mei Finegold and Same Heart bring the Eurovision trophy back to Israel for the fourth time? 

בהצלחה

Haul out the holly with the smell of Christmas spice...

It is amazing the things you find stored on your computer that had been forgotten, I'd once made a fact sheet for a crafty group exercise I had to present.

I'd first made these spice bags during the life's a banquet art show I mentioned in October's In My Kitchen.

The aroma of the spice bags smells just like Christmas cake, mince pies, and pudding, oh my!

On the dinning table used as a place setting they fill the air with the promise of what is to come, plus the guests get to take home a memento of the event.

Spice bags can be used as car air fresheners or in wardrobes to keep clothes fresh and moth free. (I think moths hate cloves)

Materials: 

• Organza bags (my are 7cm x 10cm, but size is up to you)
• Whole spices: cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, all spice
• There is no specific quantity of each spice it is determined by personal preference

Method:

• Put spices in bag (I really can't make it any simpler)
• Tie off the organza bag. If the finished product will be around small children you may wish to sew up the bag to avoid a choking hazard.

Notes:

• Organza bags are available from “$2 type” shops or eBay if you want to do large quantities.
• Spices must be whole and not ground; they are most affordable from Asian grocers or Indian spice stores.
• Some people with Asthma may be affected by strong aromas, always check for allergies.
• Be aware star anise may have sharp points if working with children.
• You can tell the fact sheet was full of OHS warnings!!

The concept has expanded this year with Emergency Christmas in a jar. Instead of breaking glass in an emergency, a quick off with the lid and the perfume of Christmas can relieve any stressful moment. Unless it is Christmas that is your stress and well in that case I have nothing except this 3 point plan:

• It's December 25 every year, the date doesn't change so don't wait to shop on Christmas eve
• Make the day just about what is special to you and yours
• Finally.....it's just a baked dinner, chillax

If you are handy you could drill holes in the lid of the jar to allow the aroma to escape (I'm not)

Cos we all need a little Christmas.......

50 shades of phlegm!

About a month ago our home was hit with a double dose of Man Flu.  A near death experience, I even had 2 days of work, not consecutively, 1 day a week times 2. This was pretty dire as I left my last job taking about 3 sick days in 2 years. Thankfully I can report that all is well and we have survived.

I'm blaming my incapacitation for the lack of blog updates, where as others may attribute it to my hoity toity laziness, but they would never say it to my face.
The staple diet of any man flu casualty is chicken soup, mothers milk. I guess you could add noodles but that would be dependant on the man patient having enough strength to chew.

This is my version, I drank it breakfast, lunch, and dinner till I mentioned having more soup and AB gave me a look that advised against it toot sweet. My solution will feature next post.

Clear Chicken Soup

• 500 grams chicken necks
• 2 large red onions (or any colour you have)
• 2 chilli
• half a bunch of celery
• 3-4 carrots
• 1 head of garlic
• 4cm ginger sliced
• small cinnamon stick
• salt and pepper to taste

Method
There are options here depending on your level of Hoity Toity laziness.
Options 1

• Brown the onions, peeled garlic and chicken necks
• Add the remaining ingredients and cover with hot water.
• Simmer for about 45mins-1hour.
• Strain through a sieve and serve.

Option 2 Lazy version

• Put everything in the pot and cover with water
• I don't even peel the garlic as it is strained anyway.

No glamour photo shop here, this pot only has 1 handle, I must replace it!