In Chow Down to Eurovision 2013, Ukraine was represented by pork crackling and chocolate sauce, don't screw up your noses, this is way better than any salted caramel!
It was enough to get them to the final though they didn't make the top ten.
Our blast from the past is from many years ago............2012.
Gaitana sang a powerful welcome Be My Guest and it reminds me that sometimes as food loving hosts our force feeding of people can be a little full on...though I know the really love it!
Gaitana came 15th in the finals.
After last year pork crackle I thought it might be nice to explore a vegetarian option this year.
Potato and Kale Ukrainian Dumplings
Ingredients
- 400g plain flour
- 250ml butter milk
- 1 egg
- salt
- 3 medium potatoes
- 10 kales leaves
- 25g butter
- 1 small red onion
- 150 g cheese grated (I like the sweetness of massdam )
- Salt & pepper
- Oil for frying
Pastry
- Add flour, buttermilk, egg and pinch of salt to a stand mixer or mixing bowl
- Combine and knead till elastic (about 5 minutes in the stand mixer)
- You may need to add a little more flour if your dough is too wet, but you also don't want it too dry
- Let rest for about 30 minutes
- Add potatoes to a pot of cold water and boil till tender
- Add the kale leaves to the boiling water for about 10 minutes and then refresh in cold water
- When the potatoes are tender, pass them through a ricer with medium holes (or very lightly mash)
- Add butter to potato but don't stir it in yet, just let it melt
- Thinly slice the kale into strips, add to potatoes
- Finely dice red onion and add to hot potatoes
- Stir very gently so that the mix remains light and not a gluggy potato mash
- Allow to cool (10-15 minutes in the freezer should do the trick)
- Roll the pastry out on a floured bench to about 2-3mm thick, if it is too thick it won't cook through before brown/burning
- Cut out 8 cm circles using a glass, cutter or whatever you normally use (I think we all have our goto circle cutter. Mine is a glass AB's parents brought back from Las Vegas, that the dishwasher washed all the writing off!)
- The dough is very springy, so you may need to re roll to keep it stretched
- Gently mix the grated cheese through the filling and season to taste
- Take a small spoon of the filling and add to the centre of a pastry circle
- Fold the circle over the filling to make a semi circle
- Squeeze the edges together to seal, it is a self sealing dough (brushing with water made it not stick)
- Decorate the edges of the dumplings, either crimping, or turned in, it's up to you. As you can see from the photos it is a skill I am yet to master, I think I was happy with 2 of the 50 I made.....oh well better make more to practice!
- Heat oil in a sauce pan or deep fryer to about 180°C
- Fry in batches for around 2-3 mins till golden and the dough is cooked through
- Drain on kitchen paper
- I like them plain but they would also go well with a spicy sour cream based dipping sauce with mustard, horseradish or sweet chilli
- You should get about 50 dumplings
Tick Tock will be performed for Ukraine by Maria Yarumchuck, will she make it all the way or will her time be up in semi final 1? (yep I'm here all week, try the beef)
удача
