Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Italy

Ciao tutti siamo arrivo in a Roma!!!!
There is no secret about my love for Italy and how much I wanted Il Volo to win Eurovision 2015. 

Who wouldn't want an Italian hosted Eurovision? The show would go for days with all the talking and 2 weeks in Rome, Florence or any where in Italy...sign me up!!

Being the country I heart the most (after Australia) and with the song Grande Amore it makes perfect sense that the Italian entry for Chow Down to Eurovision is heart.

Ok how many of you have I lost there?

This dish is inspired by coratella the Italian offal dish of pretty much most organs, lungs, kidneys, livers, spleen and heart.

I believe that if we are going to kill an animal for food we should at the very least eat all of it.

So when it comes to any grande amore it really is just all about the heart. 

Grande Amore on toast
Ingredients

• 2 lamb hearts
• 1 small brown onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Olive oil
• Knob of butter
• 30ml verjuice 
• A small handful of mixed herbs chopped, rosemary, parsley and thyme
• Thick slices of toasted sour dough

Method

• Trim the hearts of excess fat
• Cut into small even pieces about 2-3cm
• Add a good splash of oil to a fry pan on medium heat
• Add onion and garlic and let soften
• Add the heart and saute for a couple of minutes
• Season well with salt and pepper
• Add the verjuice, butter and herbs, stir through
• Serve on buttered toasted sourdough and garnish with extra rosemary

When your local farmers market has an amazing lamb farmer you just gotta take heart!

The heart is so tender and flavoursome it is well worth trying it at least once before deciding it's not for you. 

After a stellar performance in Vienna Il Volo won the televote but then finished 3rd when combined with the jury votes......aka robbed! 

Il Volo red carpet Vienna, Piero going the beard grab! 

I think Piero was very kind to say he liked my beard the couple of times I saw him in Vienna as looking back I think I may have been bordering on the wrong side of a hipster Worzel Gummidge!

Don't worry Stockholm I've had a trim...

Previous Italy Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Zucchini and Pork Pizza

2013 Pasta Broccoli

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Cyprus

Good evening Nicosia, may we have your dish please?

Just like Eurovision voting this wonderful dish from Cyprus should be done in about 5 hours!

Inspired by a recipe I found on SBS food, today's dish is as simple as cutting a potato and putting some lamb in the oven. 

So in memory of the late Terry Wogan I'm going to just get on with it!

Slow Roasted Lamb and Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1.5-2kg butterfly lamb (I think it was a leg or may have been a shoulder....I know it was lamb)
• 1kg potatoes (of your choice)
• 2 whole heads of garlic
• 2 lemons
• 2 large sprigs rosemary
• 2 large sprigs oregano
• Olive oil

Method

• Cut potatoes into quarters and add to a large baking dish with lid
• Add lamb on top of the potatoes
• Drizzle lamb with olive oil
• Season the lamb with salt and pepper
• Add the whole garlic to the baking dish
• Use a vegetable peeler to cut long strips of lemon zest
• Add the juice of the lemons over the lamb
• Add the herbs
• Bake at 150°C for 4.5 hours with the lid on and a further 30 minutes lid off
• Serve chucks (it's too soft to slice) of lamb with some roasted garlic and potatoes.....and serviettes and it is gonna get sticky!

The sticky meaty garlicky goodness comes flooding back to me every time I see this picture, though if I'm honest my preference would be for a crunchy potato

John (Giannis) Karayiannis sang beautifully for Cyprus and my judgment is not influenced at all by the fact that he said I was cool for having a Eurovision tattoo. 

(I could be his father and I'm cool, I am totally hip with the young peoples!)

When you leave your beard balm at home!

Cyprus came 6th in the semifinal and 22nd in the final.

Previous Cyprus Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 did not participate 

2013 Homemade Haloumi trio

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Montenegro

Good evening Europe and good morning Australia....

The Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 will now continue semi final two with Montenegro.

There has been a little bit of a gap (ok a big gap) between our last country San Marino which I posted while in Vienna and now.... I was a little bit busy having the most amazing time of my life.

Did he only pack one shirt??

 

In my research for the dish to represent Montenegro I read about one dish that was a whole lamb that was stuffed with 6 chickens!

The prospect of a lamb and 6 chickens rotating over red hot coals is enough to get me inappropriately excited but the reality of it happening as a mid week meal just isn't practical.

So as my tweet suggests, I had to scale it down which really means I just made it up.

I do love a recipe that says, stuff 1 lamb or kid with 6 chickens! I might scale it down.....

— dontboilthesauce (@dbtsauce) April 17, 2015

I had the opportunity to chat with Knez who represented Montenegro this year so naturally I had to find out if he knew about this lamb and chicken dish.

He really likes that shirt....

 

Montenegrin Lamb stuffed with chicken AKA Lambkin
Ingredients

• 700g lamb rump roast (what was in the freezer)
• 300g chicken mince
• 1 small brown onion
• Handful of parsley
• Salt & pepper

Method

• In a food processor add chicken mince, onion, parsley, pinch of salt and pepper
• Pulse till combined
• Cut a pocket along the centre of the lamb
• Stuff with chicken mixture
• Brown the lamb in a hot fry pan
• Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 160°C for 1 hour
• let rest and slice

Surely what ever meat needs is more meat right??

Two meats and one veg?

 

It's a strange adventure but not completely unenjoyable, cold on warm buttery toast heaven.

 

 

Bringing the Baltic flavour to Eurovision 2015 Knez performed the crowd pleasing Adio.

Placing 9th in semi final two was enough to secure a place in the final where Montenegro ended the night 13th.
 

Knez delivers the expected professional performance given his experience and the water nymphs backing  are the perfect support.
 

A bit of trivia Knez's daughter Xenia is one the backing singers.

Past Montenegro Chow Down to Eurovision:

 





2014 Squid Ink Risotto with Calamari

 

2013 Sesame Chicken Soup

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Romania

Romania calling....Let Me Try and tempt you with this comforting eggplant moussaka. 

The type of comfort food to give you the feel of being awarded Ten douze points or perfect recovery food for any nul points!

In 2005 Romania's Let Me Try from Luminita Anghel and Sistem, they brought us the first DIY (angle grinder) to Eurovision and scored Romania's highest place in a final 3rd. 
This was after they had won their semifinal. 

The only other act to reach third place for Romania is Paula Seling and Ovi with Playing with fire. (So Romania we love you and fire at Eurovision)

This year Luminita Anghel asked Romania to Let her Try for Eurovision again by participating in their national final with A Million Stars.....Romania said no and she came 2nd.

\

A Don't Boil The Sauce first, replated for shoot as the first one I used the wrong flag!

Romania and Moldova same flag but one has a bird.....

Romanian Eggplant Moussaka
Ingredients

• 2 eggplants
• 3 small brown onions chopped medium
• 600g lamb mince
• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 4 eggs
• 250ml milk
• 1/2 nutmeg grated
• Olive oil

Method

• Slice the eggplant into 1-2cm rounds
• Add a splash of olive oil to a fry pan and fry eggplant in batches till softened
• In a frypan with a splash of oil fry the onions till softened
• Add the mince, a good pinch of salt and mix well
• In a just mix the eggs, milk and nutmeg
• In a baking dish place a layer of eggplant, season 
• Smooth over 1 cup of rice
• Add a layer of mince mix
• Repeat till all ingredients are used
• Pour over the egg mix
• Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes

Look at that juicy eggplant and ignore I took the photo with the wrong flag!!

2015 will see Voltaj sing De la capat/ All over again in Vienna. 

Voltaj is Romania's version of the boyband....a Dadband.

They sing of the children that are left behind as many Romania's need to work in other countries to support them.

I hope the Dadband only has one direction and that is straight into the final where they will get to sing De la capat.....all over again! (seriously who writes this stuff?!?)

Of course I teared up at the video....it's the old bloke and kid in the boat!

Past Romania Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Romanian Fish Balls

2013 Mititei

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Albania

Good evening world........Tirana calling, in the beautiful Albania. 

I am busting to show you Albania's leek bake (yes I know what I did there) so enough chat and straight into the music.

In 2004 Anjeza Shahini sang The Image Of You in Albania's first entry to Eurovision and not only made to the finals she placed 7th.

Not a bad welcome to the Eurovision family.  

Albanian leek bake
Ingredients

• 500g leeks
• 2 brown onions
• 250g lamb mince
• 1 tsp. hot paprika
• 125ml passata

Method

• Slice the leeks on an angle into 2 cm pieces
• Gently fry them in a saucepan with a splash of oil till they start to soften
• Add to an ovenproof dish
• Fry the chopped onions till softened
• Add the mince and brown
• Add the passata and paprika, stir well
• Season to taste
• Add the mince mix to the leeks
• Bake covered at 180°C for 45mins (uncover for last 10 minutes)

The leek have a really enjoyable sweetness next to the hot meat.

I'm Alive will be to declaration from Elhaida Dani for Albania. 

Elhaida is vocally confident and sounds to have influences from Jessie J's and Delta Goodrem.

Will Albania still be alive in the grand final?

Fat i mire!

Past Albania Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Lamb baked in yogurt 

2013 My Turli Perimesh

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Finland

Hyvää iltaa this is Finland calling.

Home to many wooden spoon performances and one hell of a victory in 2006 with Lordi and Hard Rock Hallelujah (it's a shame you can't hear my intonation as I type this because I'm using my best full monster metal falsetto! Hallelujah!)  

I assume, not being totally au fait with the monster diet that Lordi would devour a Finnish hot pot being meat, meat and meat but it would forever ruin the illusion if I found out they were Paleo Vegans!

Laila Halme was the first Finnish contestant to come last at Eurovision with the dreaded nul points.(zero points) They have placed last 9 times since first participating in 1961 but thankfully only nul points on 3 occasions.

I believe Laila deserved some points in the very least as she does have a touch of the Eleanor LaGore about her, I'm just waiting for the entrance of The Saturday Show Dancers!

Laila Halme Muistojeni laulu

 

 

This recipe was inspired by Karelian hot pot from about.com. The quantity of this recipe will feed a Eurovision party crowd, or freeze for later, but once the slow cooker is out you want to make it worth your while.

Finnish Hot Pot

Ingredients

• 1kg pork fillet
• 1kg beef chuck
• 1kg lamb chump
• 2 tbsp. of black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp. of whole pimento/all spice
• 6 large brown onions
• 5-6 bay leaves
• 1 tbs. sea salt
• 2 tbs. cornflour approx.
• 2 tbs. verjuice
• Olive oil

Method

• Thinly slice the onions, a food processor is a joy to be hold at this stage 
• Cut the meats into equal(ish) 2cm cubes
• With a splash of olive oil brown off the meat in batches
• Make sure to render the lamb fat well (or leave it out)
• In a slow cooker add 1/4 of the onions and 1/4 of the meat and repeat layers till used
• Add the pepper, pimento/all spice, salt, bay leaves and 600ml of water
• Cook for about 6 hours on low till meat is tender and the stock is glorious (I believe that is a culinary term)
• When it's ready you can thicken the sauce with cornflour, but I prefer separate the meat from the stock and leave both overnight
• The next day you can remove a layer of fat from the stock and strain away any excess spices 
• Heat the stock and thicken with a paste of cornflour and a touch of water
• Add a couple of tablespoons of verjuice to the sauce and adjust the seasonings
• Reheat the meat gently through the sauce so it doesn't dry out

Serve with a rustic mash potato, skin on, manual masher, no fine dining passing through drum sieve here, just salt, pepper and enough butter to......actually I'm not sure I should publicly speak of the amount of butter used...use your own judgment here.

Traditionally the dish is served with cranberry sauce but my twist and revelation is a good handful of dried cranberries through the mash potato takes it to the next level as they say would on reality TV cooking shows. The cranberries offer a tart yet fruity accompaniment to the meat and potatoes, and possible an extra vitamin or two.

Another option is to use ground spices if cooking for children, older people or you can't be bothered eating around the whole spices.

 

This year Finland doesn't want to risk coming last for the tenth time so they have decided to send Something Better, performed by Softengine.

Onnea!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Azerbaijan

Axşam yaxşı this is Azerbaijan calling, and can you believe we are half way through semi final 1?
Where has that time gone.......

 

Azerbaijan is a major player in the Chow Down to Eurovision as well as the Eurovision Song Contest.

 

Their Zebra cake came 3rd in the Chow Down to Eurovision and Farid placed a very respectable 2nd in Sweden.

 

I was very happy to give Farid my douze points as he said my cake was "looking so delicious", so clearly the guy is very smart.
 

It would be rude not to replay Farid's song Hold Me from last year, he likes my cake so we are almost totes besties!

While spending many well spent hours researching on the internet I found these Azerbaijani kebabs that came with multiple spellings, Lyulya, Lule, Lula, and finally Lulu.

Given one must always find a  Eurovision connection I went for the Lulu spelling and added some chilli.

After all if it's a Lulu kebab it's needs to have a certain Boom Bang A Bang! (pounding away......)

Lulu Kebabs
Ingredients

• 1kg lamb (I used a leg I had)
• 2 brown onions
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 2 red chillies
• Few springs of mint and parsley
• 1 tbsp. sea salt flakes
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. hot paprika

Method

• Pass the lamb, onions, garlic, chillies and herbs through a meat grinder (using the medium hole disc)
• Pass it through a second time
• Add salt and spices to the meat and mix well
• Let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour
• Soak some bamboo skewers in water while the meat rests
• Mould a small hand full of meat onto 2 skewers (If you hold the skewers about 1/2cm apart it acts like a spine)
• There should be enough for about 14 kebabs
• Heat up the BBQ and grill for about 10-15 minutes till charred and cooked through (you can have a little taster just to be sure...my excuse, sticking to it)
• Serve with a tzatziki or hummus and pitta breads
• If you can't be bothered firing up the BBQ, under the grill or in a fry pan will do the trick
• Looking at the picture I want another one.....NOW!!

 

In Demark Dilara Kazimova will sing Start a Fire, so I did and cooked some Lulu kebabs.

 

Sometimes you'll do something and it will look skilfully executed and well planned when really it is purely very good luck.....yep this was one of those.

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Albania

Mirëmbrëma this is Albania calling, home to our 6th stopover on the Chow Down to Eurovision 2014.

There are many sources of inspiration for the dishes that appear in the chow down, be they friends, cook books, Google, my own travels, or the Eurovision contestants themselves.

This dish of lamb baked in yogurt came from watching YouTube, and some follow up Googling. 

My Albanian is not what it use to be or ever existed so I am happy that I can cook by watching. It may be the culinary equivalent of musically playing by ear.

2010 saw Albania came 16th in the final with Juliana Pasha's It's All About You, with some fantastic backing singers. I promise those toes will be a tapping!

 
 

 

 

Lamb baked in yogurt (the translated name was cooking casserole sour)

Ingredients

• 600g cooked lamb (I used some left over braised lamb shanks, bone removed)
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 3-4 spring onions finely sliced (optional not pictured)
• 500g natural yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 gloves garlic (crushed)
• Salt and pepper
• 15g butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Place the cold cooked lamb in a baking dish and season to taste
• Sprinkle over rice and spring onions
• In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, eggs, garlic, pinch of salt
• Pour yogurt mixture over the lamb
• Dot the top with butter
• Bake for 30 mins
• Serve with a simple salad I went for just rocket and tomato nothing fancy, but a great way to use left over lamb roast.

 

 

Oh feel the comfort.........get me a blanket I'll be on the lounge with Eurovision re runs!

 

 

Albania did not qualify for the final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 and in Malmö so let's see what 2014 brings for them.

  

 Hersi (Herciana Matmuja) will perform One Night's Anger but lets hope that one night wont be in Copenhagen in May.

 Fat i mire!