Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Montenegro

Dobro veče this is Podgorica, Montenegro calling.

The second last country of Semi Final One to give us their delicacies in Chow Down To Eurovision 2014.

Are you full yet? We still have Semi Final Two and the Final to go!

Unlike most of the hosts or commentary teams at Eurovision, I'll just get on with it and head straight into our hit from Eurovision days gone by so we can eat!

Montenegro's first entry to Eurovision was from Steven Faddy with Ajde, kroči in 2007 they finished 22nd in the semi final.

As yet Montenegro has not performed in a Eurovision final, they also sadly did not make it to the final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 with Sesame Chicken Soup.

 

Squid Ink Risotto with Calamari
Ingredients

• 1 knob butter (the size of the knob is up to you)
• Olive oil
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 4 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1.5 litres fish stock
• 8g squid ink
• 1-2 calamari tubes
• 1 red chilli
• Salt

Method

• Add the butter and a good splash of oil to a fry pan on medium heat
• Chopped the shallots and garlic
• Sauté to the shallots and garlic till soft
• Add rice and stir coating in oil
• Stir till rice changes appearance and looks translucent
• Add wine and stir
• Reduce heat to low and add a ladle of fish stock
• Keep stirring and adding stock by the ladle as it is absorbed by the rice
• This process can take about 20 minutes till the rice is cooked but still al dente
• Add the squid ink and stir through.
• Cut calamari long fine strips of the
• Finely chop the chilli and add to a bowl with the calamari
• Add a pinch of salt and olive oil
• Heat another fry pan on high heat
• Add the strips of calamari to the pan and cook for about 1 minute till tender
• Serve the risotto topped with a pile of calamari
• Don't season the risotto before adding the squid ink as it is quite salty (being from the sea and all)

 

 

 Sergej Ćetković will perform Moj Svijet for Montenegro on the 6th of May, will this be the year they get to the final of both Eurovision and Chow Down to Eurovision?

 

срећно!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Finland

Finland the winners of the 2006 Eurovision song contest is our destination for today. While researching Finish dishes one dish I kept running into was creamed rice pudding. I'll be honest, I hate creamed rice it's vile baby vomit like stuff,was that too honest? I don't understand why I hate it so much as I adore risotto, but then again I can't stand congee, so maybe I have a mushy rice threshold and there is only so far I can go. Considering I tackled a pig head in this Chow Down I thought I should be brave even to come to turns with my mushy rice phobia.
Riisiunnpuuro is an oven baked rice pudding and after extensive trials, I realise it's something I will have to live with for the rest of my life but I just don't love creamy rice.
One thing I do love from Finland is their variety of Eurovision acts. One comfort I have to get me through my riso issue is knowing I was in the arena the night that the monsters from Lordi won Eurovision. Ok so it was third row from the back, but I'll discuss that in detail when we are in Greece, but thanks Labrina ya biatch! I'd like to say you can see AB and I in the crowd but I don't think they had telescopic lenses.

 

 

 

Today it is all about the Pump-Pump from 1976 from Fredi & Friends, this is pure Eurovision gold. If ever I write Douze Points the musical I want to play Fredi.

 

Rice Pudding
Ingredients

• 2 cups short grain rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1lt milk
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar

Method

• Add all ingredients to a baking dish
• Bake in a 180°C oven from 75-90 minutes
• Stir a couple of times while cooking and cover with foil if you feel the top is browning too much
• Top with walnuts and serve with ice cream and drowned in honey
• Serving it in a dome is optional, just use a small oiled bowl as a mould
• Please enjoy even though it's not my thing, people seem to like it...weird!

 

 

 

Krista Siegfrids will treat Malmö to Marry Me.

Onnea!

 

 



No soup for you.

Faced with the challenge of needing to devour any medicinal ingredient I could get my hands on, garlic, ginger, onions, chili, but it not being soup, I had to come up with a plan B.
Instantly rich curries and tagines come to mind, but lets not forget the man flu, it had to be ready in about 15mins and with a little effort as possible. So close to death you don't want to risk a delicious slow cook if there is a chance you won't live long enough to taste it.
The answer???

Man Flu Fried Rice

• Olive oil.
• 2 onions chopped (any colour)
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped (or as much as you or your beloved can stand)
• 4 cm ginger finely chopped
• 2 red chili sliced (seeds in or out it's up to you)
• 2 carrots grated
• 3 stalk celery sliced
• Garden fresh broccoli or any other vegetable you can get your hands on.
• 3 spring onions chopped
• 3 cups of cooked rice
• Salt and pepper
• Kecap Manis, as much as you like.

Method

• Saute onions, garlic ginger and chili with a good splash of olive oil in a fry pan.
• When the onions start to soften, add the carrot and celery and other vegetables and saute for about 5 mins, you can add a little bit of water or stock if it is too dry.
• Add the spring onions and rice.
• Add Kecap Manis, salt and pepper to taste.
• This version was meatless but you can add any meat of your choice...if you have the strength to go to the shops.
• grab a box of tissues, a blanket, pillow, boxed set of your favourite DVD and pray you have enough strength to eat.