Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Hungary

Who's Hungary? Our host country today in the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 of course!
One of the earliest "foreign" dishes I remember having as a child was paprika chicken, it was exotic because it used of a spice! Mind you this was early 80's and it was being served up right along side the craze that was apricot chicken.

The year I finished school and left home I thought I was the height of sophistication when I served it for my first "adult dinner party" it was a massive flop so has stayed hidden away until now. I remember it as fatty skin on chicken thighs with bones so I have modernized it some what, I think it is in at least 1991 now.

Zoli Ádok and Dance with me is the only Hungarian entry not to make the Eurovision finals, which proves just like my terrible attempt at paprika chicken it's not about the outcome as long as we all had fun. I should add when I say adult dinner party I mean with red wine and discussing current events or philosophical debates, not car keys in a bowl.

 
 

Paprika chicken
ingredients

• 1kg of chicken cut into chucks (I used Maryland fillets)
• Seasoned flour
• 2 brown onions, halved and slices
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 6 tomatoes chopped
• 2 tbsp. of sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• extra olive oil

Method

• Add 1 tbsp. of paprika to the seasoned flour in a plastic bag or a lunch box works well
• Coat chicken chunks with flour and shake
• Heat a good splash of olive oil in a frypan on medium heat
• Brown the chicken and remove from fry pan
• In clean fry pan on low heat sweat down the onions and garlic with a good splash of olive oil
• Add the remaining paprika
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they break down into a sauce
• Return the chicken to the frypan
• Add the stock and simmer on low till the chicken is tender and cooked through
• Add more stock if the sauce becomes too thick
• Add sour cream and cook for another 2 minutes before serving
• Season to taste
• Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika
• Serve with nokedli or rice

Nokedli
Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2-3/4 cup water
• big pinch of salt

Method

• Add eggs, flour, salt and 1/2 cup water to a large mixing bowl
• Mix to combine adding more water if required
• The mix should be lumpy but not too thick to pass through the potato ricer
• Let rest for 30 minutes
• Boil a large pot of salted water
• Using a potato ricer or a spazele maker and drop batches of the mixer into the boiling water
• The nokedli will float when cooked about 1-2 minutes
• Remove from the water and put into a colander
• Splash with olive oil
• Garnish with parsley (optional)

 

 

Hungary with send  ByeAlex with Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) will they receive another finals spot this year?

sok szerencsét!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Armenia

Bordered by Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia our host nation for this edition of the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 is Armenia.
After debuting in 2006 (have I mentioned I was there??)Armenia has reached the finals with each entry except 2011 with the song Boom Boom. The previous entries drew heavily on the marriage of Armenia's musical heritage mixed with modern pop but Boom Boom was pure Euro pop glittered with camp gimmicks set in a boxing ring. The 2010 song Apricot Stone by Eva Rivas has been the influence for Armenia's entry in the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 incorporating apricots into the traditional nutmeg cake.

 

Apricot and Nutmeg Cake with Apricot Cream
Ingredients

• 115g unsalted butter grated
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 400g can of pie apricot mashed (1/4 cup reserved for cream)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4  of a nutmeg grated ( or 1 1/2 tsps. ground nutmeg)
• 300 ml thickened cream
• Icing sugar to dust

Method

• In a mixing bowl add the grated butter, brown sugar and flour
• Rub together to form a bread crumb like mixture
• Add 2 cups of the crumbs to a greased 23cm round cake tin
• Press down as if making a pie base
• Add to the mixing bowl (with the remaining bread crumb mixture) egg, milk, apricots, baking powder and nutmeg
• Mix to combine
• Pour into the cake tin
• Bake for about 1 hour at 180°C 
• A skewer will come out clean when cooked
• The cake can be served warm or cold
• Dust with icing sugar
• To make the cream add the 1/4 cup of apricot and cream to the bowl of a food processor and pulse till cream is whipped but not curdled. You could puree the apricot first and then use electric beaters to whip the cream, but I'm all about the less bowls the better.
• While working on this recipe I also tried apricot halves, they would create little moisture pockets and the cake would be a bit doughy. I preferred the mashed version but either cake served warm with cream and/or ice cream and I'm not going to say no. 

 

 

 

 

 

Lonely Planet performed by Dorians is Armenia's offering this year, will they take the place back in the finals?

Հաջողություն!

 



 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Israel

Ding Dong say no more Israel it's your turn to Chow Down to Eurovision. The 1999 contest in Israel was the first Eurovision I saw when I stumbled across it on Sunday night and thought what the hell is this and was hooked.

Naturally I have gone back and watched every contest from 1957, expect 1956 and 1964 as there aren't visual recordings seriously no one pushed record??

The Eurovision moments I will highlight today are The chocolate girls from 1976 (you just have to sing and bounce along) and Dana International's interval act extravaganza as I believe that played a huge part in getting hooked in this joyous sceptical.

For our dish today I was inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi series in Jerusalem where hummus is more a meal than just a dip as most would see it in Australia. I have combined my love of the late night drunken roadside chicken kebab with hummus and created my hummus with the lot, probably not traditional but oh so satisfying.

 

 

Hummus with the lot

Ingredients

• 6-8 chicken thigh fillets
• 3 tbsp. ras el hanout
• 1 small red chilli finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 400g cans chick peas
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 4 tbsp. tahini
• 160ml olive oil
• 80ml water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• Handful of parsley
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 sweet chilies, sliced
• Pomegranate seeds to garnish

 

Method

• Cut 1cm slices across the width of the fillets
• Combine the chicken slices, ras el hanout, chilli, garlic, and oil in a mixing bowl
• Let marinate for 30 mins
• Drain the chickpeas in a colander
• In a food processor as the chickpeas, peeled garlic, cumin, tahini, olive oil, water and lemon juice
• Process to a smooth paste
• Salt to taste
• In a really hot large fry pan add the chicken and marinade
• Cook for about 15 minutes till golden brown, I like to crispy and even over cooked to represent the chicken from a late night kebab
• Spread the hummus over a plate finishing with the classic trough
• Arrange some parsley, sweet chilies, spring onion on the plate
• Add some chicken to the centre of the hummus
• Drizzle with either some of the oil from the pan or fresh olive oil
• Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds
• This can be done on individual plates or one larger platter to share, or to eat all on your own if AB is not home, it's full of fibre so it's healthy!

 

 

 

 Israel will be represented by Moran Mazor who will perform Rak Bishvilo.

!בהצלחה

 

 



Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Greece

Today the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 arrives in Greece although this will be a return trip for AB and I as we got to see the monsters conquer Athens in 2006 first hand.

Wise people often say it's not about the destination but the journey so if you don't mind I might indulge myself in a trip down attending Eurovision lane.

Like all good Australians our 3 weeks in Europe crammed in London, Paris, Athens and Rome, because after 30 hours in the plane you want to get your money's worth.
We left Heathrow on an evening flight for Athens but not before we managed to pick up Mr and Mrs Portokalos both lost and looking a bit weary.

In amongst the pant wetting excitement of actually going to a host country (it really doesn't take much to excite me) and the void of a delayed flight, I had a mobile phone thrust at me with the right amount of pleading waving for me to take it and say...hello?

Nikos the (grateful for making them someone else's problem) voice on the other end explained the stressed couple before me were his parents who only spoke Greek and didn't know what was happening with the flight home. I promised Nikos to get his parent on the plane and even tried to let them know why the flight was delayed using my phrase book, poor things as if they hadn't already been through enough.

Our flight was called and we ensured that Mr and Mrs Portokalos were seated with their seatbelts firmly secured, seat backs and tray tables in the upright position before we bid them farewell.

I had thoughts of Nikos waiting at the airport to shower us with gratitude at which point he would turn out to be the head of the Greek Eurovision committee. I'm not sure where the story went but some how I ended up winning the Eurovision Song Contest, the way all good stories end. Alas no it was not to be, zippo at the airport not even our prepaid and arranged hotel transfers was there to meet us.

I guess I should be grateful we even arrived in Greece as it was the scariest fight I've ever been on.
All the joy of hearing Anna Vissi the 2006 Greek entry upon boarding fled once we took off on the most frightful roller coaster ride of a flight. Now I love a really bumpy flight, it adds to the drama. I loved flying Impulse when they were operational in Australia as the cabin had hand rails on the overhead lockers like a bus and I'd wait for the captain's mid flight announcement "cabin crew be seated...NOW!"

As we rose and dropped and rose and dropped all I could think about was how pissed I'd be if we crashed just before I got to Eurovision, I was totally fine if it was on the way home but to miss out so close and what about poor Nikos and the Portokalos!

The worst moment was when water started leaking from the window onto my arm, an apparently harmless phenomena, but not to me at the time as I started deciding which God would be the best one to turn too.

AB slept through the whole journey.

I'll fast forward to the Greek tragedy part of the trip the saga of Labrina the travel agent. She was a hefty girl (see it's not wise to cross me) who was originally from Melbourne but was now  working in Athens. After numerous emails we bought our accommodation and package of Eurovision tickets through her agency.

Just a word of warning to everyone Eurovision does not sell tickets through travel agents, we are now fully aware of this.

We had paid top dollar for all A reserve tickets but when it came to picking them up they didn't quite have what we ordered and offered us C reserve. While disappointed I thought well the difference in price can be spent on merchandise, but no they were the same price, WHAT?!?!?!?

We had the option of that or nothing and no refund either way, and had to sign a paper stating we wouldn't take it further before any tickets were exchanged. (We did take it further with our credit card fraud squad but to no benefit)
Feeling beyond angry, stupid and a bit helpless we grabbed what tickets we could and raced out of there towards the arena for the first dress rehearsal. It was when we arrived there it finally made sense why she didn't understand our need to rush to the venue as not only did we get tickets in the wrong section they were for the wrong bloody day!!!!!
Once we bought more tickets and were in the arena for the dress rehearsal our week of Eurovision bliss began. I know I have focused on some of the drama but if I had to write about the sheer life changing happiness of being at Eurovision the post would be days long, so I should probably stop boring you and get on with the food.

 I adored all he Greek food and enjoyed the benefits of the communication barrier by miss ordering too many souvlaki with chips and mustard. There was also a lot of hospitality on offer at the restaurants after the concerts with the tattoo on full display we would be given free drinks as they either thought I was a contestant or a wack job that would permanently mark their body for a song contest. 

After the most enormous plate of grilled meats we scored some ouzo with so much chest hair inducing potency I swear it was "draino"!

The recipe today is simple and inspired by that Greek plater and not able to be used as a cleaner I promise.

There are so many Greek Eurovision hits I could use for this post but in memory of our time in Athens I will go with Anna Vissi. This song was played 24 hours a day in every public building, shop, café, aircraft and toilet for the whole time we were there and boy did they get cross when she lost!

 

Don't worry I still spent money on merchandise to add to the Shrine and got my hands on every give away.

Yes that is a doll of the 2006 host Sakis Rouvas in his 2004 contest Shake It outfit,

don't judge me!

 

Greek Chicken Platter with Tzatziki
Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thigh fillet
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 8 sprigs oregano
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• 1 Cos lettuce roughly chopped
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers chopped
• 4 tomatoes chopped
• 1 red capsicum cubed
• 2 red onions chopped (optional)
• 250g fetta
• 100g pitted Kalamata olives
• Lemon wedges and oregano to garnish

For tzatziki

• 2 small cucumbers
• 250g thick Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbsp. honey
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

• In a glass bowl add the chicken, garlic, oregano, oil and lemon juice and combine
• let marinate for an hour or 2
• To make the tzatziki:
• Grate the cucumbers, salt them and let them drain in a colander for 30mins-1 hour
• Strain yogurt in a sieve if not thick enough
• Squeeze the cucumber to get rid of any extra moisture
• Add yogurt, garlic, cucumbers, honey and lemon juice to a bowl and combine
• Season if any more salt is required
• On a hot grill pan or BBQ cook the chicken for about 10-15 minutes till cooked through
• Salt to taste
• Slice into chunky pieces
• Arrange the lettuce, cucumber, tomato, capsicum and olives on a serving platter
• Crumble over the fetta in chunks
• Spread over the chicken
• Dollop with tzatziki
• Garnish with lemon wedge and oregano leaves

Now appropriately to my own Greek experience this year Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis will perform Alcohol is free. Who doesn't love a bloke that can rock a skirt?

 καλή τύχη!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Iceland

Hello, or as they say in Reykjavik Komið þið sæl og blessuð, and welcome to Iceland. Our dish of the day was going to be a pepper biscuit popular at Christmas in Iceland, but as you know the oven is another technical hitch. I have found a way better option though and it has the most awesome name, rúllupylsa. A rolled, stuffed, tied, boiled, pressed and sliced sandwich meat.

 The recipe is based on this video although I am grateful I don't have boxes of recently slaughtered lambs at my supermarket. This will definitely be a regular visitor to our table as it brings back all the memories of a Monday school lunch sandwich with last night's roast lamb.

In honour of the amount of rolling involved in the rúllupylsa our Eurovision bite has just as much rolling, well make that body rolling. Selma placed 2nd in 1999 which is the highest Iceland has ever come in a final. Yvonna won semi-final 1 in 2009 but also came in 2nd on the big night. My other favourite Icelandic entries would be Euroband (a Eurovision tribute band), the power house Hera Bjork, and the classic Paul Oscar all clad in PVC and bejewelled.

Weird trivia I almost won her dress on eBay years ago, I don't think it's my colour though.

Rúllupylsa-rolled sausage
Ingredients

• 2 lamb flaps or bellies
• 2 brown onions
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 2-3 sprigs rosemary
• 1 thumb ginger
• 1/2 tsp. all spice
• 1 glove garlic
• 2 tbsp. salt (see note)
• Kitchen string
• Weights or pot of water to press sausage

Method

• Remove the ribs from the flaps
• Remove as much fat as you want remembering it wont render away when boiling and will be part of the finished sausage.
• Lay the 2 flaps on top of each other skin side out, you can square them up but I didn't bother.
• Chop the onion, parsley, rosemary and put in a bowl
• Grate the ginger and garlic into the bowl
• Add the salt and all spice and combine
• Spread the mixture over the top of the flaps
• Roll the flaps tightly to form the sausage
• Tie with kitchen string at about 1-1.5 cm intervals
• Boil in a large pot of water for 1.5-2 hours
• Remove the sausage from the water and place in a baking tray
• Press the sausage overnight or up to 24 hours in the fridge
• You can use anything to weight it down, weights, or a pot of water etc.
• Slice thinly remembering to remove the string
• Serve on toast with mustard, it is delicious
• Note: I had made some salsa verde salt for a dear friend's birthday, and used some leftover for this recipe which I think added to the flavour. The salt is processed in a spice grinder with fresh parsley, basil, coriander, mint, and then dried in the oven.
• The next time I make this I will try and remove as much fat as possible although the mustard does cut through the fat. I will also try making the filling in the food processer to achieve a smoother texture. I'll report back if it's not as good.

 Finally 50 shades of Grey came in handy!

 Malmö will see Eythor Ingi perform Ég Á Líf  will I have another Icelandic performer to add to my list of favourites?

Gangi þér vel!

Technical hitches, wardrobe malfunctions and thank you

No good contest can escape without a technical hitch and I have discovered that the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 is no exception. Some of the clips of the contest have not been appearing on mobile devices of late, like all the best technical hitches it worked and then it just didn't. Like Spain's Azucar Moreno in 1990 when the music for Bandido didn't play and then started in the wrong place so they walked off before the band realised the music was playing so mimed along, there are solutions. I have included a link to the clip on the performer's name so that should help if the clips don't appear where they should.

Thankfully there has been no staged wardrobe malfunction like in Sweden in 1985, well not in the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 anyway, there was a job interview where as I left my pants fell off! I got the job and for a much larger salary than was on offer, some how I must have given the impression I have the goods! (my version of the story and my therapist and I are sticking to it)

 



I also wanted to say thank you to all the readers that keep coming back and from so many places around the world. Don't be afraid to say HI, I'd love to hear from you and even get suggestions for next year's Chow Down to Eurovision.
I am really grateful for all the positive feedback I have received about my blog. It just goes to prove "Saucers" (fans of don't boil the sauce) are the best most brilliantest peeps in the world!
Some very kind Saucers have even voted for dontboilthesauce in the Australian Best Blogs 2013, voting ends today so if you haven't already voted (Hint!Hint!)

Thank you all again so much, oh and don't worry I have now bought a pair of braces! It's panties on all the way!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Bulgaria

The 23rd country we visit on this Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 is Bulgaria. I'm sure I've already mentioned that I watch Eurovision live which means a 5am kick off in Australia. Breakfast is a pretty high priority on these mornings as it needs to be super quick and substantial enough to get me through the rest of the day, exhausted from the stress of the results while still buzzing from the excitement of the whole spectacle.

Thankfully these days I am smart enough to pre book annual leave for these days so I can either "chillax" for the day or re watch the contest over and over again. (you know which one I do)
In the past the breakfast of choice was a weird scrambled bacon and egg omelette, that involved chucking bacon, eggs, spring onions, chilli, and parmesan in the food processor to wiz it up. Then I would half scramble half omelette the mixture as I made sure the internet stream was prepped. A pile of buttered ciabatta, a quadruple espresso, my blankie and I am ready to hear Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Te Deum play.

Tradition or bouncy I have come to accept the newer version.

Keeping an eye out for new breakfast ideas I came across today's offering from Bulgaria Panagyurski Eggs. This dish has a nice kick with the garlic and paprika, but gentle texture with the yogurt so I think it will find a place along side my ciabatta, espresso and blankie on Eurovision mornings.   

Bulgaria always brings something special to Eurovision but whether it be the throat singing, stilt walking dancers or the electro scratching, break dancing and salon girl of 2008 they have only reached the final once.

My all time favourite Bulgarian entry is from 2009 Krassimir Avramov with Illusion, there is nothing this act doesn't have, a counter tenor, costumes from a revival of Pippin and Robin Hood, an ensemble competing to see who can hit the highest note, spinning a girl by the end of her stilts and is that a cameo from Eleanor LaGore?

Gina Riley as Eleanor LaGore from Big Girls Blouse

It is Eurovision at it's finest and you may find yourself humming the song.

Panagyurski Eggs
Ingredients

• 500ml Greek yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• salt and pepper
• 6 eggs
• A splash of vinegar
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. paprika

Method

• Strain the yogurt in a sieve over a bowl in the fridge for about 1 hour (this is not necessary if using a thick yogurt)
• Combine garlic with yogurt and season to taste
• Spread mixture over a serving plate
• In a medium saucepan of water, add the splash of vinegar and bring to the boil
• Poach the eggs to the yolk firmness you prefer
• Drain the eggs in a colander
• While eggs are cooking heat the oil in a small saucepan
• Add the paprika, remove from heat
• Place the eggs on the serving plate
• Pour over the oil and serve
• The oil takes no time at all when it's hot to burn the paprika so be mindful to take it off the heat.

This year Bulgaria will again send Elitsa Todorova, their only finalist and Stoyan Yankulov with Samo Shampioni (Only Champions), will there be stilts and drums?

 Успех!