Norway is a country that knows the extremities of Eurovision by winning in 2009 with the most points ever awarded and by placing worst over all in the contest's history with the most the most nul points (0 points). In my opinion it is underserved so for the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 I made sure to find a special dish so they would get at least un points (1 point).
Smultringers, now be careful how you say that, are a cardamom flavoured doughnut that are cooked in lard. AB has really enjoyed this recipe but I think it is more about the deliberate mispronunciations than the eating.
In my time I may have eaten 1 or 2 doughnuts so feel qualified to judge Smultringers as the most interesting for flavour and texture. The middle is dense and cake like with a crispy porky crust, yum yum! There must be a huge pork industry in Europe as so many recipes are pork or lard based I could have almost done a Lard Down to Eurovision 2013. Today we will remember one of Norway's nul point entrants Finn Klavik from 1981 and the song Aldri I livet, perhaps the 13 on his top was a mistake?
Smultringers Ingredients
2 eggs
150g caster sugar
150ml thickened cream
150ml sour cream
400g self raising flour
2 tsp. ground cardamom
2 tsp. backing powder
1 packet of lard or oil to fry
Icing sugar
Method
In a large bowl mix eggs and sugar together with electric beaters till fluffy and a touch paler
Mix in the cream and sour cream
Sift in the flour
Add the cardamom and baking powder
Mix together, it will be a sticky dough
Refrigerate overnight
Flour a bench and roll out cold dough to about 1-1.5cm thick
Cut out doughnut shape with whatever you have available, I used a floured espresso glass and the end of a pipping nozzle.
In a saucepan heat lard over a high heat
Cook the smultringer for about 1-1.5 minutes, turning a couple of times
Cook in batches of 2-3 depending of the size of your pan and quantity of lard
Keep an eye on the lard heat and lower if too hot, you don't want to burn them before they cook in the middle
Drain the smultringer in a colander over a bowl
Place on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar
Substituent canola or sunflower oil for the lard if you prefer but it does add to the flavour
You can do a variety of shapes I did them without holes but you need to cook them for longer to make sure the middle is cooked.
My favourite were the tiny cut out holes because they are so cute and yummy not a nul points in sight!
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 fromfry pan
In clean fry pan on low heatsweat 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
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?
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.
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?
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?
