Here is a recap of all the dishes we have seen in the Chow Down to Eurovision Semi Final Two. Currently Azerbaijan is in the lead so far so if you didn't like the Zebra cake you need to vote for your favourite. Voting closes 12th May.
Romania the final country in Semi Final Two of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013, I can't believe we are already here it only seems like 4 years ago we set off from Austria. In honour of the journey today's recipe is the longest of the Chow Down needing 3 days preparation. It sounds a lot but it is about 15 minutes a day. There are a lot of recipes for mititei on the internet so I studied and took the best from them all to develop my version.
Romania always delights me in Eurovision and usually ends up on my playlist for the year. Their highest place in a final was in 2010 when Paula Seling & Ovi where Playing With Fire, appropriate for a barbecued sausage.
Don't forget to vote for your favourite country in Semi Final Two.
We then only have 6 countries to see before a winner of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 is crowned on the 18th May.
Mititei Ingredients
1 kg chuck steak
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground all spice
1 tsp. ground star anise
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper
1 cup beef stock
3 leaves of gelatine
1 whole garlic
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. bi carb soda
extra olive oil
Method
Pass the meat through a fine grinder 3 times
Prepare the gelatine leaves as per instructions on packet and mix through the cup of beef stock
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the meat, spices, salt, pepper
Combine the lemon juice and bi carb soda in a bowl, let it fizz and add to the meat
Using the dough hook mix the meat on slow while adding 1/2 cup beef stock bit by bit as it is absorbed into the meat, like a risotto. Will take about 10 minutes
Refrigerate meat and remaining beef stock over night
Don't peel but smash the garlic and soak in 1/2 cup warm water for 30 minutes
Strain the garlic water
Remove the meat and stock from the fridge and allow to stand for 30-50 minutes
Repeat the process mixing with a dough hook and add remaining beef stock and garlic water
Refrigerate over night
Shape the meat into small sausages (makes 20-25 the size is up to you) and brush with oil
In a frypan or on a bbq cook on a medium heat for about 8 minutes
They will be very light and moist and you might need to test a couple to see if they are done.
If you're in a hurry you could leave out the resting time I'm sure they'll still taste good.
I wasn't very neat shaping the sausages I must do better next time, might be my eternal love of the nugget??
It's my Life will be performed by Cezar offering more than just a key change. Some media is claiming is the first time "Popera" will feature in Eurovision which is incorrect, they have either never seen the contest or at least not read the article on "Popera" they published in 2009, but I'll let it go..........
It's time to get your hair in plaits and climb the Alps we're in Switzerland. I looked back to the time AB and I spent in Zurich for inspiration for this post but the thing that was most prominent in my mind was ginger tea.
We made the scenically breathtaking train ride from Milano to Zurich on a train so technologically advanced it adjusted it's height and angle for maximum comfort and truly made me feel horrendously ill.
I've never had travel sickness even remotely, give me turbulence or rough sea I love it, but something about this train did not agree with me.
While the earth was spinning in the passenger lounge I saw they had bags of fancy first class ginger tea on offer, remembering that ginger was supposed to help travel sickness I glugged and glugged away. Thankfully we had already done Zurich so this was a return transit stop with a few hours to kill before our night train to Amsterdam.
I'm not sure if there is an implied limit to the amount you should consume in a first class lounge type situation but let's just say there may have been several tea bags that were a what I call "take away", others may say stolen.
Unfortunately there was a tiny bit of petty theft during the Zurich trip, no we weren't mugged we were the robbers! We went to a corner café and ordered the "mega" schnitzel which probably should have been called large but not that size matters and as we waited we nibbled on the basket of bread. The set up was long tables with a group of people at either end.
As I looked around checking out the other customers to absorb the culture I noticed ours was the only table with bread on it.
I actually believe we may have been eating the left overs from the people at the other end of the table and they were too polite to say anything.
Our other meals in Zurich didn't offer much help either as they ranged from Chinese and kebabs to a night at an Australian themed pub that was an hilarious stereotype of an Aussie outback pub straight from the set of Crocodile Dundee but with flamboyant Priscilla Queen of the Desert camp waiters.
We also got to visit the Lindt factory in Zurich, now when I say visit I mean went to the onsite shop they don't actually do tours. They do however do samples and again there was no designated limit!
Today's recipe was inspired by their chocolate parfait but has had a don't boil the sauce makeover.
With regards to Eurovision, Switzerland is regarded the birth place after hosting and being the first winner in 1956. The wonderful Lys Assia was the first winner and has since competed multiple times and in several languages with my favourite being Giorgio from 1958. Lys was going to attend this year's Eurovision but is currently in hospital for severe pneumonia. Get well soon Lys see you at Eurovision 2014.
Chocolate Parfait with Chillied Almonds Ingredients
200g 70% dark chocolate
600ml thickened cream
2 eggs
100g caster sugar
75g slivered almonds
1-2 tsp. chilli powder
Method
Spray fry pan with spray oil to help coat the almonds
Add almonds and chilli powder and toast over low heat making sure almonds are coated
Remove from heat
Break chocolate into small pieces in a bowl
Gentle heat 250ml of the cream in a saucepan to just below boiling
Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir till melted
In a mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar with electric beaters till fluffy and thicker
Add to this mix the remaining cream and chocolate mixture and beat to combine
Add the almonds and stir through
Pour into a thin loaf mould lined with cling wrap
Freeze over night or at least 6-7 hours
Remove from freezer for about 10-15 mins prior to serving to help unmold
Cut into slices or lock the door and get a spoon!
Optional serve with raspberry gravel, soil, confetti depending on what you want to call it. Nothing fancy here just a 300g bag of frozen raspberry crushed with a meat tenderiser
You could also leave out the chilli and/or the almonds if you prefer
Takasa will there luck in Sweden with You and Me as long as they are clear on who owns the bread I'm sure they'll do fine.
So far we've seen 14 countries from Semi Final Two now let's move on to our 15th country, Georgia.
While Georgia did not participate in Moscow (2009) every year since their debut in 2007 they have secured a place in the final, well until 2012 with Anri Jokhadze and the aptly titled I'm a Joker, a high camp number about being a womanizer.
For the Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 Georgia is offering Khachapuri or cheese bread. I love this dish as it is the best of both worlds pizza and bread, and with the addition of an egg on top it has that little touch of an Aussie. For my international readers an Aussie is a pizza with bacon and ham and an egg cracked over it, strangely I never saw one in Rome.
Our Eurovision past taster is from 2008 when not only Diana Gurtskaya did a reveal but the full 6 member cast did a simultaneous reveal, talk about bring out your big guns. The song Peace Will Come is appropriate to the Khachapuri as once you start baking it you wont be able to wait for a Piece to come!
Khachapuri Ingredients
1/4 cup milk
4 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
14g instant yeast
450g strong flour
2 1/2 cups of grated cheese (use a variety, mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar, fetta etc.)
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 eggs
2 tbsp. strong flour
2 tsp. paprika
Method
In a microwave safe bowl heat the 1/4 cup and butter for 1 minute till melted.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the 3/4 cup milk, sugar, coriander, salt and milk/butter mix.
Add yeast and flour and roughly mix with a spoon, let rest for 40 minutes
Using a dough hook to knead till dough is elastic about 8 minutes
Put dough into an oiled bowl and let rise for about 1-2 hours
Make filling by mixing in a food processor the cheese, cream cheese, eggs, flour and paprika
Divide the dough in half
Roll out 1 half on a floured bench, it will end up in a 28cm cake tin so you want to roll out to at least 34 diameter rough
Add half the filling and spread around
Fold dough in on itself to enclose
Place in greased 28cm cake tin, joined side down
Prick all over with a fork
Let rise for covered for another 40 minutes
Repeat with second half
If making the egg version, slice a cross in the top layer of the bread and gently peel back the points and crack an egg into the centre.
Bake in 180°C oven for 35-40 minutes
Once out of the oven smear with butter to make it glossy
Best served warm, as if there will be any left for it to get cold??
Përshëndetje (hello) and welcome to Albania.
In 2012 Rona Nishilu took to the stage with Suss and for 3 minutes I was memorized. While there were a mired of jokes about her hair and the screaming I sat transfixed as I witnessed a moment of true musical artistry, and I wasn't even a judge on The Voice.
It just goes to show while I love all the bells and whistles and reveals of Eurovision it is hard to beat a stand and deliver out pouring of emotional vocal gymnastics.
Well unfortunately it wasn't that hard to beat she came 5th. Today I have keep the same simplicity in the cooking with my variation of the Albanian Turli Perimesh or mixed vegetables.
My Turli Perimesh Ingredients
2 brown onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large red capsicum
2-3 Lebanese eggplants
3 yellow squash
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
1 zucchini
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Basil to garnish
Method
Chop all the vegetables into roughly the same size, leave the tomatoes whole
Add olive oil to a fry pan over a medium heat
Add the onions and garlic and sweat for a minute or 2 without browning
Add the eggplant, squash, zucchini, capsicum and tomatoes
Cook the vegetable till on medium to low heat till they are tender and the tomatoes are bursting.
If the pan gets too dry add a splash of water or stock
Season to taste
Serve with an extra splash of olive oil and garnish with basil leaves
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!
