Chow Down to Euovision 2013 - Sweden

This year's Eurovision host country Sweden is the first cab off the rank in the final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013. As hosts Sweden automatically qualifies for the final along with Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The remaining 20 spots in the final come down to your votes and will be announced tomorrow.

While I had a dish in my head to finish our journey to Malmö with I kept seeing requests for meatballs recipes on twitter from potential Eurovision party hosts. I was resisting doing meatballs as I didn't think I'd be able to get my hands on enough horsemeat, but I always like to give the Saucers what they want.

The twist is these are based on my memory of Swedish meatballs from my childhood when the grown ups had parties. I remember they came frozen in a large box of about a thousand dark brown pebbles that looked like something decorative from a garden shop, they tasted of  a shipload of pepper and had a distinctive bounce to them.

This version doesn't  have quite as much bounce and with the brown onion glaze will disappear quickly. I've also included in this post a Swedish cocktail to get you in the spirit, or possibly hospitalised if you play the Eurovision drinking game!

I had a very hard time picking the past Eurovision taster as Sweden has a smorgasbord of brilliant offerings so I thought I'd stick to one most personal.

There is something magical in the finding Eurovision in a non Eurovision setting whether it be Loreen's Euphoria in the final of My Kitchen Rules, the music in a shopping centre or an intimate stand up comedy routine with a Eurovision theme.

My most thrilling surprise Eurovision was during a 6am body pump class, yes not only awake at that time but out of the house and exercising! Around this same time I was body jam instructing so I was no stranger to the inside of a gym, I just didn't look it.

I was getting ready to lift the weights while day dreaming about being back in bed when I hear "never gonna run away" (what, no way) "I'm not gonna hide"(OMG can it really be!!!) "I know, just what I feel inside" and yes it was Carola from 2006 serenading the class with Invincible! It was like I was back in Athens.

The instructor was very accommodating as I sang at the top of my lungs and tried to wave the bar like a flag with 10kg weights on each end. Just like the backing singer in the semi final there may have been a well covered stumble that had the potential of doing one's self a mischief. (2.45 in the video)

Swedish meatballs with Onion Gravy
Ingredients

• 500g mince (lamb, beef, pork, or combination)
• 250g sausage mince
• 11/2 cups bread or a bread roll
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 brown onions, peeled quartered
• 3 spring onions roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp. pepper
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 brown onions peeled finely sliced
• Knob of butter
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. corn flour
• Olive oil

Method

• In a food processer add 2 brown onions quartered, bread, milk, spring onions, garlic peeled, and processer for 30secs till chopped
• Add the meat, pepper, salt, process till combined, add more milk if needed
• Roll into approx. 25g balls or to the size you prefer
• Cook in batches in a frypan on medium heat with a good splash of olive oil
• Move the frypan in a circular motion to move the balls around so that all sides brown
• Cook for about 10 minutes till cooked through, alternatively brown in the frypan and finish in the oven for about 15-20 minutes on 180°C

• To make the glaze sweat down the onions with  butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, they should be transparent rather than brown
• Add the stock and vinegar
• Boil to reduce slightly
• To thicken make the cornflour into a paste as directed and stir through
• Serve hot with toothpicks, as a main with mash potato or in a butter bread roll

 

Swedish Polar Bear Cocktail
Ingredient

• 30ml vodka (I have reduced the vodka to 1 shot instead of 2 as it is a long night)
• 30ml blue Curacao
• Ice
• Lemonade

Method

• Add all ingredient to a glass
• If you are playing the drinking game you could get an advantage by just having lemonade and blue food colour, it is cheating but could avoid a messy time!
• And always drink responsibly, no one wants blue clean up. 

Robin Stjernberg will have the home crowd support with his song You, can Sweden win 2 in a row?

Lycka till!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Recap of Semi Final Two

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.

 

Our interval act is from 1974 and while Katie Boyle may never forget she is a Womble, we will always remember she hosted Eurovision commando! (sans knickers)

 

Latvia

 

San Marino 

 

 

 FYR Macadonia

 

 

Azerbaijan  

 

 

Finland 

 

 

 Malta

 

 

 Bulgaria

 

 

 Iceland

 

 

 Greece

 

 

 Israel

 

 

Armenia 

 

 

Hungary 

 

 

 Norway

 

 

 Albania

 

 

 Georgia

 

 

 Switzerland

 

 

 Romania

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 -Romania

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..........

Noroc!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Switzerland

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.

Viel Glück!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Georgia

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??

 

 

Waterfall is Georgia's hope for this year sung by Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani.

გისურვებთ წარმატებას!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Albaina

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  

Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko will bring Identitet to Sweden this year.

Fat i mire!