Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Belgium

Goedenavond, Bonsoir, Guten Abend, this is Belgium calling and when you have 3 official languages you get an extra welcome.

Last year's Chow Down to Eurovision was a great success for Belgium, more artistically than on the score board but they made a sensational beer soup, yes that is a meal of beer!

This year they have gone for an equally comforting dish, with just a gentle nod to my idea of 80's food, where if it was covered in a cheese sauce it was fine dining.

Now the 80's weren't kind to hair or fashion but you can just imagine how great they were for Eurovision!

In 1981 Emly Starr sang Samson in Dublin, I'm not sure but I suspect in the 80's Samson may have lost all his butch manliness with a spiral perm.

Samson came 13th.

 

 

Witlof Gratin
Ingredients

• 8-9 witlof
• Squeeze of lemon
• 40g butter
• 60g plain flour
• 250ml milk
• 250ml chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• 200g  maasdam or Swiss cheese grated
• 8-9 slices of prosciutto
• 100g parmesan grated

Method

• Bring a pot of water to the boil and add squeeze of lemon
• Add the witlof and boil for about 10 minutes
• Drain the witlof upside down in a colander (it is best to do this over night so they aren't too water logged)
• Make the sauce 
• In a medium saucepan melt the butter on high heat
• Add the flour and combine to make a paste
• Cook for flour for about 1 minute
• Slowly add some milk/stock while whisking to avoid lumps
• Reduce the heat and continually stir
• As the sauce thicken add more milk/stock and continue to stir
• Repeat till all milk is used and sauce has thickened
• Add grated maasdam and stir through
• Season with salt and pepper
• Wrap each witlof in a slice of prosciutto and lay in a greased baking dish
• Cover with sauce
• Sprinkle top with parmesan
• Bake in 180°C oven for 30-35 minutes

If so inclined you can arrange them to recreate a scene from Alien with one poking up.

AB was not a fan of the bitterness in the witlof but I love it, that speaks volumes, AB is the nice one around here!

Copenhagen will see Axel Hirsoux perform the hauntingly beautiful ode Mother, which if he makes it through, the final is the day before Mother's Day, well played Sir, well played!

I hope he brings the backing dancer with him as in my world he is singing to the ghost of his mother, Edith Piaf.

Goei chance!



Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Ukraine

добрий вечір this is Kiev calling, 9th stopover on this laptop journey on the road to Copenhagen for Chow Down to Eurovision 2014.

In Chow Down to Eurovision 2013, Ukraine was represented by pork crackling and chocolate sauce, don't screw up your noses, this is way better than any salted caramel!

It was enough to get them to the final though they didn't make the top ten.

Our blast from the past is from many years ago............2012.

Gaitana sang a powerful welcome Be My Guest and it reminds me that sometimes as food loving hosts our force feeding of people can be a little full on...though I know the really love it! 

Gaitana came 15th in the finals.

 

I saw so many sweet or savoury variations of these traditionally steamed dumplings that when I saw a Ukrainian restaurant menu that had them fried I thought Hello Christmas.

After last year pork crackle I thought it might be nice to explore a vegetarian option this year.

Potato and Kale Ukrainian Dumplings
Ingredients

• 400g plain flour
• 250ml butter milk
• 1 egg
• salt
• 3 medium potatoes
• 10 kales leaves
• 25g butter
• 1 small red onion
• 150 g cheese grated (I like the sweetness of massdam )
• Salt & pepper
• Oil for frying

Method
Pastry

• Add flour, buttermilk, egg and pinch of salt to a stand mixer or mixing bowl
• Combine and knead till elastic (about 5 minutes in the stand mixer)
• You may need to add a little more flour if your dough is too wet, but you also don't want it too dry
• Let rest for about 30 minutes

Filling

• Add potatoes to a pot of cold water and boil till tender
• Add the kale leaves to the boiling water for about 10 minutes and then refresh in cold water
• When the potatoes are tender, pass them through a ricer with medium holes (or very lightly mash)
• Add butter to potato but don't stir it in yet, just let it melt
• Thinly slice the kale into strips, add to potatoes
• Finely dice red onion and add to hot potatoes
• Stir very gently so that the mix remains light and not a gluggy potato mash
• Allow to cool (10-15 minutes in the freezer should do the trick)
• Roll the pastry out on a floured bench to about 2-3mm thick, if it is too thick it won't cook through before brown/burning
• Cut out 8 cm circles using a glass, cutter or whatever you normally use (I think we all have our goto circle cutter. Mine is a glass AB's parents brought back from Las Vegas, that the dishwasher washed all the writing off!)
• The dough is very springy, so you may need to re roll to keep it stretched
• Gently mix the grated cheese through the filling and season to taste
• Take a small spoon of the filling and add to the centre of a pastry circle
• Fold the circle over the filling to make a semi circle
• Squeeze the edges together to seal, it is a self sealing dough (brushing with water made it not stick)
• Decorate the edges of the dumplings, either crimping, or turned in, it's up to you. As you can see from the photos it is a skill I am yet to master, I think I was happy with 2 of the 50 I made.....oh well better make more to practice!
• Heat oil in a sauce pan or deep fryer to about 180°C
• Fry in batches for around 2-3 mins till golden and the dough is cooked through
• Drain on kitchen paper
• I like them plain but they would also go well with a spicy sour cream based dipping sauce with mustard, horseradish or sweet chilli
• You should get about 50 dumplings

 

 

Tick Tock will be performed for Ukraine by Maria Yarumchuck, will she make it all the way or will her time be up in semi final 1?   (yep I'm here all week, try the beef)

удача

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Azerbaijan

Axşam yaxşı this is Azerbaijan calling, and can you believe we are half way through semi final 1?
Where has that time gone.......

 

Azerbaijan is a major player in the Chow Down to Eurovision as well as the Eurovision Song Contest.

 

Their Zebra cake came 3rd in the Chow Down to Eurovision and Farid placed a very respectable 2nd in Sweden.

 

I was very happy to give Farid my douze points as he said my cake was "looking so delicious", so clearly the guy is very smart.
 

It would be rude not to replay Farid's song Hold Me from last year, he likes my cake so we are almost totes besties!

While spending many well spent hours researching on the internet I found these Azerbaijani kebabs that came with multiple spellings, Lyulya, Lule, Lula, and finally Lulu.

Given one must always find a  Eurovision connection I went for the Lulu spelling and added some chilli.

After all if it's a Lulu kebab it's needs to have a certain Boom Bang A Bang! (pounding away......)

Lulu Kebabs
Ingredients

• 1kg lamb (I used a leg I had)
• 2 brown onions
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 2 red chillies
• Few springs of mint and parsley
• 1 tbsp. sea salt flakes
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. hot paprika

Method

• Pass the lamb, onions, garlic, chillies and herbs through a meat grinder (using the medium hole disc)
• Pass it through a second time
• Add salt and spices to the meat and mix well
• Let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour
• Soak some bamboo skewers in water while the meat rests
• Mould a small hand full of meat onto 2 skewers (If you hold the skewers about 1/2cm apart it acts like a spine)
• There should be enough for about 14 kebabs
• Heat up the BBQ and grill for about 10-15 minutes till charred and cooked through (you can have a little taster just to be sure...my excuse, sticking to it)
• Serve with a tzatziki or hummus and pitta breads
• If you can't be bothered firing up the BBQ, under the grill or in a fry pan will do the trick
• Looking at the picture I want another one.....NOW!!

 

In Demark Dilara Kazimova will sing Start a Fire, so I did and cooked some Lulu kebabs.

 

Sometimes you'll do something and it will look skilfully executed and well planned when really it is purely very good luck.....yep this was one of those.

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Russia

добрый вечер (dobryy vecher) Saucers, this is Russia calling, the home of the vodka babushka from Chow Down to Eurovision 2013.

Russia will be represented by garlic tongue this year, who doesn't love a good garlic tongue???

Many years ago I worked in a shared space with a community centre that also hired rooms to seniors groups.

There was a group of Russian ladies that would meet weekly to have lunch together and would need to use the kitchen to heat up their contributions.

Now I am kicking myself that I did not pay more attention to their dishes or befriend them so that I had a ready supply of ideas for the Chow Down to Eurovision.

Thankfully there is one dish they cooked that is firmly etched in my mind, and nostrils.

Each Tuesday the plate of tongue would arrive to be microwaved for 2 minutes and fill the air with glorious garlic.

This would usually be followed with a chorus asking what that awful smell was, even asking the tongue lady (I don't know her name) why she would even make such a dish.
We really are a very tolerant bunch.

So long story short, the Russian tongue lady inspired me to cook my first tongue.

Apart from peeling back the skin there is no "gross factor" about cooking this dish.

The hardest part was finding the tongue, 8 butchers and 2 markets later, I celebrated with the "I got tongued selfie"

 

Garlic Tongue

Ingredients 

• 1 ox tongue
• 2 brown onions
• 2 stalks of celery
• 2 carrots
• 4-5 gloves garlic
• Parsley
• 1 chilli
• 5-6 cloves
• 3-4 bay leaves
• Pinch of pepper corns
• Large pinch of salt

Dressing

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Few sprigs of parsley, chopped
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Add tongue and remaining ingredients in a large pot and cover with cold water
• Bring to the boil and simmer for about 3 hours till tender
• Remove tongue from stock and refrigerate over night
• Discard stock and vegetables
• Peel the skin from the tongue (there always has to be a gross job)
• Slice in thin(ish) pieces and place on serving plate
• Combine, minced garlic, olive oil, parsley and salt and mix well.
• Generously drizzle over the tongue
• Serve hot or cold for sandwiches, toast or with a creamy mash potato.
• It's another one to cross off the "have you ever cooked....." list

I didn't mind the tongue, cover something in garlic and I'm there but AB was not of it!

The chickens may have enjoyed the remains of the day

 Tastes like a tongue.....yeah that's deep!

 

 

The Tolmachevy Sister won junior Eurovision in 2006 with the gutturally jazzy Vesenniy Jazz.

It is impossible not to sing along!

 

They are all grown up and are back to represent Russia with a the pop tune Shine, will they be the first twins to win junior and "real" Eurovision?

удача! 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Albania

Mirëmbrëma this is Albania calling, home to our 6th stopover on the Chow Down to Eurovision 2014.

There are many sources of inspiration for the dishes that appear in the chow down, be they friends, cook books, Google, my own travels, or the Eurovision contestants themselves.

This dish of lamb baked in yogurt came from watching YouTube, and some follow up Googling. 

My Albanian is not what it use to be or ever existed so I am happy that I can cook by watching. It may be the culinary equivalent of musically playing by ear.

2010 saw Albania came 16th in the final with Juliana Pasha's It's All About You, with some fantastic backing singers. I promise those toes will be a tapping!

 
 

 

 

Lamb baked in yogurt (the translated name was cooking casserole sour)

Ingredients

• 600g cooked lamb (I used some left over braised lamb shanks, bone removed)
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 3-4 spring onions finely sliced (optional not pictured)
• 500g natural yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 gloves garlic (crushed)
• Salt and pepper
• 15g butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Place the cold cooked lamb in a baking dish and season to taste
• Sprinkle over rice and spring onions
• In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, eggs, garlic, pinch of salt
• Pour yogurt mixture over the lamb
• Dot the top with butter
• Bake for 30 mins
• Serve with a simple salad I went for just rocket and tomato nothing fancy, but a great way to use left over lamb roast.

 

 

Oh feel the comfort.........get me a blanket I'll be on the lounge with Eurovision re runs!

 

 

Albania did not qualify for the final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 and in Malmö so let's see what 2014 brings for them.

  

 Hersi (Herciana Matmuja) will perform One Night's Anger but lets hope that one night wont be in Copenhagen in May.

 Fat i mire!

 

Chow Down to Eurovision - 2014 Iceland

Gott kvöld, I hope the jet lag is well under control as we have made it to Iceland.

The dishes in Chow Down to Eurovision range from authentic traditional to just a homage to the contestant or country, so really anything goes if I can create some form of a link.

Iceland will be represented by a Battenberg cake that almost made itself when I first saw the Icelandic contestants, Pollapönk.

You never know if we searched hard enough we may find that the Battenberg cake is all the rage in Iceland......or will be.

Pollapönk

 I'm not sure which one is Jeff but I do hope he manages to stay awake!

In 1992 Iceland went for bold solid colours with Heart 2 Heart and they did alright out of it, they came 7th.

Part of the reason I was also so keen to do a Battenberg was that I was given a tin for Christmas by AB's Aunt.

I had fallen in love with the tin ever since I had seen Mary Berry use one on the Bake Off....yep me and gadgets again.

Pollapönk Battenberg

This recipe comes from the maker of the tin, with a few adjustments from me

Ingredients

• 175g  butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 175g Self raising flour
• Few drops of food colouring in appropriate colours
• 3 tbsp. jam (any flavour I had some apple, sieve it to remove lumps)
• 350g pre made fondant (I used fondant as I'm not a huge marzipan fan)

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C
• Assemble, grease and flour the Battenberg pan
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy
• Gradually add the beaten eggs
• Fold in the flour
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal amounts
• Put a few drops of food colouring into the separate mixtures and gently mix until desired colour is achieved
• Spoon each mixture into separate sections of the tin
• Bake for approximately 30 - 35 minutes, or until evenly coloured and firm to the touch
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin
• If the cake has risen above the top of the tin, use a serrated knife to cut across the top to remove excess cake (I think less batter is a better option but need to work out the amounts)
• Remove the cake from the tin
• When completely cold, brush the jam onto the long sides of the cakes and join
• Brush the jam over all the long sides
• Roll out the fondant to a rectangle large enough to go around the cake
• Place the cake onto the fondant so the one edge is lined up to the edge of the marzipan and completely wrap the marzipan around the cake.
• Trim away any surplus fondant and to make a neat(ish) cake, just trim both ends with a clean knife.
• I gave the fondant a distressed look and brushed on some silver petal dust for some extra glamour

Iceland qualified for the final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 with a tasty lamb flap luncheon roll, will they get there again?

Pollapönk will bring us one on the best themed songs this year, No Prejudice....I wonder if that message alone will be enough for Eurovision 2015 to be held in Iceland.

Gangi þér vel!

In My Kitchen - April

I honestly didn't think I would get to do an In My Kitchen for April as my world at the moment is focused on Chow Down to Eurovision 2014, but with 37 countries and 37 dishes what's another post??.......Coffee??

In My Kitchen.....
....is a rosette tool.

I first saw these when I was researching Sweden for last year's Chow Down to Eurovision but didn't have enough time to order them.

The biscuit is very light and crisp (recipe here) and as I was writing the post for this year thought it would be great with a crushed peppermint lollies and icing sugar to give the illusion on a cold snowflake.

In My Kitchen....

.....is Cinderella's lift to the ball.

This year with the pumpkins, it has been size over quantity. There are another 2 progressing well in the back yard but I won't be drying them on top of the shed as I did last year as they became a possum buffet!!

 

 

In My Kitchen.....
.....is a cookie jar I bought with the indention of having on my desk at work in the spirit of community sharing.
It hasn't made it there yet...but I have taken them some breads and cakes.

 

 A selection of French patisserie for Harmony Day, Chocolate branches/fingers, vanilla bean macarons, and rose and pistachio fondant fancies.

In My Kitchen....
....is some Melbourne roof top honey seeds I bought that should be in my garden by now! I just adore the packages, so clever!

 

 

In My Kitchen.....

.....is not a sad and desperate plea but just a polite public notification that the people's choice round of Best Australian blogs 2014 is open and you are able to submit votes for Don't Boil The Sauce.

 

The voting system isn't exactly user friendly but its alphabetical so I'm on the first page, and if viewing on a mobile you need to scroll to the bottom of the page. (AB is Television.AU if you are really keen)

At this stage I don't believe you need to journey into the enchanted forest to collect Unicorn tear drops......but I'll keep you posted.

Thank you so much if you do click the link and accept this quest.

 

 

 

Thanks to Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for hosting the monthly In My Kitchen, check out the other kitchens.