Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Switzerland

With four official languages in Switzerland here goes:

Bonsoir,
Buonasera,
Guten Abend,
Buna saira.....this is Switzerland calling!

1956 Lugano, Switzerland is when Eurovision all began but our story begins in Zürich in 2011.

I have previously mentioned that the dishes in Chow Down to Eurovision are an homage or link, sometimes remote link to the featured country rather than an official national dish.

So instead of Switzerland presenting chocolate as they did last year, I have been inspired by an Australian themed restaurant AB and I dined at in Zürich. The menu is actually quite hilarious with probably the flavours of Thailand or India rather than Australia, but as Pat Benatar once said, we are young and have been influenced.

Before we head to perusing the menu, let's go back to when Eurovision was young and the first ever winner Lys Assia with Refrain.

 

Bless you Lys you are the start of wonderful things to come!

 

Australia in Switzerland

I suspect they mean bush whacker rather than packer!

 Nothing scream Australia like Thai red curry!
 

 

Possibly not authentic indigenous art?

 

 

 Am I on the set of Rush?

I understand how the whole of Ireland must feel about Irish Pubs!

 

I have gone though my travel blog archive to find my reaction at the time:

"Strewth cobber, what the blazers am I doing in an Australian themed drinking and eating type establishment.

My butch is through the roof with the waiter's Swiss French German lisp I just chuck in a few " yeah I'll have the coopers mate, ta beutie" (spit) oh for a pack of winnie red.

The soundtrack is Let's Go Disco volume 2... We are family, the hustle, I will survive. It's like I'm at the Broken Hill mardi gras!

Dessert menu no pavlova? I think this might more Austrian than Australian. Btw the Prime Minster favourite dish....ostrich! I'm ready to belt at a bit of cold chisel....cheap wine and a three way grope."

One thing that was so obviously missing from the menu was a prawn...sorry shrimp on the barbie???? Not a single one......never fear I have fixed that with "Australian" (Thai) flavours.

Prawns with Devil's Butter Sauce (inspired by the chicken breast with either angel or devil butter)
Ingredients

• 500g green prawn cutlets tail on
• 1-2 cups plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• 60g butter
• 2-3 long red chilli chopped
• 1 red onion chopped (small)
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• Zest and juice of lime
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/4 cup cream or coconut cream
• 1/2 bunch coriander chopped

Method

• Make the sauce
• In a saucepan on low heat melt the butter
• Sweat the onions, chilli and garlic without browning the onions
• Add the chopped stems of coriander
• Add lime, sugar, fish sauce and combine
• Add cream and whisk
• Adjust seasons......(pinch more sugar, drop more lime or fish sauce)
• Serve in a bowl for dipping
• In a large bowl season the flour with salt and pepper (lots)
• Coat the prawns in the flour
• If the prawns are wet, it makes the flour form little bits of batter for added texture. To avoid this and have smooth prawns, pat them dry before coating
• Fry in hot oil for 1-2minutes till prawn is cooked
• Let the prawns drain in a colander over a bowl
• Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper
• Serve with the sauce and sprinkling of coriander

 

I imagine Sebalter could do well with Hunter of Stars as a handsome young fella on stage fiddling usually gets a fairytale response from the Eurovision crowd.
 

Will he make it through to the final and follow in the foot steps of Lys Assia, or be more like DJ BoBo when the vampire were alive but non qualifying?

Viel Gluck!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Slovenia

Dober večer this is Slovenia calling.

Slovenia appears to have become the unofficial home of cheese when it comes to the Chow Down to Eurovision.

Last year they were represented by a turkey schnitzel with the most drinkable gorgonzola sauce you may possibly just want a bucket of the sauce and some private time.

 

Today we will have a little less conversation, a little more choreography please!

 

In 2006 Anzej Dean was Mr Nobody in Athens although he was often mistaken for the love child of wolverine and teen wolf. (and before you comment saying it's ridiculous 2 men can't make a baby, pause for a moment to consider one is a werewolf and the other a mutant)

 

Moving on I'm sure everyone will be able to master this choreography before we tackle today's dish.

 

Alternatively you could spend hours watching the clip to try and find AB and I dancing away in the audience (hint read last year's Greece to know you won't see us)

 



 

Slovenian Cheese Cones
Ingredients

• 500g dry ricotta
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 small red capsicum, finely diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. hot paprika
• 1-2 tsp. salt

Method

• Add all ingredients to a bowl and fork gently to combine (you don't want it to become a paste)
• Mould about 2 tbsp. of the mix in your hands into a cone shape
• Not too big or it make collapse in the oven
• Place on a tray lined with baking paper
• Bake for 30 minutes in a 90°C oven, the lower the temp the better, it just about drying them out a bit to firm up.
• Enjoy as a spread on bread or just as they are
• Traditionally they are dried in the sun or next to a wood fired oven....at time of making I had neither.

The perfect way to start a Eurovision dinner.

 

This year's choreography is a touch more challenging and for true authenticity should only be performed in Koper harbour.

 

Round And Round will be performed by Tinkara Kovač, will she take Slovenia through to the finals and beat their highest finals placing of 7th?

Srečno!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - F.Y.R.Macedonia

добро вечер, dobro večer this is former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, ex-République yougoslave de Macédoine calling, and contestant number eleven in Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 Semi Final 2.

Last year former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia presented the easy to make and even easier to eat sugar ladened halva.

 

This year there is a touch less sugar with a very simple yet satisfying salad.

 

Sometimes we can get too fancy in fear of presenting a dish that could be labelled pedestrian that simple pleasures like this salad can be over looked, and that would be a greater tragedy.

 

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia always sends great voices to Eurovision and 2012 was no exception with Kaliopi and Crno I Belo.

 

While she hasn't replaced Karolina as my favourite from F.Y.R.M she comes a very close second.

She placed 13th in the final.

 

 

My Shopska salad

Ingredients

• 2 red onions
• 2 small cucumbers
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red capsicum
• 1/2 cup fine grated Cheddar cheese
• Salt, pepper
• Olive oil

 

Method

• Peel cucumbers and dice to 1-2cm cubes
• Dice the rest of the vegetable the same size
• Season with salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil
• Top with grated cheese
• When I first read about this salad it said to serve in an oval, on further readings it may have been a translation issue and meant to serve in a bowl!
• Either way it is the most delicious simple salad and is perfect, in an oval, bowl, or jar as a work lunch.
• You may like to decorate the top with some additional red capsicum, but I advise stopping before you try and recreate F.Y.R. Macedonia's flag as you may have to spend time picking them out before you take the photo!

F.Y.R. Macedonia are sending another power house vocalist in Tijana who is heading To the Sky and possibly Saturday's final.

Will she be able to make the final top ten, a place F.Y.R. Macedonia hasn't been...yet.

 

If they win, their air force might even be able to afford shirts as well as gas masks! 

со среќа so sreḱa!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Belarus

добры вечар (dobry viečar) this is Belarus calling, home to the Eurovision spectacular and featured artist in Chow Down to Eurovision 2013, Angelica Agurbash.

This year's artist Teo provides a Chow Down to Eurovision gift by performing another food titled song, Cheesecake.

At first I thought this dish would be a piece of (cheese)cake, a smooth and creamy baked cheesecake with blueberries or perhaps a savoury crab cheesecake.

 

Well then I thought I'd be a bit clever and well you know, it's Belarus so it should be Belarus in the cheesecake.

Famous last words......

So while I felt my life was completely "tied up in their sweet cheesecake" the thought I clung tightly to throughout was I Love Belarus!

 

Anastasiya Vinnikova performed I love Belarus in 2011 and while I loved Belarus it seems not many others did, they came 14/19 in the semi final

Sadly for the first time in Chow Down to Eurovision history, we have a country who has a tale to tell but not the recipe.

 

Trying to create the flag of Belarus in cheesecake has invaded my every thought process for months now.

 

Would it show the flag as you looked down on it? But then you could end up with a slice of just red or just green...

 

Should it be in a loaf tin so it's a rectangle?

 

Should I cut away the side and then add more for the white embroidered motif?

 

Maybe I could use a tuile as the side border?

 

Could I make a rectangular macaron?

 

Ok I'll temper white chocolate and add freeze dried raspberries....but it shouldn't be a sweet cheesecake, Teo sings he doesn't want a sweet cheesecake.

 

You can imagine the fun and pain I have had with this cheesecake!

 

I'll take you through some of the prototypes and where I ended up. I wont be including a recipe in this post as I'm not at the point that I could in all fairness publish something I was sure worked, and tasted great.

 

The savoury roast tomato, basil pesto and capsicum cheesecake, the flavour of the pesto was quite enjoyable but the rest got a big no from me. 

The sweet raspberry and pandan cheesecake was a bit of a flop....literally!

 

The pandan was the winner in this one, so it seems I am ok at the bottom layer.

 

There is also some Italian meringue with strawberries as I thought this could look like the border when cut.

There was no way it was going to stick on that one.....

 

 

I'd remembered singing at the Gunning Flower Show about a million moons ago and being given a jelly cheesecake slice for afternoon tea.

OK so jelly, the colour should work and it should definitely hold it's shape.

There is no chance of this cheesecake not holding it's shape, if you threw it at a wall it would only bounce back.

There is more Italian meringue and strawberries but I think a cake boarder is the way to go.....only time will tell.

 

So while I don't consider my adventure with Belarusian cheesecake a complete epic fail, it is something I will keep working on so I can publish a recipe I'm happy with in the future.

The Don't Boil the Sauce philosophy is really just about having a go, so I'm actually ok with showing you that sometimes it just doesn't happen the way you want it to.

Who knows, everyone loves an underdog with a back story, so perhaps Belarus could go on to win Chow Down to Eurovision 2014??? After all I Love Belarus!

Teo will dish up a far more polished cheesecake in the second semi final, so let's hope he doesn't need to rely on Google maps for directions and heads straight into the final. 

 

удача udacha!

In My Kitchen - May

May is the most beautiful month of the year because it's Eurovision month.

While currently all things in my life are solely focused on The Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 I thought I could still squeeze in a mini in my kitchen.....referring to the size of the post for "In My Kitchen" and not my ability to wear a tiny skirt. (I'm pants all the way unless there is cash involved and then we can talk.....)

Ok moving right along before it is obvious that my balance of sleep and quantity coffee isn't quite in harmony this morning.

In My Kitchen....
....are my latest cookbook purchases and a bonus.

To continue my all things Bake Off obsession the latest from John Whaites and Mary-Anne Boermans which after the Chow Down to Eurovision I will try and cook my way through, just so that there are no recipes that feel left out

The Stephanie Alexander was a free gift with a magazine subscription (though it was cooks companion that was advertised but mag shop has never been known for their reliability*) *in my experience

If anyone knows next week's lotto numbers can you let me know?
I need to have so many more hours to just read, learn and cook......I'm sure you are all with me on that!

 

 

In My Kitchen...

....is a range of Italian products I am very fond of and am surprised I haven't shared with you before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you hadn't guessed by now they are all fridge magnets!

 

They are my most prized possessions from my trips to Italy, but they are not available everywhere or exactly cheap like the mass produced souvenirs.

 

I have only found them at the airport, and a couple of shops near Fontana di Trevi.

I look forward to my collection increasing...soon I hope!



We even have a Dutch addition when I went all Tonia Todman and made one myself from a packet saved (not stolen) from a hotel breakfast buffet in Amsterdam.

 

OK so you can't escape my kitchen Eurovision free.........

 

In My Kitchen....

...is a podcast interview I did for Eurovision Canada. It was great fun and they have done a wonderful job putting it together. #Spoiler alert they do play snippets of this year's songs

The podcast is available on iTunes or on their website.

 

I was going for devouring the cookbooks but I look a little more like back off these are mine!

I guess Fabio is safe in his job......for now anyway!



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

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Ireland

Tráthnóna maith daoibh this is the most Eurovisionly victorious
Ireland calling.

With a massive 7 wins under their belt and 3 of those in succession Ireland is often called the home of Eurovision, even if one year they did decide to send a puppet.

The idea for the Irish entry in Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 comes direct via a little blue from the snake free home of St Patrick!

Bridget, one of the amazing bakers from the Great Irish Bake Off came up with the suggestion of making a dish that used seaweed, not instantly associating Ireland with seaweed I jumped at the opportunity to learn more.

Some of the possible dishes could have been a chowder, a baked custard or a surf and turf but given Ireland isn't afraid of repeats at Eurovision I knew where I wanted to take this.

I took my version of the Great Irish Bake Off party loaf and mixed it up with a seaweed (dulse) flavoured twist. In all honesty I was worried at first as straight from the bag the smell reminds me of fish food and a taste I can't speak of in polite company.

Nevertheless I soldiered on and am really happy with the result, the flavour mellows and gives the bread a rich earthy meatiness...not that either of those terms indicate ocean.

The seaweed was a great suggestion so be sure to check out Bridget's Blog The Search for Delicious.

Some of the repeat Eurovision offenders...I mean contestants for Ireland have been, Linda Martin, Niamh Kavanagh, The Swarbriggs and most recently Jedward.

 

My favourite of Linda Martin's entries is Terminal 3 written by Melbourne born Johnny Logan, it placed 2nd in 1984. She did come first in 1992 with Why Me?

 

Dulse is a dried seaweed that was available for my local wholefood shop

Dulse and sesame loaf
Ingredients:

• 550g strong flour
• 30g dulse chopped (food processor works well, but takes a while as it's very light and flies around the bowl)
• 14g dried yeast
• 15g sugar
• 10g salt
• 250ml tepid water
• 60ml olive oil

Topping:

• 1 egg beaten
• 10 g Dulse chopped in a spice mill to get finer pieces
• Sesame seeds (about 1/4 cup)

Method:

• Combine all dry and wet ingredients together and knead till elastic
• Kneading by hand will take about 10-15 mins or 5 mins using a dough hook
• Cover with plastic wrap in an oiled bowl and let prove for about 1 hour till double in size
• Weigh the dough and divide by 19 (sorry maths I know, it should work out to around 50g each)
• Divide the dough into even portions
• Roll into balls, the best way is on the bench under a cupped hand (it is a great triceps workout, after the 19th you'll feel it)
• Lightly oil a 25cm round spring form cake tin
• In 3 separate bowls place the beaten egg, sesame seeds and dulse.
• Dip the top of a ball into the egg mix and then into one of the seeds
• Place into the cake tin, arranging in any design you like
• Repeat with 18 remaining balls, giving them enough room to expand
• Cover with a shopping bag and let prove for 45 minutes-1 hour
• Bake in a 180°C oven for 30 minutes

Avocado would go so well on this bread

Can-linn Featuring Kasey Smith will present Heartbeat in Copenhagen will they make it number 8 for Ireland?
Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat!

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Finland

Hyvää iltaa this is Finland calling.

Home to many wooden spoon performances and one hell of a victory in 2006 with Lordi and Hard Rock Hallelujah (it's a shame you can't hear my intonation as I type this because I'm using my best full monster metal falsetto! Hallelujah!)  

I assume, not being totally au fait with the monster diet that Lordi would devour a Finnish hot pot being meat, meat and meat but it would forever ruin the illusion if I found out they were Paleo Vegans!

Laila Halme was the first Finnish contestant to come last at Eurovision with the dreaded nul points.(zero points) They have placed last 9 times since first participating in 1961 but thankfully only nul points on 3 occasions.

I believe Laila deserved some points in the very least as she does have a touch of the Eleanor LaGore about her, I'm just waiting for the entrance of The Saturday Show Dancers!

Laila Halme Muistojeni laulu

 

 

This recipe was inspired by Karelian hot pot from about.com. The quantity of this recipe will feed a Eurovision party crowd, or freeze for later, but once the slow cooker is out you want to make it worth your while.

Finnish Hot Pot

Ingredients

• 1kg pork fillet
• 1kg beef chuck
• 1kg lamb chump
• 2 tbsp. of black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp. of whole pimento/all spice
• 6 large brown onions
• 5-6 bay leaves
• 1 tbs. sea salt
• 2 tbs. cornflour approx.
• 2 tbs. verjuice
• Olive oil

Method

• Thinly slice the onions, a food processor is a joy to be hold at this stage 
• Cut the meats into equal(ish) 2cm cubes
• With a splash of olive oil brown off the meat in batches
• Make sure to render the lamb fat well (or leave it out)
• In a slow cooker add 1/4 of the onions and 1/4 of the meat and repeat layers till used
• Add the pepper, pimento/all spice, salt, bay leaves and 600ml of water
• Cook for about 6 hours on low till meat is tender and the stock is glorious (I believe that is a culinary term)
• When it's ready you can thicken the sauce with cornflour, but I prefer separate the meat from the stock and leave both overnight
• The next day you can remove a layer of fat from the stock and strain away any excess spices 
• Heat the stock and thicken with a paste of cornflour and a touch of water
• Add a couple of tablespoons of verjuice to the sauce and adjust the seasonings
• Reheat the meat gently through the sauce so it doesn't dry out

Serve with a rustic mash potato, skin on, manual masher, no fine dining passing through drum sieve here, just salt, pepper and enough butter to......actually I'm not sure I should publicly speak of the amount of butter used...use your own judgment here.

Traditionally the dish is served with cranberry sauce but my twist and revelation is a good handful of dried cranberries through the mash potato takes it to the next level as they say would on reality TV cooking shows. The cranberries offer a tart yet fruity accompaniment to the meat and potatoes, and possible an extra vitamin or two.

Another option is to use ground spices if cooking for children, older people or you can't be bothered eating around the whole spices.

 

This year Finland doesn't want to risk coming last for the tenth time so they have decided to send Something Better, performed by Softengine.

Onnea!