Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Belgium

Goedenavond, Bonsoir, Guten Abend, this is Belgium one of the original Eurovision countries calling.

 

In 1956, when it all began, Belgium presented 2 songs Le plus beau jour de ma vie sung by Mony Marc and Messieurs les noyés de la Seine sung by Fud Leclerc. In that year each of the 7 competing nations could enter 2 songs, could you imagine if we had 80 songs competing in this year's Eurovision!!

 

I have chosen not to harp on the fact that no one recorded the first contest and just skip a year to bring you today's Eurovision classic.

 

1957 saw Bobbejaan Schoepen sing in Dutch Straatdeuntje (streetcar), well I say sing but there was quite a large portion of whistling. Bobbejaan scored 5 points and placed 8th tying with Lys Assisa, back for Switzerland. (I bet he was wishing he had tied with her the year before!) 



 

Our Eurovision dish today is a dish so obviously Belgium I'd avoided it for 2 years, so as not to be cliché.
 
I think it is time that we all embrace the mussels from Brussels.
 
And just in case you got a little too excited and were thinking muscles....I have prepared a simple guide to help you with your mussel/muscle appreciation.
 

 

 
I could no longer put this dish off because I am lucky enough to have access to the most amazing mussels at the farmers market. Mussels are a staple dinner every 3rd Saturday of the month (the week the mussel man makes an appearance) that they had to make their way into the Chow Down to Eurovision.
 
When I head to Belgium this year there will be no relaxing with a large beer and a plate of moules frites, I will be working very hard studying the dish.
 
I may even need to study it two or three times and perhaps analyse some Belgian chocolate while I am at it, that's just how dedicated and hard working I am!!
 
There are a few sauces that have been known to accompany this dish but after I read about a blue cheese sauce, that was the only way to go.
 

Moules Frites (mussels and chips) aka Game On Moules!

Ingredients for 2 people

• 1kg mussels
• Knob of butter
• Splash of olive oil
• 1 leek chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Handful of chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, chives, tarragon)
• 6 Kipfler potatoes
• 150g blue cheese
• 30ml olive oil
• 1/2 cup seasoned flour
• Oil for frying

For the moules (mussels)

• Clean and de-beard the mussels (I just pull the beard out and discard any mussels with broken shells)
• In a heavy based pot with lid add the splash of oil and knob of butter
• Add the leek and garlic and stir over a medium to high heat
• When the leek is soft add the white wine, mussels and put the lid on
• Cook until the mussels have opened (about 5 minutes)
• Stir through herbs and serve with chips and blue cheese dip

For frites (chips) (or buy some chips)

• In a saucepan of cold water bring the potatoes to the boil and cook till just tender
• Cool and keep in the fridge overnight
• Cut the potatoes into wedges or chips
• Coat in seasoned flour
• Cook in small batch in very hot oil till crisp

For blue cheese sauce

It is probably more of a dip than a sauce.

• With a fork mix the blue cheese and oil together until combined

 

That little orange morsel of sea sweetness and the blue cheese is a serious flavour experience "a party in your mouth" as they say!

 

Belgium will be represented in Vienna by Loïc Nottet who will perform Rhythm Inside.

 

 I am looking forward to seeing what Belgium can come up with for a stadium presentation.

Will Loïc set the audience and juries hearts a rapppabab-ing or is Rhythm Inside more of that "really cool quirky theme tune from the latest hipster HBO series"?

Or both?

Goei chance! 

 

Past Belgium Chow Down to Eurovision:

 

2014 Witlof Gratin

 

2013 Beer Soup

 

 

Chow Down to Euroivision 2015 - Armenia

 

I hope you managed to collect your luggage, we have arrived in Armenia.

In 2009 Armenia sent 2 sisters Inga & Anush to Moscow to have us all dancing to Jan Jan, giving us a taste of flash mob possibilities. They managed to keep Armenia in the top 10 for the fourth year running. 

For me the sisters bring pure joy to the song and if you aren't tapping your toes at the end of it, well I'm not sure I can help you.

Inga will again represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, with a group formed around Armenian bloodlines, interestingly without her sister...
 

 

 

Armenia's contribution to #BuildingBrunches is a chickpea and date soup. While I love a good date as much as the next bloke, my obsession at the moment is currants...they are totes right now!

 

There is a beauty in the surprise sweetness that dried fruit has to offer a savoury dish.

 

Possibly one of the simplest dishes in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 I can see this easily securing a place in the top ten soups for any wintery night.

 

 

 

I love the sound of chickpeas cracking as they soak.....

 

Armenian chickpea and date currant soup

Ingredients

• 500g soaked, cooked chickpeas (or canned)*
• 1 brown onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Olive oil
• Butter
• 1 litre chicken/vegetable stock
• 80g dried currants

Method

• Dice onion and garlic
• Add a "splash and a knob" of oil and butter to a large saucepan
• Fry the onions and garlic on low heat till they are translucent
• Add 400g of the chickpeas (keeping 100g to add later)
• Add the stock and simmer for 20-30 minutes till the chickpeas are soft
• Mash the soup with a potato masher, or hand blender for a smooth soup
• Add the remaining chickpeas and currants
• Season to taste
• Serve with a finely sliced spring onion....only because I like a soup topped with spring onion

*I used dried chickpeas I soak and then cook but you could use canned as well, I would use 2 cans of chickpeas and 1.5 litres of stock.

 

 It don't look too pretty but what a surprise treat the currants make!

 

 
 

 

 

In 2015 Armenia has cooked up the act Genealogy which features 6 singers of Armenian heritage from around the globe, it's like The Voice meets Who Do You Think You Are?

 

The group consists of some very talented singers individually, but will this family reunion work or will it end in tears just like every Christmas after Aunt Mavis has a touch too much sherry and not enough trifle.

 

The song evokes a night at the opera with Tori Amos and a touch of the burlesque all rolled into a film clip that could easily be an episode of Dr Who.

 

Հաջողություն!

 

 

Past Armenia Chow Down to Eurovision:

 

2014: Eech - Bulgur and Tomato Salad



2013: Apricot and Nutmeg Cake with Apricot Cream

 



Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Moldova

Buna Seara Europe/World we have arrived in Moldova, the first country for Chow Down to Eurovision 2015!  

 

If this is your first time to the Chow Down to Eurovision you will discover that each country will present us with a dish, a Eurovision entry from their past and a taste of this year's contestant.

 

We begin are musical journey into Eurovision history in 2008 when Moldova gave us Century of Love sung by Geta Burlacu. 

Geta has a flexible jazz voice that successfully navigates the scat sections with the trumpeter and in case you were unsure if this was lounge music, they decided to bring one with them.

I think Moldova would score well on The Block as who wouldn't want a lounge room with a cool moody trumpet player at the foot of the sofa??

Wonder if I could get one at Ikea?

Like the great Paul Oskar's 1997 Minn hansti dans for Iceland, I have a lot of respect for someone that can combine entering Eurovision with a lay down on the couch!

Sadly as with last year, 2008 saw Moldova fail to secure a place in the final, which may have had something to do with the teddy bear...great voice, great song, creepy teddy bear.

 

 

 

Our first culinary morsel of 2015 is sure to disappear in a flash from any Eurovision party buffet.

 

Placinte are a pastry covered dumpling/pie/pastie bites of deliciousness.

There are many methods of making and both sweet or savoury varieties.

 

Today Moldova is in the space between both with a chicken and pumpkin variety.

 

The chicken with the hint of garlic champion team savoury with the pumpkin making a very welcomed appearance for team sweet.

 

I suspect Moldova will do well in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 as covering anything in pastry is a good idea really.

 

Chicken and pumpkin placinte (makes 35-40)

Ingredients

• 300g chicken (breast or thigh meat)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion
• 200g pumpkin grated
• Salt and pepper
• Puff pastry (home made or bought see note)
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

• Mince chicken, garlic, onion and a good pinch of salt/pepper in food processer
• Transfer chicken to a bowl and mix through the pumpkin
• Either roll out pastry or thaw some bought sheets
• Brush the pastry with the egg wash
• Cut out rounds with a 9cm cutter
• Place a small spoon of mixture onto the pastry, fold over and seal the edges
• Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden
• Serve with dipping sauce of your choice, I went with sweet chill

Note on pastry: I made the pastry for the placinte featured which adds to the puffed up look, a little like a Eurovision reveal. They go into the oven all neat and oval but come out puffed and gorgeous.

 

I used about 3/4 of a 750g batch to get 40 placinte, so a packet of pastry should be enough to get 30+ depending on the size. My normal pastry recipe is from the Great British Bake Off - How to Bake but there are lots of recipes out there if you are going to make your own.

 

 

 

The offcuts became a very rustic pie

 

 

One plate just isn't enough!

The Moldovan entry to grace the Wiener Stadthalle stage this May will be Eduard Romanyuta with I Want Your Love.

While the selection process was rocked with allocations of vote buying, I think Britney Spears fans will give this song 12 points....ah yeah yeah yeah yeah

noroc!

Past Moldova Chow Down to Eurovision appearances:

2014: Moldovan Fish with Roast Vegetable and Feta Salad

 2013: Moldovan Beetroot Salad

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 Launch

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015

40 dishes from 40 countries but only 1 winner...

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 Australian National Final Winner Announcement

The announcement we have all been waiting for!

Which dish will represent Australia at Chow Down to Eurovision 2015....
 
After a wonderful national final that showcased the dishes of 5 very talented food bloggers, the public has spoken.
 
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the dish that will be representing Australia in the Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 is  Tim Tam and Vegemite Soufflé from Keep Calm and Fanny On!

 

 

 
I'd like to thank everyone who entered, the selection of dishes was outstanding and I can only imagine how hard it was for people to pick a winner.

Thank you to everyone who voted so that I didn't have to make this tough decision.
(I didn't even vote)

The Chow Down to Eurovision will commence in early April 2015.

Will Keep Calm and Fanny On take out the whole contest and win it for Australia? (via Scotland)

 

The final results:

 

Entry	Total
Keep Calm and Fanny On	237
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial	198
What's on The List?	195
Tiffin Bite Sized Food Adventures	185
The Bountiful Hunter	174

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Australian National Final Recap

Press play for a recap of all the fantastic blogger's taking part in the Australian National Final of Chow Down to Eurovision 2015.

And don't forget to vote for you favourite!
Voting has now closed

 

 

 

Contestant One Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Contestant Two Keep Calm and Fanny On

 

Contestant Three The Bountiful Hunter

Contestant Four Tiffin Bite Sized Food Adventures

Contestant Five What's on The List?

Who will be the dish that represents Australia in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015?
#BuildingBrunches

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Australian National Final Contestant Five

I can hardly believe it but we have arrived at our final contestant for Chow Down to Eurovision 2015- Australian National Final.

Joanne from What's On The List? is what I like to call "A Chow Down to Eurovision success story",  as she had never heard of Eurovision until she was introduced to it through this blog. 

Read how Joanne was lovely enough to call my love of Eurovision, excitement rather than madness!

This is one of the Don't Boil The Sauce things I'm most proud of converting more Eurovision fans, they come for the food and stay for the Eurovision.

I haven't checked with the EBU if I get points for converting fans, I really should look into that, I might be able to cash them in for more cake tins!

Joanne hails from the USA but now lives in South Australia so this adds another dimension to her entry.

It doesn't matter where we begin or come from we will all meet and find a home at Eurovision (that should totes be on a T-shirt)

This very patriotic entry is Joanna's Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Lemongrass, Garlic, Ginger & Chilli topped with Roasted Green Tea Pumpkin Seeds and you can get a printable recipe on her blog.

I love that this dish has so many elements and draws on many influences just like a well rounded Eurovision act.

 

What do you think of Joanne's coconut pumpkin soup?

 

Is this the dish that could win for Australia?

 

Let me know in the comments or on twitter or Facebook using #BuildingBrunches