Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Estonia

As the song goes....Welcome to Estonia!

For today's dish I headed out on location to the Estonian House for a concert by Estonian Eurovision greats Ott Lepland (2012) and Tanel Padar (winner 2001) with Jalmar Varbana.

The concert was a very relaxed affair and even though I don't speak a word of Estonian, loved every second. 

My only negative about the night is neither star sang their Eurovision song!

While they are known for a lot more than their Eurovision participation it would have only taken 6 minutes to give the group of Eurovision fans in attendance what they came for, Everybody would have loved it. I know what I did there, really could I get any kuula?

As a special treat instead of past Eurovision song today we have a little taster of said concert.

Dishes that were on offer at the Estonian club which may or may not have also been eaten by Ott Lepland or Tanel Padar on the night....what is that in degrees of separation??

A herring on rye

Pork belly and pear at the Estonian house

The pork belly and pear was an inhale-able combination of salty, meaty and sweet that had to be the dish to represent Estonia this year. 
This is my made up "I think that is how it tasted" version.


Pork Belly and Pear (makes a lot)
Ingredients 

• 500g pork belly
• 1 cup green ginger wine
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2-3 pears cored and quartered (I didn't peel)

Method

• Slice the pork belly into 2-3cm cubes
• In a bowl add pork, green ginger wine, garlic and a good pinch of salt
• Let marinate for a couple of hours or overnight
• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Drain pork and pat dry
• In an oven proof fry pan brown the pork then put in oven for 15-20 minutes
• Cube the pears into a similar size as the pork
• Add to the oven with the pork and cook a further 5-10 minutes
• With caution, use a toothpick to attach a piece of pear to a piece of pork

 I went to the edge of caramelised with my pork and pear as that is how I remembered them, looking back on the original photo now I think it was just because it was dark!

Elina Born & Stig Rästa will sing Goodbye to Yesterday in Vienna but hopefully not goodbye to a place in the final.  

Estonia remind me of a modern Johnny Cash and June Carter very comfortably delivering a country break up duet. 

You may catch yourself singing "goodbye to yesterday" as you go about your everyday business...or maybe that's just me.

Õnne!

Past Estonia Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Estonian Rye Bread Mousse

2013 Jellied Meat

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Greece

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kali̱spéra, Athens calling...here is our entry to Chow Down to Eurovision 2015.
Oh almost forgot...Thank you for the really good show!
There is really very little time that I'm not thinking about Eurovision or the Chow Down, I'm forever on the hunt for that special dish for each country.
 
This year's entry for Greece came from a friend that was chatting about a recent trip to Greece visiting the old family village.
 
Well yes that is all very interesting but tell me what you ate...so he did.
A family favourite that allegedly every Greek would have grown up on is patates me agva or chips and eggs.
 
Potatoes and eggs really what's not to love!
 
I had talked about doing a version with Kipfler potatoes roasted in duck fat but was instructed that buying chips from the fish and chip shop was the more traditional way to go, so who am I to argue...
 
Ok, I have a confession and only because I am way too honest, I did use frozen chips (gasp) only because I had tried on three occasions to buy the chips but I ended up eating them on the way home. (yes 3 times...damn you hot chips smell)
 
So moving quickly onto some music while we all try and not think about jumping in the car and getting some hot chips...
 
 

 

A fleeting 4 years before Helena Paparizou became all our number one securing a victory for Greece in 2005, she was ready to (I would)Die for You.
 
As part of Antique Helena placed 3rd, the highest Greece had placed until it was equalled with 3rd place performances by Sakis Rouvas and Kalomira.
 
This is my favourite of her two entries as the choreography is much simpler to recreate at home without needing 2 bare chested Greek blokes hoisting you up to play a pretend lyra. 

 

 

Patates me avga (chips and egg)

Ingredients

• 400-500g potato chips 
• 4 eggs
• 50-100g feta
• Oregano
• Chilli flakes

Method

• Warm the chips in a frypan on medium heat with a splash of olive oil
• Add the eggs and mix with chips, just like  scramble egg
• Just before they are cooked crumble the feta through
• Season to taste
• Top with oregano and chilli flakes

(Greece is sharing the same plate as Finland because it was a gift and I love it....and it was shot before running order was known)

Taking the stage in Vienna for Greece is Maria-Elena Kyriakou with One Last Breath.

Maria-Elena certainly has quite the set of lungs that can deliver all the breaths required to rise like a phoenix.

Due to budget cuts it did sound like Greece and the Czech Republic were going to have to share the same piano intro.

On the official ITunes version though it seems Czech Republic has been granted custody of the intro and Greece has changed to an electronic crescendo that has you are just waiting for someone to get the clap and yell "Cleo, Donatan!" 

 καλή τύχη!

 

Past Greece Chow Down to Eurovision:

Pickled Octopus

Greek Chicken Platter with Tzatziki

 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Finland

Good evening from the home of Lordi, Finland, our fifth country in this tasty tour of Europe.

No time to unpack we are heading straight to the Eurovision 1990 and the Finnish entry Beat with Fri?

While they have rocking hair Europe should be proud of Beat shared last place with Norway on just 8 points.

I am obsessed with beetroot in all it's many forms and shades, yes it doesn't just come in a can

.

In my Chow Down to Eurovision research I also found may forms of these Finish beetroot burgers, grated into a fritter/rosti or in slices.

I love them sliced as they are soooo good just on their own with sourcream but also on a bun with "the lot"!

Surely these must be a crumbed "superfood"...well you would probably have to use quinoa flakes and coconut oil to be a real "superfood"

Beetroot burgers (makes about 18)
Ingredients

• 2 long beetroots
• 2 eggs beaten
• seasoned flour
• panko breadcrumbs
• 300ml sour cream
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1 spring onion finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove minced (optional)
• Olive oil
• Parsley to garnish

Method

• Add beetroots to a saucepan of cold water
• Bring to boil then simmer till just tender (20-30mins)
• Drain beetroot and allow to cool completely
• Mix sour cream with lemon juice, spring onion, garlic and a pinch of salt
• Peel beetroot and slice into 1-2cm slices
• Coat each slice in flour, egg and breadcrumbs
• Add olive oil to a frypan, a good glug! (enough to shallow fry not deep)
• On a medium heat fry each slice for 2-3 minutes till golden and crisp
• Drain on paper towel and serve with an extra sprinkle of salt and parsley
• Top with sour cream

Give me a Eurovision dvd, a beer and a plate of these and I'm one happy fella.

This year Finland will be represented by Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät aka PKN.

PKN are a punk band and this has caused quite a stir amongst Eurovision "fans", claiming they are only there as a token, some even calling for them to be disqualified because their song isn't the Eurovision pop!

This is exactly why I love Eurovision, I get exposed to so many new and different artists.

Would you really want to sit through a night of 40 Carolas? 

It seemed to be that last year's message of tolerance, acceptance and the notion of being unstoppable was only applicable to women with facial hair.

I get the not everyone likes punk music and that Aina mun pitää may not be the best punk song ever or could the real reason for the carrying on be that people are uncomfortable with people with disabilities?

If you are so closed minded you can't spend 1.37 minutes of your life listening to a punk song the producers of Eurovision 2015 have picked the perfect theme for you......

Build a bridge! 

Carly Findlay and I had a chat about Eurovision, inclusion and PKN prior to their selection.

Past Finland Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Finnish hot pot

2013 Rice Pudding

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Netherlands

Goedenavond, grab your clogs, balls of cheese and red light globes we are in the beautiful Netherlands.

  

Long time Don't Boil The Sauce! readers of The Chow Down to Eurovision will be familiar with my connection to Amsterdam, my dear friend Chantal. 

The two previous Netherlands' Chow Down to Eurovision entries have been inspired by my travels and gifts from Chantal and this year is no exception.

I was thrilled when a Christmas parcel arrived from Amsterdam containing a book on Dutch food! She knows me so well! Grazie Bella!

Chantal also sent me the book that is now famous in my Twitter avatar.

(beard has grown a bit, might need a reshoot)

There is so much excitement in writing this post knowing that in a few weeks I will be back in Amsterdam having a croquette with Chantal. Since the last time I saw her she has become a mum to twins and I can't wait to meet the new family.

I know that as AB and I head to Schiphol and bid farewell to the Dutch family I will be wishing for just One More Night....Give me one more day!

Cue Ester Hart with One More Night, the golden diva came 13th in 2003.

Fresh from the tree out the back, you don't get fresher than that!

Dutch Apple Pie recipe adapted from Dutch Delight by Sylvia Pessireron
Ingredients

• 10-12 large apples
• 100g dried currants (soaked in warm water and drained)
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 175g sugar
• 250g butter
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 500g self raising flour
• 50g almond meal
• Extra egg yolk

Method

• Pre heat oven to 190°C
• Peel, core and quarter the apples
• Slice apples thinly
• Coat apples with cinnamon and sugar
• Either in a food processer or by hand mix the sugar, butter, eggs, salt until smooth
• Add flour and knead until it comes together and is no longer sticky
• Grease and flour a 26cm springform round cake tin (original is 28cm, I went for height)
• Cover base and sides with about 1/4 of the dough mix, pressing to try and make it even
• Add almond meal to the base to avoid a soggy bottom
• Layer the apples and currents into the pie, alternating till you have none left
• With remaining dough lay strips on the top of the pie in a traditional criss-cross pattern (or for a Eurovision reveal of the inside, just roll out and cover as you would a..um..pie)
• Brush with beaten egg yolk
• Bake for 50 minutes till golden
• Allow to cool before removing from cake tin (I didn't wait and mine was very crumbly...which isn't really a bad thing really)
• Serve with cream and/or ice cream

What more currants?

It didn't slice up as beautifully as the pie I had in Volendam but the flavour took me straight back there.

 It is common now for many countries to send contestants from X Factor or The Voice but The Netherlands has opted to send a The Voice judge Trijntje Oosterhuis

 Teamed up with the song writing brilliance of Anouk the Netherlands will again send pure class to Eurovision 2015 with Walk Along.

Will Trijntje be able to go one better than the Common Linnets and will we be all dining on bitterballen and apple pie at Eurovision 2016?

I'll turn my chair for this one!
veel success!

Past Netherlands Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Chinese Tomato Soup

2013 Bitterballen



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