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alazaro
Envíos 10057 |
 Enviado - 01 septiembre 2006 : 23:40:02
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alazaro
Envíos 10057 |
Enviado - 07 noviembre 2006 : 23:28:08
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Croatian Cuisine
NATIONAL MEALS AND DRINKS
Beside the standard European cuisine present in all restaurants and hotels specialties from the grill and the roasting-spit (lamb, pork, poultry) are very popular. Some specialties are as follows: the Gavrilovic salami, the Dalmatian smoked ham, salty pilchards, sheep cheese, peppered Slavonian sausages, paprika-flavoured salami, etc. An exquisite hors-d'oeuvre are sea-shells (oysters, mussels, date-shells) as well as scampi, grilled or "na buzaru" (cooked and flavoured with a lot of aromatic spices). From fish meals the fish stew (several kinds of fish sauteéd in a tomato sauce with garlic and spices) is very savoury, and in the continental region the peppered fish stew with fresh-water fish is favoured.
From meat specialties we point out the following: the Dalmatian "pasticada" (beef stuffed with lard and roasted in wine and spices), the steak á la Zagreb (veal stuffed with ham and cheese, then fried in breadcrumbs), the cutlet la Zagorje (with sausages, sauerkraut and boiled potatoes), the veal Easter egg (in piquant tomato sauce with mushrooms), turkey with "mlinci" (thinly rolled out pasta), the country dinner (stuffed cabbage leaves, sausages, roasted pork and lard in sauerkraut). In northern Croatia venison is regularly prepared la hunter's or in a cream sauce, whereas in Dalmatia it is roasted or sauteéd in a sauce of vinegar, olive-oil, wine, prosecco, prunes with rosemary.
Beside foreign alcoholic drinks you may taste the domestic brandies: plum-brandy, herb-flavoured brandy and walnut-brandy. Further, there are many sorts of wine, but king of all wines is Dingac (15-16% of alcohol), a thick red wine from the peninsula of Peljesac. Then there is the Korculanski grk (14-15% of alcohol). A series of other thick red wines should also be mentioned: the visko, hvarsko, kastelansko and the Istrian wine. In the northern country parts the alcoholic content of the wines drops, but the acid contents grows. Predominantly white wines with pleasant flavour, light and sweet taste are brewed here. Among these we would like to stress the following: grasevina, rizling, traminac, pinot, sovignon, pljesivica, etc.
Copyright © 1998 HINA News Agency, Zagreb - Croatia
+ info (amb diverses receptes / con diversas recetas): http://www.croatianmall.com/croatia/food/ |
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alazaro
Envíos 10057 |
Enviado - 27 enero 2009 : 00:39:02
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Croatia celebrates with holiday cuisine
Croatian festive cuisine is replete with a variety of dishes, and cookbooks
with traditional regional recipes are a cherished holiday gift
Natasa Radic in Zagreb
SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN TIMES
09/01/2009
Croatians like to eat, especially during the Christmas and New Year's holiday season. Their tables are full of hard-to-resist specialties.
Preparation of certain national dishes varies from region to region. In northern Croatia, turkey with dumplings and a cheese pastry called strukli are preferred during the holidays, while in the south, prosciutto (smoked ham) and homemade cheese or sweet doughnuts called fritule are the holiday delights. Wine is on the holiday menu throughout Croatia.
During the Christmas season, Croatian cuisine tends to be rich in traditional recipes that are in tune with religious traditions and beliefs. Christmas Eve, though, is generally a day of fasting.
Dalmatians traditionally prepare a dried cod stew, along with home-baked bread. In the north, families enjoy plain bread with beans and fried onions. The food reflects the holiday's religious significance.
Christmas lunch in the north of Croatia consists of three courses: the first is a cold meal with sliced ham and homemade cheese, served with different salads and spices. A fresh noodle soup follows and then roasted pork, turkey or goose, served with traditional strukli or potatoes. At the end of the lunch, the family enjoys orahnjaca, a rich walnut cake, or the Croatian kuglof, a round chocolate pastry.
On Christmas in Dalmatia, Croatia's coastal region, pasticada is the dish of the day -- a Dalmatian pot of spiced meat combined with plums and vinegar. Potato or pastry dumplings are served as a side dish. Frequently sarma -- cabbage leaves stuffed with spiced minced meat-- is the main course, followed by traditional Christmas small dumplings powdered with fine sugar -- fritule or dried figs.
Here is the recipe for orahnjaca, the traditional walnut cake:
Dough: (approximate measures, sufficient for two big cakes. Will fill a large baking sheet)
* 0.5kg flour
* 200g melted margarine
* 200g sugar
* 2 eggs and 1 yolk
* Bit of salt
* 1 package yeast
* Grated lemon peel (1 lemon)
* 0.25 liter milk
Directions: Stir yeast with 0.15 liter of warm milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar, and let the yeast become active. Make the dough with the rest of the ingredients. Cover it and let it rise for about a half-hour. Then split the dough into two pieces.
Filling:
* 500-600g ground walnuts
* 350g sugar
* 0.1 liter milk
* Grated peel of half a lemon and juice from 1 lemon
* 50g margarine
* 4 tablespoons apricot marmalade
Directions: Bring the milk and sugar to a boil, add walnuts and cook 0.5-1 minute while mixing. Finish cooking and add other ingredients.
Preparation: Roll out the dough according to the dimensions of the baking sheet, spread melted margarine on it and spread half of the filling. Roll in. Repeat with more dough. Cover it and let it rise. Preheat the oven to 130C. Start baking at 130-150C, and then continue at 170-180C until done. Baking takes about 35 minutes. Baked cake should be well powdered with a mixture of icing and vanilla sugar.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com
(http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/01/09/feature-02) |
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alazaro
Envíos 10057 |
Enviado - 16 febrero 2009 : 23:09:00
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Restaurant Review
Mondo Konoba in Croatia
By KABIR CHIBBER
The New York Times
February 1, 2009
Mondo Konoba may be the best little restaurant that you may never reach. It is what eating in the Old World should feel like. Just be warned that you’ll have to work for it.
Istria, the part of Croatia that’s closest to Italy, was under its neighbor’s rule until the end of World War II and was previously occupied by the mighty Venetians. It’s beautiful, cheap and largely free of the hordes of tourists that spoil so many postcard-worthy views in Italy. Think of it as Tuscany 50 years ago.
Mondo Konoba sits on a slope just outside the large gate to the beautiful medieval village of Motovun, which is on a hilltop deep in the Croatian countryside almost an hour from the nearest train station. Visitors can drive up the narrow winding road almost to the top, though they must leave their cars and make their way along the final stretch of narrow cobbled streets with misshapen and brightly colored houses on foot. Otherwise, it’s a stunning, but tiring, half-hour trek to Motovun.
Where does a weary traveler rest? In a tavern, which is the translation of konoba. The vibe is as relaxed as the word suggests, with an airy dining room and a few simple wooden tables outside. The menu relies heavily on local ingredients particular to the surrounding area.
Among the highlights are beef carpaccio with shavings of black truffle, a rich and creamy polenta with truffles and a delicious dish of tagliatelle — in a truffle sauce, of course. Truffles are abundant there, and are dug up by hunters and their dogs (or more traditionally with pigs) fresh in the mornings.
Nikola, the friendly and multilingual waiter, is great with helping to choose a glass of one of the crisp local white wines to pair with the food. Main courses range from 65 to 140 kuna (about $11 to $25 at 5.8 kuna to the dollar), a tremendous bargain when compared with the expensive dishes on tourist menus in Italy.
Before the sun sets, there should be enough time to enter the gate to the village, built in the 1400s, and soak in the breathtaking views. No surprise, then, that many Italians say the best place for a dream holiday is Croatia.
Mondo Konoba, 1 Barbacan, Motovun, Croatia; (385-52) 681-791.
(http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/travel/01bites.html?ref=dining) |
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alazaro
Envíos 10057 |
Enviado - 04 agosto 2009 : 23:16:06
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Gastronomy
SOUTHEAST EUROPE - People and culture
CHOCOLATE WALNUT BARS - BAJADERE — Croatia
Makes 4 dozen
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, creamed
3 cups ground tea biscuits (Arrowroot type)
3 cups ground walnuts
3 squares (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate, grated
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
Glaze:
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
6 squares (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate
chopped walnuts (optional)
How to prepare:
In a medium-size pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add sugar, simmering until thickened slightly.
Then add the butter, tea biscuits and ground walnuts. Mix all ingredients well, until dough forms. Remove from heat and divide into 2 equal halves. Knead the grated chocolate and rum extract if desired, into one of the halves of dough.
Press the chocolate dough into a greased 11x 13" baking dish Sprinkle some water on your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them. Spread the lighter batter on top of the chocolate, press evenly covering chocolate.
Glaze:
In a small saucepan on the stovetop, heat the milk, sugar and butter. When the butter has melted, add the chocolate squares. When the glaze is smooth, pour over top of the dough in the baking dish. Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over top (if desired). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into small thin bars.
Use a microwave to combine all ingredients. Grind the biscuits in a food processor or use graham cracker crumbs
BAKED CALAMARI WITH POTATOES — Croatia
Serves 6
Ingredients needed
1 kg (2 lb) calamari, whole
1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut in round sli
100 ml (1 /2 cup) olive oil
salt, black pepper
How to prepare:
Preheat the oven to 165 C (330 F). Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Arrange 2/3 potatoes in a greased casserole dish. Cover with whole calamari. Top with remaining potato slices. Pour olive oil over it. Cover and bake over a low heat for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender. Serve hot from the oven.
BRODETTO (BRUDET) — Croatia
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 kg (2 lb) mixed fish
2-3 onions
2 dl olive oil
2-3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 dl wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
rosemary (optional)
2 cups red wine
1 tsp black pepper
salt
How to prepare:
Sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes. Place fish on top of broth. Add vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaf and rosemary. Add so much wine that fish is covered. Do NOT add water. Simmer gently over low heat for 1-2 hours. Do NOT cover nor stir; just shake skillet occasionally. Serve with polenta.
POLENTA (PALENTA) — Croatia
Serves 6
Ingredients:
800 g (1.75 lb) cornmeal
3 l (3 qt) water
salt
How to prepare:
Bring water and salt to a boil. Pour cornmeal in a slow stream into the hot water while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
BLACK RISOTTO — Croatia
Ingredients:
1 kg (2 lb) squid or calamari
2-3 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
parsley, chopped
400 g (0.9 lb) rice
olive oil
salt, pepper
How to prepare:
Clean the squid or calamari (reserve ink sac). Cut them into stripes.
Saute onion in the oil until translucent. Add the squid or calamari and cook for 15 minutes. Add garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and enough water to cover calamari and cook until squid or calamari are soft.
Add the rice, the ink from the ink sac and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add more hot water. Remove from heat when done and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
(http://www.southeast-europe.eu/features/gastronomy0/recipes.html) |
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Gastronomia de CROÀCIA / Gastronomía de CROACIA
