Croatian Gastronomy - Nostromo

zaGorsKi ŠtruKli, thinly rollEd
pastry fillEd with a mixturE of frEsh
cottaGE and smEtana - savoury as an
hors-d'oEuvrE, swEEt as a dEssErt.
ciative of the earthenware peka. Food cooked under a peka,
be it in a fireproof pot or directly on a stone slab, comprises
meat with vegetables, usually veal, lamb and yearling beef,
covered with potatoes and other vegetables. Larger poultry is
also prepared in this way, and in the mountainous part of the
Kvarner region. Even if catering establishments provide only
bread baked in this way, their ratings are usually elevated.
Blitva (swiss chard)
The entire Adriatic area is peopled by folk who find it hard
to imagine life without Swiss chard, so much so, in fact, that
some have suggested (not entirely tongue in cheek) that this
plant is of such importance for Croats, particularly those living
by the sea, that it should form part of the new Croatian
coat of arms. Blitva is best when young, when its leaves are
thin and soft, of a bright green colour, and only some 10 cm
long. Preparation of this much revered plant is simplicity itself:
immersed in boiling water and allowed to cook for a brief spell,
carefully drained and sprinkled with olive oil. It is often served
with boiled potatoes, and sometimes they are cooked together,
particularly when chard is no longer quite so young and tender.
Thus prepared, it is most commonly eaten with fish. New generations
of Croatian gastronomes are using chard in new, more
imaginative ways, often inspired by old and almost forgotten
recipes. Savoury strudels and pies prepared with Swiss chard
and fresh cheese; sauces for pasta made from boiled chard and
basil; minced meat rolled into large leaves of chard and cooked
gently in an oven; larger fish stuffed with chard and herbs...
f r a m E w o r K : n E w
G E n E r a t i o n s o f
c r o a t i a n c h E f s
Today, however, there is in Croatia a veritable pleiad of
new culinary stars from the younger and middle generations.
Their number is directly related to the very dynamic
national gastronomic stage which permits them a wide scope
of research and experimentation. It also prompts them to
reassess the culinary heritage of these parts, to seek new ways
of revitalizing traditions and to test methods of utilizing top
quality local ingredients in the contemporary gastronomic
trends prevailing in the world. In other words, what we
fish is oftEn Equally frEsh on thE
marKEts of zaGrEB as it is on thE coast.
have here is a deep understanding of the genesis of local
gastronomy: it has always been a place of fruitful meetings
between different cultural patterns. It has to be underlined,
however, that this new generation of Croatian chefs is facing
a task greater than any of its predecessors: their aim to
demonstrate to the world that one of the greatest national
assets of Croatia is her gastronomy.
c r o a t i a n m a r K E t s
Every town of any size in Croatia has at least one marketplace
to which the rural homesteads from the surrounding areas
bring their fresh produce. As recently as the end of last century
it seemed that cheap food of dubious quality, arriving from the
world markets, would spell curtains for the small producers
of quality products. Instead, it has become apparent that the
number of people willing to pay more for fresh local products is
steadily growing. Alongside enduring treasures, like fresh cottage
cheese and cream, free-range eggs, or grincajg (from the
German Grünzeug) - bunches of root vegetables and greens
for traditionally prepared soup, ever increasing numbers of
customers are seeking indigenous types of fruit and vegetables,
wild edible plants, forest mushrooms and many other foodstuffs,
the high quality of which can be ensured only by small
breeders and grower-gatherers. One of the permanent tasks of
the nationwide care for our gastronomy is the need to preserve
such markets, to safeguard small grower-gatherers and breeders,
as well as the country’s traditional dishes.
BEans, chicKpEas and lEntils form
thE Basis of many ordinary dishEs.
All root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, even
young beans find their way into a kotlovina
in order to make the flavour as rich as possible.
trditional fancy
BrEad sprinKlEd
wth salt.
croatian Gastronomy
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