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BrudetFisherman's fish stew

Brudet (or brodetto) is the fisherman's stew of the Dalmatian coast and islands, cooked in Split, Hvar and Korčula with whatever the morning's catch brings, and eaten for Friday lunch and summer suppers. Thick fish steaks on the bone stew slowly in olive oil with onion, garlic, tomato and a dash of wine vinegar, and the pot is shaken, never stirred. It is high in protein and suitable as part of a balanced diet; polenta is the classic partner, but grilled courgettes, chard or a small portion of soft polenta keep the carbohydrate down. About 330 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is stirring with a spoon, which breaks the fish into shreds. Chef's tip: use at least three kinds of fish, mixing firm and softer ones, for a deeper broth.

60 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views

BuzaraMussels in garlic and white wine

Summer lunch on the Dalmatian coast often starts with a steaming pot of buzara, especially near Ston, where mussels and oysters are farmed in the bay. Na bijelo, the white style, means mussels opened in olive oil, garlic, parsley and white wine, with a spoon of breadcrumbs thrown in at the end to thicken the juices into a light, garlicky sauce. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping and a bowl for empty shells. The wine cooks off but leaves flavour; for an alcohol-free version use the same amount of fish or vegetable stock with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Overcooking is where most people go wrong: pull the pot off as soon as most shells have opened, or the mussels turn rubbery. Chef's tip: shake the pot rather than stirring, so the mussels tumble without breaking their shells.

22 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Hobotnica ispod pekeBell-roasted octopus and potatoes

Order octopus under the peka in a Dalmatian konoba on Korčula or Hvar and you will often be asked to ring ahead, because it cooks for hours under an iron bell buried in embers. Octopus, potatoes, onion, garlic, rosemary and lots of olive oil steam in their own juices, then crisp at the edges, so the octopus becomes tender and sweet and the potatoes soak up the pink, briny juices. At home, a heavy cast-iron casserole in a hot oven does the job; many cooks add a splash of white wine, but this version needs none. Bring it to the table in the pot with bread and a green salad. Adding water is the usual slip, as the octopus releases plenty of liquid and extra just boils it. Chef's tip: buy frozen octopus, or freeze fresh for a couple of days, as the freezing tenderises it; thaw it overnight in the fridge.

120 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Viška pogačaAnchovy and onion bread pie

Vis, the most far-flung inhabited island of Croatia, has a fishing town, Komiža, that gave the world this pie: two thin layers of olive-oil bread dough wrapped around onions stewed until jammy with tomato, and fillets of salted anchovy or sardine. Fishermen took wedges of it to sea, and it still turns up at island festivals and in bakeries, eaten warm or at room temperature with a tomato salad. The salted fish is bought ready-cured from a good fishmonger and is baked inside the pie until piping hot. Where most people go wrong is a wet filling: the onions and tomato must cook down until thick and jammy, or the bottom crust goes soggy. Keep leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Chef's tip: soak the salted fillets in cold water for 15 minutes to take the harsh edge off the salt, and don't add any more salt to the filling.

120 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views

KajmakClotted milk cream

At the Zlatibor and Čačak markets, women sell kajmak from wide tubs, cut in soft ivory folds that taste of cooked milk, butter and a little salt. It is made by slowly heating rich milk, letting it settle in shallow pans and lifting off the thick skin that forms as it cools, then layering those skins with salt. This home version uses pasteurised milk and cream and stays in the fridge throughout; the long-aged, raw-milk kajmak of the villages is not something to copy at home. Spread it on warm lepinja or proja, or stir it into hot potatoes. A common mistake is letting the milk boil: the bubbles tear the skin and you end up with flecks instead of a thick sheet. Chef's tip: keep the skimmed milk left underneath for porridge, proja or pancakes; nothing goes to waste.

1440 minBalkan Basics

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ohridska pastrmkaBaked trout with garlic and parsley

Lakeside restaurants in Ohrid, North Macedonia, are known for trout cooked simply with garlic, parsley and good oil, eaten on a terrace above the water. The famous Ohrid trout itself is now protected and should not be bought, so use farmed rainbow or brown trout fillets: the flesh comes out pink, tender and juicy, with a crisp garlicky crust of breadcrumb-free herbs. Serve with boiled potatoes dressed with oil and a tomato salad. A common mistake is overbaking: trout fillets are thin and go dry in minutes. Chef's tip: mix the garlic and parsley with the oil and a pinch of salt half an hour ahead so the garlic mellows.

25 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Crni rižotBlack cuttlefish risotto

Along the Dalmatian coast, from Korčula to Dubrovnik, konobas serve crni rižot as the first thing fishermen order when they come ashore, its jet-black colour startling against a white plate. Cuttlefish is cooked slowly with onion and garlic until tender, then rice goes in with fish stock and the ink sac, making a creamy, sea-sweet rice that tastes of the shore. It traditionally includes a splash of dry white wine; for an alcohol-free version, use more stock with a squeeze of lemon. The usual mistake is adding the cuttlefish late and cooking it fast, which leaves it rubbery; it needs to stew first. Chef's tip: serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and grated hard sheep's cheese if you like, and warn your guests about black teeth.

75 minBalkan Fish

by KrazyBadal 0 views