Classic Tomato, Cucumber, Pepper and Onion Summer Salad Istrian Recipe

July 20, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, dinner, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, light meal, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Salads, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, summer dish, summer recipe, supper, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This colourful cucumber, tomato, pepper and onion salad is very refreshing, and it is made during the summer when the vegetables are at their best and in abundance.

It is absolutely delicious, so easy to make, it hardly takes any effort.

It is traditionally served as a side dish to accompany grilled meats, but can be enjoyed as a main meal on a hot summer's day when you want to keep things easy.

To make it more substantial, I simply toast a piece bread, cut it into cubes and mix it into the salad (resembling a concept of Italian, Tuscan, Panzanella salad).

If you ever had a chance to travel along the Istrian coast or Dalmatia (in Croatia) and asked in the restaurant for a side salad, it is most likely that you were brought this one. It is an absolute classic during the summer season as the vegetables in this salad have a very high content of water and therefore the salad is very cooling.

This type of salad has been on the dinner tables of the locals – well, since forever, during the summer months almost on a daily basis.

Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4 (as a side salad)

1 yellow bell pepper (can use orange, red or green bell pepper)
1 medium-large cucumber
2-4 tomatoes (depending on the size, I used vine tomatoes each weighing roughly 170g) Make sure you use in season, ripe and juicy tomatoes (can use San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beef tomatoes, grape tomatoes or a variety of your preference).
red onion or salad onion (about 40g), sliced
a few fresh basil leaves, torn, or dry oregano (optional)
For the dressing
extra virgin olive oil, generous drizzle
red or white wine vinegar, a drizzle
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Method

Peel and slice the cucumber into coins and place into a big salad bowl.

Cut the tomatoes into wedges and add to the bowl.

Slice the bell pepper and the onions and put into the bowl.

Mix gently all the vegetables.

Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of vinegar, season with sea salt and black pepper.

For extra dimension, in terms of flavour, sprinkle the salad with a bit of dried oregano or with a few freshly torn basil leaves.

Toss and serve.

Austrian Style (no mayo) Potato Salad Recipe

Beans and Sardines

May 24, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Appetizers, Austrian inspired dishes, Central European recipes, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Eastern European dishes, Eastern European recipes, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Mitteleuropean cuisine, Mitteleuropean dish, Mitteleuropean food, Mitteleuropean recipes, Root vegetables, Rustic dish, Salads, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This recipe for Austrian style potato salad uses sliced boiled potatoes and a simple dressing made with olive oil and vinegar and no use of mayonnaise, which makes it very light and fresh.

It can be enjoyed as a main dish and it is most commonly pared with a famous Wiener schnitzel and breaded fillets of fish.

Great dish to add into your picnic baskets and great side dish to barbecued meat, fish and vegetables, and a great addition to any selection on a buffet table.

This potato salad is best made ahead allowing the potatoes to soak and absorb the light vinaigrette, this makes it very juicy and succulent.

The beauty of this salad is that it can be enjoyed and eaten warm, at a room temperature or chilled in the fridge (perfect for hot summer days).

In Slovenia, up and down the country this is a dish (Krompirjeva Solata) that is prepared in the households and canteen on a regular basis and sometimes found in local family run restaurants.

I am sharing here the recipe for this humble and very tasty potato salad that has been prepared and enjoyed for generations in my family.

To this basic potato salad you can add hard boiled eggs and other types of raw vegetables, this is not however the way it is traditionally eaten.

Recipe

Ingredients

500g waxy potatoes (like new or baby potatoes, Jersey Royal, Charlotte and similar, they have smooth and dense flesh that holds its shape when cooked; for this recipe I used miniature potatoes)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50ml white wine vinegar (can use cider vinegar)
onion (about 30g or to taste), peeled and finely chopped, optional
fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped roughly or finely to your preference
100ml cold water
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Wash the potatoes, place them into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil, cover with a lid and simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked and tender (for small, baby potatoes it should take between 8-12 minutes).

Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes with your preferred method like steaming or microwaving.

Drain well and peel the potatoes when still warm (as soon as you can handle them).

Slice them and transfer into a serving salad dish.

Pour over cold water and let the potatoes cool completely (pouring cold water over warm potatoes stops the potatoes absorb too much dressing, therefore the potato salad stays nice and moist).

While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the dressing.

In a small bowl pour olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, black pepper and whisk well. Add finely chopped onions.

Pour the dressing over sliced potatoes and mix very gently so the potatoes do not break completely (some will break, and this is normal).

Taste and adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Grilled Polenta Recipe

Beans and Sardines

May 04, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Appetizers, bite-sized nibbles, breakfast, brunch, Canapés, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Finger food, Healthy, healthy mael, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, recipe from Northern Ital, Rustic dish, savory nibbles, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, supper, Vegan, Vegetarian, Venetian dish

Polenta, despite being offered and marketed as one of the fairly recent gastronomic fashions in high end restaurants around the world, has incredibly humble origins, it represents a staple peasant food that fed the poorest of the poor.

Grilled polenta slices taste great, they are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and will have a very light smoky flavour when barbecued, they are very easy to make and incredibly practical and convenient, as polenta mixture can be prepared ahead of time.

Polenta is incredibly versatile, in fact, there is nothing really that does not go with grilled polenta, it is one of the best side dishes you can pick to go with your grilled or barbecued meat, fish or vegetables.

Grilled polenta slices topped with vegetables (sautéed mushrooms, peppers, courgettes), different types of cheeses, cured meats and spreads make the most sophisticated appetizers and finger food to be served with drinks.

Polenta in Slovenin Istra is traditionally enjoyed with different meat, fish or bean stews, and Venetian style liver. What is wonderful is polenta with creamed salted cod, and even a simple fried egg can accompany humble polenta.

Polenta used to be also eaten for breakfast, however, this gastronomic ritual from the past has nowadays almost disappeared. Only a handful of elderly people would still have it as the first meal of the day, perhaps as a nostalgic reminder of their youth.

My nona told me that cooled and set polenta would be cut into smaller pieces, put into a bowl, then some milk would be added, and a pinch of sea salt to counterpart the natural sweetness of the milk. This provided a very nourishing morning meal. I guess it was like an old-fashioned concept of bowl of cereal with milk.

Polenta is also incredibly popular in the neighbouring region of Friuli, in Italy, where maize flour cooked in milk, speciality from the region called Suf, used to be eaten either for breakfast or as an evening meal, this dish provided a nutritious and easily digested plate of food.

Nowadays, polenta, being soft cooked, hard cooked or grilled, it is still very much loved and is a recurrently cooked dish in almost every household for unpretentious mid-week meals, or during festivities. Its popularity has never decreased and reflects a true identity of the local people and is deeply rooted in the gastronomic traditions of the area.

I am sharing here the recipe for this polenta dish where hot cooked runny polenta would be traditionally poured on round wooden boards, and not into loaf tins like I do for practical reasons. When polenta was completely cooled and set so it becomes firm it would then be cut into strips or random shaped chunks, and then quickly pan fried (only left over polenta used to be grilled).

Recipe

Ingredients

250g yellow or white polenta (instant polenta) maize flour
1 litre of water
sea salt

Method

Before you start cooking the polenta prepare the loaf tin. With a brush (or just with your hands and fingers) slightly oil the loaf tin, this will prevent polenta from sticking.

Pour the water into a pan and bring to boil (to speed up the process you can use hot boiling water directly from the kettle).

Lower the heat and gradually start slowly pouring the polenta into a hot water, whisk constantly.

Cook and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and becomes smooth in consistency with no lumps. Follow the instruction how long to cook the polenta (timing may vary a bit, mine took about 10 minutes).

During the cooking process polenta mixture will create air bubbles that will pop (a bit like tiny volcanos erupting, be careful not to burn yourself).

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt.

Pour cooked polenta into a loaf tin, smooth the top with the back of the spatula or a wooden spoon. (you can pour the cooked polenta into a baking tray, previously lined with backing parchment, spread it and flatten it, when the polenta is completely cooled, cut it in whatever shape you like, strips, triangles, rounds or use cookie cutters of your choice).

Allow the polenta to set and cool completely at a room temperature or put it in the fridge to speed up the process.

Tip the polenta onto a chopping board (it should be completely moulded into the shape of your loaf tin).

Cut the polenta loaf into 1-1.5cm (about ½ inch) slices.

Preheat a non-stick griddled pan (indoor grill pan) or a regular non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat for a few minutes.Place polenta slices in the griddled pan and charcoal grill on a fairly high heat for a few minutes. Do not move the polenta around., let the polenta slices sizzle in the pan undisturbed (do not overcrowd the pan and work in batches).

Turn the slices the other side and grill for another few minutes. Be patient with this process, only turn and flip the slices after you have tested the edges, flip the slices when the polenta easily lifts off the grill pan.

Polenta slices should have grill marks when fully grilled and have crispy outside layer.

Serve hot immediately.

Just a thought

This is a very convenient dish, you can make polenta mixture about up to two days before you actually need to grill it.

Although not done traditionally, you can cook the polenta with a stock of your choice for extra flavour and you can also add some grated cheese of your choice to a hot polenta mixture.

Sautéed Leeks Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

March 23, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, dinner, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe

This dish is simple and rustic, and is made with humble leeks, a vegetable that is very often overlooked, but in this recipe they proudly take central stage, and take no time or trouble to cook.

Raw leeks are almost inedible but when cooked they become sweet, mellow, and taste delicious on i their own as a side dish or used as a base for risotti or soups. Sautéed leeks are also fantastic as a filling, together with some cheese, for a grilled sandwich.

Leeks are omnipresent at vegetable markets but they are at their best during the coldest months of the year, October through May, and better yet, they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants.

I am sharing here my mother's recipe for this incredibly easy way of cooking the leeks. This vegetable side dish would be on our dinner table quite often during colder month when perhaps the range of vegetables on offer to buy was slightly more limited compared to the variety you can find during warmer months of spring and summer.

Try to make it, you might start reaching out for this humble and inexpensive vegetable a bit more often, if you are not doing that already...

Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a side dish

900g - 1kg leeks, cleaned and chopped or sliced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Rinse the leeks under cold running water and pat dry with a paper or clean kitchen towel.

Place the leeks on a chopping board and with a sharp knife cut off the dark green leaf ends of the leek and the muddy tip of the roots (keep the green ends for the stock if you wish or discard).

Cut each leek in half from top to bottom and slice further into thin stripes.

Place sliced leeks into a colander and wash thoroughly under the cold running water. Leeks need a good cleaning before using, as dirt often gets stuck between the layers of leaves as they grow.

Put the butter and the oil in a frying pan, heat it up a bit and allowing the butter to melt.

Transfer the leeks into a pan, add sea salt and black pepper .

Cook on a medium heat, stirring now and again, for about 10-15 minutes, or until the leeks are cooked to a desired consistency (some prefer them very soft and others quite crunchy with a bite).

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Peas with Ham Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

January 11, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Appetizers, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Healthy, healthy mael, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, main course, main dish, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, one pot meal, recipe from Northern Ital, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Spring dish, Spring recipe, stew, supper, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Winter dish, Winter recipe

This mouthwatering recipe for peas with ham is easy, uncomplicated and super fast to prepare, as it can be made in no time at all, with fresh or frozen peas.

With this Italian style dish, referred as Piselli con prosciutto cotto, you might win over the most reluctant vegetable eaters.

It can be served as a side dish or as a main with boiled, oven roasted or mashed potatoes, fried or hard boiled eggs, a salad, or simply with plenty of fresh, crunchy rustic bread.

My mother used to make peas with ham very often when I was little, as this vegetable dish is particularly appetizing for small children because of the “sweetness” of the peas and cooked ham.

I am sharing here her recipe with which you can delight all generations around the dinner table with this fresh and very pleasant dish.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 shallots or onions (about 75g), peeled and finely chopped
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g fresh or frozen petits pois, defrosted (can use garden peas)
150g thick slice of cooked or roasted ham, diced
200ml vegetable, chicken stock or water
handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 7g), finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Place the oil in a frying or sauce pan, add the onion, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

Cook for a few minutes on a gentle heat until soft and translucent.

Add the peas, stock or water, and cubed ham.

Simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes until the peas are tender and almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir in fresh chopped parsley, adjust the seasoning, and serve hot immediately.

Just a thought

For this dish you can use pancetta, bacon or lardons instead of cooked or roasted ham, in which case you sauté the meaty element together with the onions first and then follow the other steps of the recipe.

Sliced Fennel and Rocket Salad with Olive Oil and Lemon Dressing Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sradines

January 04, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Appetizers, brunch, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Root vegetables, Rustic dish, Salads, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Starters, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This simple and fresh salad makes a full-flavoured side dish and will sit nicely along side any main course. It is quick and easy to make, all you need is a few fennel bulbs, rocket leaves and uncomplicated olive oil and lemon dressing. It can also be enjoyed as a main salad if you are looking for a nutritious and light meal recipe.

Raw fennel can be quite fibrous, but when sliced very thinly and mixed with some salad leaves it really makes a wonderful salad.

Wild rocket has been used as a culinary herb since Roman times, and this peppery leaves was a little known weed.

Fennel and wild rocket salad has been popular along the coast of Slovenian Istria, where I come from, long before wild rocket became “fashionable” and mass produced for the supermarkets and food stores.

Along the Slovenian coast and inland Istria wild rocket grows naturally on the fields and other areas with dry and poor soil (close to typical Istrian dry stone walls), and has been foraged by the locals since – well, since forever, and they mixed wild rocket leaves with other types of salad leaves to make a variety of different salads. My 96 year old nona remembers very vividly picking it.

I am sharing here this traditional and unpretentious shaved fennel and rocket leaves salad recipe that will bring freshness to your dinner table, and for extra flavour and a bit of crunchy texture you can top this salad with walnut kernels or lightly toasted pine nuts.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

2 fennel bulbs
pack of rocket leaves (about 60-100g)
juice of ½ of lemon, or to taste
extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle, or to taste
sea salt
a handful of walnut kernels, optional

Method

Wash fennel bulbs under cold running water and dry them with kitchen paper or kitchen towel.

Place the bulbs on the chopping board and cut off the hard hollow stalks from the bulb which are quite tough and very fibrous.

Cut the feathery fronds from the stalks if you are using them for this dish for adding extra flavour and garnish.

Trim off a thin layer of the root end of the bulb (the base of the fennel bulb).

Thinly slice the bulb using a sharp knife or ideally mandoline slicer, if you have one.

Transfer the fennel slices into a big salad bowl and add rocket leaves.

Season with sea salt, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Toss together, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

Sprinkle and scatter a few walnut kernels and fennel fronds, if using.

Serve immediately directly from a salad bowl or pile onto plates.

Potato Gnocchi Crescents Istrian Recipe

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November 16, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Appetizers, Austrian inspired dishes, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, bite-sized nibbles, brunch, Canapés, Celebratory dish, Central European recipes, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, Christmas dish, dinner, Easter, Easter dish, Easter recipes, Easter treats, Eastern European dishes, Eastern European recipes, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Festive dish, Finger food, Gnocchi, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main dish, Mitteleuropean cuisine, Mitteleuropean dish, Mitteleuropean food, Mitteleuropean recipes, Rustic dish, savory nibbles, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, supper, sweet finger food, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe

This super delicious Mitteleuropean rustic side dish is made from cooked potatoes, pressed through the potato ricer, mixed with the flour and the beaten egg to form the dough, then small pieces of the dough are shaped into little crescents and shallow fried which makes them light and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, they just melt into your mouth.

They are great eaten with stews or meats cooked in a sauce as they perfectly soak up the juices or the gravy, and they are fantastic served along a selection of cold meats.

These sinfully tasty potato crescents are not made as part of your average everyday meal, but are normally reserved to be made and offered during national festivities, family gatherings, and celebrations.

These potato delights have been very popular in the whole of Slovenia and also in the neighbouring Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and are particularly well known in the city of Trieste and its province. This comes as no surprise as all of these geographical regions were once part of Austro- Hungarian Empire.

What this dish is called in Slovenian reflects this strong gastronomic imperial influence. In Slovenian the dish is referred to as ocvrti krompirjevi svaljki or kifeljčki and in Italian as chifeletti or kipfel di patate, both terms kifeljčki and chifeletti derive from the German/Austrian word Kipfel, meaning crescent shape.

My nona Nada shared with me that when she was a little girl (she is now 96), and when potato crescents were made in the family by her grandmother, a few were always left aside, sprinkled with sugar and given to the children as a sweet treat.

I am sharing here my maternal grandmother recipe, she used to prepare them very often when the family got together, they were always a huge success. They were much more quickly than they could ever be made... try them, and you will see the reason why.

I make them on a regular basis, and this must be one of my top favourite recipes.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 kg floury, yellow fleshed potatoes e.g. King Edward, Maris Piper, red skin potatoes, but avoid new potatoes since these are not suitable for this recipe (choose the potatoes that are more or less the same size).
300g all purpose flour, plus some extra
1 egg, slightly beaten
sea salt
oil for frying

Method

Wash the potatoes, with the skin on, under cold running water.

Place the potatoes, with their skin on, in a pot or in a large saucepan, add plenty of water so the potatoes are completely submerged in the water and bring to boil.

After the water has come to a boil, cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cooking time will obviously vary depending on the size of the potatoes you are using. You can check that the potatoes are fully cooked by inserting the toothpick into the potato, it should easily enter the pulp of the potato. Alternatively, you can steam the potatoes or cook them in the microwave oven.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander and let them cool enough to handle, then remove the skin.

If the potatoes are still quite warm to handle, the best way to remove the skin is to stick the fork through the potato and peel it using a knife.

Place the flour in a bowl, on a working surface or on a large wooden board, (pasta board if you have one) add sea salt and mix with the fork.

Make a well in the middle and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer.

Allow riced potatoes to cool a bit, just for a few minutes, and then add the beaten egg.

Mix together and form a soft dough, which should not stick to your fingers or the surface. If this is the case add a little flour at a time.

Cut a small piece of the dough and roll it out into a log, about 1-2cm thick.

Cut the log into about 7-8cm long pieces and shape them into crescent or U letter shape.

Sprinkle shaped crescents with a bit of flour and very gently toss them so they do not stick to the surface.

Put the oil in a large frying pan and heat it up to 170C (use the thermometer if you have one, or drop a little cube of bread into the oil, it is ready when it turns golden brown in 15 seconds)

Fry in batches and do not overload the pan with potato crescents.

Place them on the kitchen paper to drain and allow the excess oil to be absorbed.

Sprinkle with some sea salt and serve hot immediately.

Just a thought

Potato crescents are best enjoyed as soon as fried and served hot.

They can be made in advance and reheat it by either placing them in a non stick frying pan and heat them up on both sides for a few minute, again do this in batches.

Alternatively, you can place previously fried potato crescents, in a single layer, on a baking tray or baking sheet and heat them up in the oven for about 30 min on 170C ventilated.

Potato crescents are not suitable for freezing.

Sautéed Mushrooms with onions, garlic and fresh parsley Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

October 26, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, bite-sized nibbles, breakfast, brunch, Canapés, casserole, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Finger food, first course, first course dish, first course meal, foraging, Healthy, healthy mael, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, savory nibbles, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Sautéed mushrooms in olive oil with onions, garlic and fresh parsley is super delicious in its simplicity, it is vegetarian and vegan friendly, and one of the most versatile dishes.

The Slovenian coast, where I come from, this is the most traditional way of eating sautéed mushrooms. It can be served on a bed of soft cooked or grilled polenta or with scrambled eggs and some rustic crunchy bread to go with it.

This nourishing delicacy with its intense flavour is a fantastic side dish alongside roasted chicken, pan fried chicken breast, steaks or other grilled meats.

Mushrooms, in terms of flavour and texture, are a great substitute and alternative to a meat dish and therefore make a very satisfying main course served with mashed potatoes or cooked rice, on toasted bread or bruschetta, as topping on a pizza, as a base for a risotto, a soup, a stew, or a sauce, used in a sandwich, and is a great topping for a canapé.

This dish would be traditionally cooked with wild mushrooms picked by the locals in the late summer and in early autumn in the fields and in the shadows of the dense woods and forests.

Most commonly picked mushrooms would be porcini, chanterelles and parasols, the latter being a real treat when coated in breadcrumbs and shallow fried. Wild mushrooms would also be preserved in olive oil, dried and frozen to be enjoyed during the months when they are no longer in season and impossible to forage.

Slovenians are a very keen and passionate mushroom hunters and local authorities impose increasingly strict limitations about the quantity of the mushrooms allowed to be foraged.

I carry with me very fond childhood memories of long walks with my maternal grandparents, close relatives, or family friends, and returning home with a wicker basket full of wild mushrooms. It was rather magical, despite the fact, that as a small girl, I never quite managed to encounter in the woods any wizards, elves, or dwarfs featured in many European folk tales for the children.

I am sharing here this simple but super tasty recipe that you can make with wild or store bought mushrooms.

Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

800-900g mixed mushrooms of your choice (I used a combination of chestnut mushrooms, baby button mushrooms, Oyster, Shiitake, King Oyster and Portobello mushrooms), cleaned and sliced
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
onion (about 90g), peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
fresh flat leaf parsley (about a handful), finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Put olive oil in a fairly large shallow cast iron dish or frying pan, add finely chopped onions, crushed garlic, a pinch of sea salt and cook for a few minutes on a gentle heat until the onions become soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add sliced mushrooms and stir in with the onions and garlic. Add sea salt and black pepper.

Cook the mushrooms on a medium heat, for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until all the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are fully cooked, but still firm (al dente).

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Turn the heat off and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley.

Serve hot or at room temperature on a bed of soft cooked or grilled polenta, mashed potatoes, on a toasted bread or bruschetta, as topping on a pizza, as a base for a risotto, a soup or a sauce, and excellent with scrambled eggs and some rustic crunchy bread.

Just a thought

Keep sautéed mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for no longer than 2-3 days.

This dish is not suitable for freezing.

Djuvec Rice with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes Istrian Recipe

October 05, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, Balkan dish, brunch, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, first course, first course dish, first course meal, Healthy, healthy mael, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, one pot meal, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Starters, summer dish, summer recipe, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Djuvec (frequently spelled Ðuveč and pronounced Joo-vetch) is a one pot rice dish, and a bit of a hidden gem in the gastronomic world. It is very commonly found in South-Eastern Europe in countries like Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and other Balkan countries, and perhaps it is not very well known to the rest of the world.

This vegetarian and vegan friendly dish is one of my absolute favourites, it is incredibly simple and quick to make, healthy, and is really delicious. It is also a very practical dish. It can be prepared ahead of time, and it makes a fantastic addition to more familiar picnic foods and buffets at parties.

Djuvec is always a big hit with friends and family at the barbecue gatherings, as it is traditionally served at a room temperature as a side dish, and makes a great paring to pan fried or grilled vegetables, fish or different type of meats like Ćevapčići (small pieces of rolled grilled mince meat) and Ražnjići (grilled pork meat on skewers).

It can also be served hot or warm as a main mail, maybe with a side salad, as an alternative to a tasty, and perhaps, more frequently cooked, well known and much loved a classic Italian risotto.

It is often made during the summer, end of summer and early autumn with main ingredients being onions, red, orange or yellow bell peppers and tomatoes, and often peas, ajvar (sweet roasted red pepper spread) and powdered paprika is added to a basic recipe to create a very common variations of this dish.

I am sharing here my mum's super delicious one pot pepper and tomato rice dish that she used to make time and time again, just try it, I promise you, you will came back to this “off the beaten track recipe” that my family and my friends simply adore, and cannot get enough of it.

Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

3 Tbsp virgin olive oil or olive oil
1-2 onions (about 250g), peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 red bell peppers (about 400g), wash, dry, remove the seeds and white filaments and cut into small cubes (for this recipe you can also use yellow or orange bell peppers or a combination)
few vine tomatoes or other types of ripe and sweet tomatoes (about 300g) washed, quartered and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
300g long grain rice
600ml vegetable stock or instant vegetable stock powder
sea salt
black pepper
fresh flat leaf parsley for serving, roughly chopped, optional

Method

Place olive oil in a fairly large shallow cast iron casserole dish or frying pan, add finely chopped onions, crushed garlic, a generous pinch of sea salt and cook for about 10 minutes on a gentle heat until the onions become soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add small cubes of bell peppers and stir in with the onions and garlic, cook further for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer roughly chopped tomatoes to the pan, add tomato paste, mix and cook for 10 minutes or so or until the tomatoes are soft and cooked down, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice to the pan, stir with the onion, pepper and tomato mixture

Toast the rice for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour vegetable stock in the pan and bring to boil.

Turn the heat down to a minimum, put the lid on and cook for about 20 minutes without stirring.

Halfway through cooking time, very gently move about the rice with the fork.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Sprinkle some roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, optional.

Just a thought

This dish is not suitable for freezing and will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for a few days.

Wine suggestion

Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner DOC 2021 - Pacher Hof

Sautéed Aubergines with garlic and parsley Istrian Recipe

Beans and Srdines

September 21, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, bite-sized nibbles, brunch, Canapés, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Finger food, first course, first course dish, first course meal, Healthy, healthy mael, hearty dish, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, Starters, summer dish, summer recipe, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This simple and rustic aubergine side dish is light and full of flavour. It can also be enjoyed in less traditional way, spread on bruschetta, toasted bread, as a topping on a pizza, and it can be mixed with rice, or used as a base for a pasta sauce.

Sautéed aubergines in garlic and parsley infused oil is an unpretentious dish, very easy to make and typically prepared in the households along the Slovenian coast, where my nona lives. She told me that her family had a lovely vegetable garden where aubergines grew during the summer months and early autumn. The best ones were picked and sold on the market, just across the Italian border, in Trieste, where they fetched good money. Only the wonky and imperfect ones, but most certainly not less tasty, were left behind for domestic use. They were cooked in delicious home-made extra virgin olive oil flavoured with garlic and fresh parsley and accompanied by potatoes or polenta.

This is not the dish that you would normally find in restaurants, with the glimpse of sadness in my nona's eyes, and a slight sense of embarrassment, she explained to me that this dish is “too simple” and is part of what “the modern world” defines as “the food of the poor” (more widely known as the Italian concept of Cucina Povera). However, it is slightly intriguing, since without her realizing it, this is precisely one of the kinds of dishes that are becoming increasingly popular and appreciated by many people.

What is interesting about this dish is that visually cooked aubergines resemble more closely mushrooms than aubergines. This is why Italians call a very similar and typical aubergine side dish from the Campania region in southern Italy, Melanzane a Funghetto (Mushroom-style aubergines ).

I am sharing here my nona's recipe for this delicious and humble sautéed aubergines with garlic and fresh parsley.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 kg aubergines
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled
handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 13g) plus some extra for garnishing, finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper, optional

Method

Wash the aubergines and dry them, remove the stem.

Cut each aubergine into quarters lengthwise and check for the amount of seeds. If there is a considerable amount of seeds, eliminate and remove the central part containing the higher concentration of the seeds.

Cut the rest of the aubergine into a fairly small and thin regular-sized chunks.

Transfer the aubergine pieces into a colander, sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and place it over a bowl or into the sink so the bitter juices can drain away (avoiding the aubergines to taste bitter) during a sweating process (about 30 minutes). This phase will help to loose the liquid avoiding the aubergines tasting bitter. Squeeze very gently.

Pour the oil in a fairly large frying pan and sauté a whole garlic until golden in colour .

Stir in chopped parsley and add aubergine pieces.

Mix well so all the aubergine chunks are coated in oil and parsley.

Simmer in an open pan, on a fairly gentle heat, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pan and burn, or until they release most of their liquid and the skin starts to have the same kind of texture as mushrooms. The aubergine pieces should be nice and soft but not mushy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Fish out and remove garlic clove, discard.

Sprinkle with a bit of roughly chopped fresh parsley.

Serve hot, warm or at a room temperature.

Just a thought

Aubergines cooked this way are mainly served as a side dish but they can also be enjoyed in less traditional way, spread on bruschetta, toasted bread, canapes, as a topping on a pizza, and they can be mixed with rice, or used as a base for a pasta sauce.

Wine suggestion

Collio Friulano DOC 2021 - Ronchi di Cialla

Peperonata Istrian style Recipe

Beans and Sardines

August 10, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, brunch, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, main course, main dish, main vegetarian dish, main vegetarian meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, one pot meal, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Starters, stew, summer dish, summer recipe, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian, vegetarian summer stew, Venetian dish

This quintessentially summer dish gets devoured and seems to be a real hit every single time, it is a very “practical” dish, as it usually prepared in advance, and takes central stage on the tables of the locals back home on the Slovenian coast, where during the summer months the heat can be terrible but it is also during this time of the year that the ingredients for this dish are most abundant and taste their best.

Peperonata is cooked by the locals during the fresh, cooler, hours of the day, usually early in the morning or in the evening when it cools down a bit (there is a different rhythm of life, a different way of doing things, when you live in a climate that can regularly be very hot).

Moreover, better cooking follows this different, summer, rhythm of daily activities, since the following day the dish tastes even better as all the ingredients have a chance to mingle together!

Peperonata is so delicious you can just eat it on its own with some fresh crunchy or toasted bread, it is great paired with grilled meats and fish, cheeses, cold meats, cooked rice, makes a great base for a risotto or a pasta dish and incredibly tasty spread on bruschetta.

I am sharing here my mother's recipe for Istrian style peperonata, which is different from the Venetian variety where a little white wine is added to the dish.

When I cook this dish, I get immediately transported back home, to the sound of cicadas, to the fragrance of salty air, and to the childhood memories of long summers that never seemed to end...

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
5 Tbsp olive olive
onions (about 300g) peeled and finely sliced
400g aubergines, diced
500g yellow or green bell peppers, washed, deseeded and sliced into strips or cut into chunks)
300g tomatoes (juicy, ripe and sweet) roughly chopped
sea salt
few fresh basil leaves, optional
fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped for garnish, optional

Method

Place the oil in a fairly large pan, add sliced onions, crushed garlic, a generous pinch of sea salt and cook the onions on a gentle heat (for about 10 minutes) or until soft and translucent stirring now and again (do not rush this process as the slowly caramelized onions will add a final taste of the dish).

Add cubed aubergines and cook gently for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked down and soft, stirring occasionally, making sure they do not catch to the bottom of the pan.

Transfer sliced bell peppers to the pan and cook together with the onions and aubergines for about 10-15 minutes or until softened a bit and cooked down, stirring now and again (if onion, aubergine and pepper mixture starts to catch at the bottom of the pan add a splash of water).

Add chopped tomatoes, a few fresh basil leaves, a splash of water and cover with the lid.

Simmer on a very gentle heat for about 40minutes, checking and stirring now and again making sure it does not stick to the bottom.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt.

Let it cool, sprinkle with some roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and some basil leaves (optional) and serve tepid, at room temperature or cold.

Just a thought

Peperonata will keep very well in a fridge in an airtight container for a few days and is suitable for freezing especially if you make a large quantity, and want to eat it again in the near future; or, indeed, you want to bring back summer memories in the middle of winter.

The traditional way of preparing this dish does not call for chill, however, if you wish to add a bit of a kick to this dish it is perfectly fine to do so during the cooking process.

You can also add courgettes, some olives and capers to taste as a variation of this dish.

Wine suggestion

Calabria Rosato IGT "Terre Lontane" 2021 - Librandi

Crispy Breaded Courgettes Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

August 03, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, bite-sized nibbles, brunch, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, entrée course, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Finger food, first course, first course dish, first course meal, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main course, main dish, main vegetarian course, main vegetarian meal, main vegetarian dish, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Spring dish, Spring recipe, Starters, summer dish, summer recipe, supper, savory nibbles, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Crispy breaded courgettes is one of the most most loved dishes and a total crowd pleaser. It consists of slicing the courgettes, dredging them into a flour, then dipping them into whisked eggs, coating them with breadcrumbs and quickly shallow fried them until golden and crispy, which makes them utterly delicious, irresistible and scrumptious, you just cannot stop eating them! This dish will become an instant hit and breaded courgettes will disappear from the serving plate in no time!

Try to prepare courgettes this way when they are in full season and abundant, I can almost guarantee you, that the most reluctant courgette eaters will be converted in eating this summertime vegetable with delight.

This dish is also fun to make, and if you have children, try to involve them in the breading process, they will absolutely love it, but make sure they are as far away as possible, in a nicest way, during frying.

Breaded courgettes are ideally eaten hot as soon as they are fried with some mashed potatoes, a seasonal salad, but also incredibly delicious at the room temperature and offered as a part of a buffet, great used as a filler in a sandwich (add a bit of fresh rocket salad and spread a slice of bread with a bit of mayonnaise, basil or vegetarian pesto, and you will have a sandwich that is to die for).

This dish can be made ahead and stored which makes it an ideal picnic food, you bring this dish with you on a picnic, and you will stand out from the crowd and have no chance to bringing back home any leftovers...

I am sharing here my mother's recipe for crispy breaded courgettes, one of whole family's absolute favourite plates of food.

I simply adored this dish as a child, and nothing much has really changed since...

Ingredients

Serves 4

fresh courgettes, medium size (approximately 700-800g)
2-3 eggs (the number of the eggs needed depends on their size and on the quantity of the courgettes you are using)
dry breadcrumbs
plain flour
sea salt
black pepper, optional
oil for frying

Method

Wash the courgettes under cold running water and dry them with the kitchen paper or a clean kitchen towel.

Place the courgettes on a chopping board and cut off the ends.

With the knife or a mandolin slicer, slice the courgettes into a 4-5mm thick slices (if the courgettes are big, and you find them difficult to slice vertically, cut each courgette in half first, and then slice).

Prepare three dishes for flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.

Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl, dish or on a plate (I just use a piece of baking paper, fold it when I finish, and use it the next time)

Put the eggs in another shallow bowl or dish (big enough to accommodate one or two slices of courgettes at the same time) whisk lightly and season with sea salt and black pepper, if using. I suggest you use two eggs to start with, and crack another one, if two are not enough.

Put the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl, dish or plate.

Start the breading process.

Dredge each slice of courgettes into flour making sure everything is coated and gently shake off the excess.

Dip the floured slice of the courgette into a whisked egg, turn to coat, make sure all the sides are covered in egg, and let drip off excessive egg.

Coat in breadcrumbs and press a bit so the breadcrumbs adhere well and shake off gently the excess.

Repeat the process until you have used all the courgette slices.

Breaded courgettes can be shallow fried or baked in the oven.

Frying method

Pour oil into a large frying pan, about 1cm, and heat it over a medium heat (how much oil you need will depend on how big your frying pan is)

Once oil is hot, add breaded courgette slices, a few at time without overcrowding the pan (this will bring the oil temperature down)

Fry for about one minute on each side or until the breadcrumbs turn golden-brown in colour.

Transfer fried courgettes onto a dish lined with kitchen paper to allow excess oil to be absorbed.

If the slices are lined in layers, make sure you put a kitchen paper between every layer.

Baked in the oven method

Line large baking tray with a non stick baking parchment and place sliced bread courgettes on a tray, one next to each other, spray or drizzle with olive oil and bake in a preheat oven at 200 C static or equivalent for about 20 minutes or until golden-brown in colour.

Just a thought

I have shared here the basic recipe for crispy breaded courgettes, but if you wish to add additional flavour to the dish, you can add some fresh finely chopped flat leaf parsley in whisked egg and some grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese in breadcrumbs.

You can store crispy breaded courgettes in an airtight container in the fridge for about two days.

This dish is not suitable for freezing.

If you wish to prepare this courgette dish in advance, it is a good idea to store the uncooked and not fried breaded slices of courgettes in an airtight container in the fridge, and just before frying, “refresh” the breadcrumbs coating by covering the slices in breadcrumbs once again, this will give you a crunchy coating.

A vary tasty variation of this dish is using mushrooms or aubergines instead of courgettes.

Wine suggestion

Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut - Nino Franco

Cooked fennel salad with lemon and olive oil dressing Istrian Recipe

Beans and Srdines

July 20, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, dinner, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Healthy, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Root vegetables, Rustic dish, Salads, Side Dishes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, supper, Vegan, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Cooked fennel salad is a great choice when you want to complete a meal with a simple salad, all you need is a few humble fresh fennel bulbs and an uncomplicated olive oil and lemon dressing which will get soaked up with some crunchy bread.

This fennel salad is rustic and informal, very healthy and nutritious and a great companion to grilled meats and fish, very fresh and incredibly easy to prepare, can be done in advance, stored in a fridge and served cold on a hot summer day.

Along the Slovenian coast, where I grew up, the area is blessed with Mediterranean climate, which subsequently means that there is an abundance of fennel, a very much loved vegetable by the locals, it is traditionally eaten raw or cooked in salads, or braised, which does go down a treat. Wild fennel is also abundant and grows just about anywhere it can, the fronds are used in the local cuisine instead of flat leaf parsley or in combination with.

I am sharing here this traditional and unpretentious cooked fennel salad that it has been made in my family, and by the locals, well, since forever.

If you go so the food store, see some lovely fennel bulbs, and not quite sure what to do with them, you can start with this recipe...

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 as part of meal

few fresh fennel bulbs, approximately 900g (smaller bulbs are better for this dish)
extra virgin olive oil, a very generous drizzle
1 lemon (juice of ½ or whole lemon, depending on a taste)
fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly or finely chopped (amount to taste)
sea salt
black pepper, optional
fennel fronds, optional

Method

Wash fennel bulbs under cold running water and dry them with kitchen paper or clean kitchen towel.

Place the bulbs on the chopping board and cut off the hard hollow stalks from the bulb which are quite tough and very fibrous. Cut the feathery fronds from the stalks if you are using them for this dish for adding extra flavour and garnish.

Discard the stalks or use them in other recipes for soups and stews, you can use them as a bed for roasted chicken or other meats, and roasted fish.

Trim off a thin layer of the root end of the bulb (the base of the fennel bulb).

Stand your fennel straight up and slice in half.

Check how big the core is, if it is quite big, it is a good idea to remove it for this recipe, as they are very fibrous. The cooking time for this recipe is fairly short, and the core, if not removed, could stay quite hard.

To remove the core, take a knife at a 45 degree angle on both sides of the core and slice in, the core will pop out easily.

Place the fennel in a pot, add boiling water, about ¾ up, alternatively you can steam the fennel.

Put the lid on and gently simmer for about 15 minutes, cooking time will depend on the size of the fennel pieces and the desired consistency.

Adjust cooking time, depending on whether you want the fennel quite soft, or prefer it with still quite a bit of a bite.

Drain in a colander, run under cold water, leave to drain well and cool a bit.

Slice cooked fennel to your liking.

Transfer sliced fennel onto a serving plate.

Season with sea salt and black pepper, if using.

Dress cooked fennel with very generous extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh flat leaf parsley an fennel fronds, if using.

Serve at room temperature or cold, place the serving plate in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves, and make sure you have some crunchy bread to soak up all those juices.

Just a thought

For extra flavour, sprinkle dressed fennel salad with dried garlic, not a very traditional way of serving, but a nice addition or a variation of the recipe.

Pan-fried potatoes with onions and pancetta Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

May 25, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, brunch, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Root vegetables, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Spring dish, Spring recipe, supper, Vegetables, Winter dish, Winter recipe, hearty dish

If you are searching for a slightly different potato side dish from the usual and delicious mashed or roast potatoes, look no further.

This modest, simple and humble, but hearty and scrumptious potato side dish, pairs perfectly with just about anything, but it is the most loyal companion to meat or vegetable based dishes.

This recipe consists of boiling the potatoes, then cutting them into small pieces and pan-fry them together with salty and crispy bits of pancetta and caramelised, sweet and mellow onions. During this process the light crust will form at the bottom of the pan and when the mixture gets broken into pieces and mixed, you end up with the combination of smooth, creamy potatoes and brown crispy pieces of potato crust, heavenly texture! During this pan-frying phase, the stock gets gradually added for extra flavour and moisture.

You really cannot find a more Slovenian dish than this. It is cooked recurrently in every household and found regularly on the menus (Pražen krompir) in a family run restaurants, nurseries and school canteens up and down the country. Traditionally it is served with roasted meats, sausages and sauerkraut, boiled sheen of beef cooked in broth or simply eaten on its own with a salad or fried eggs.

I grew up with this dish and I am sharing with you my mum's recipe, a variation developed on the coastal part of Slovenia (Kromper v teći, Patate in tecia) where pancetta and olive oil is used instead of lard and pork cracklings, still a very popular choice, but most commonly perhaps ingredients used in inland Slovenia.

This potato dish really unites all the regions of Slovenia, it is a part of very strong gastronomic culture in Istria and Dalmatia (in Croatia) and stretches across and beyond the “borders” with Italy.

This very popular and very much loved potato side dish is traditional in the whole region of Friuli- Venezia Giulia in Italy, where the city of Trieste with its inhabitants particularly prides itself for exceptionally good Patate in tecia.

It is in the dialect of this region and the Veneto region that the word tecia has a double meaning; it can indicate a type of a pan that would normally be used to cook this dish and it can refer to a method of slow cooking on a fairly low heat.

Other recipes and dishes can have a word tecia in them, so for example you can have Zucchine in tecia (Pan- fried courgettes) or Verze in tecia (Pan-fried Savoy cabbage) etc.

This dish, made from scratch, is incredible in its simplicity, but it is also made and can be prepared using leftover boiled potatoes and no vegetarian or vegan friend or family member will be excluded from the dinner table as you can cook this dish by omitting the meaty element and using vegetable broth or stock.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1kg of potatoes
100g unsmoked pancetta or bacon, cut into small strips or finely diced, bacon lardons or pork cracklings
onions (about 240g), peeled and finely sliced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or lard
sea salt
black pepper
200ml meat or vegetable broth or stock (you can make a simple stock using a good quality instant vegetable or meat stock powder)
flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish

Method

Wash whole unpeeled potatoes under the cold running water and put them in a big pot of boiling water.

Add sea salt and gently boil the potatoes until fully cooked, this will depend on the size of the potatoes you are using.

Drain cooked potatoes and allow to cool.

Peel the potatoes and slice or cut them into irregular shape smaller chunks, set aside.

Put the olive oil or lard, if using, in a fairly large frying pan.

Add finely sliced onions and pancetta and gently fry on a fairly low heat until the onions become golden brown in colour, soft and caramelised, and pancetta fully cooked and slightly crisp. This might take around 40 minutes but it is important not to rush this phase of the recipe as the onions might not get as sweet.

Turn the heat up a bit, add pieces of potatoes and season with sea salt and black pepper (bear in mind that the use of pancetta and broth in this recipe, will partially provide the seasoning).

Cook the potatoes with the onion and pancetta mixture and break down a bit bigger pieces of potatoes with the back of the wooden spoon or or a fork, avoiding to end up with mashed potatoes, you still want bits of potatoes in the texture.

Cook for a few minutes allowing the mixture to catch a bit at the bottom of the pan forming a light crust, but try and avoid to get it burnt (although if it does burn slightly it is not the end of the world).

Scrape the layer of golden brown bits and break the crust with the wooden spoon, stir the mixture.

Cook further for a few minutes until the crust forms again, break it and stir.

Repeat the process a few times adding small amounts of broth or stock to avoid potatoes getting too dry.

The whole idea behind repeating this process of allowing the crust to form, then breaking it and stirring the mixture is to end up with a final dish that will have a combination of crusty and crispy bits of potatoes that are stirred back, mixed with the rest of soft/mushy potatoes, caramelised onions and pancetta.

Taste, adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and serve hot.

Just a thought

This dish is not suitable for freezing.

When reheating this dish you will need to add some moisture back, as it gets quite dry when cooled down and kept in a fridge, adding more stock or broth.

You can cook this dish with leftover boiled potatoes or using left over mashed potatoes.

Wine suggestion

Friuli Venezia Giulia Friulano DOC "San Pietro" 2020 - I Clivi

White asparagus with hard boiled eggs Venetian style Recipe

Beans and Sardines

May 11, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, brunch, child friendly dish, child friendly meal, dinner, Easter dish, Easter recipes, Easy recipe, family friendly dish, family friendly meal, first course, first course dish, first course meal, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, main course, main dish, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, recipe from Northern Ital, Rustic dish, Salads, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Spring dish, Spring recipe, Starters, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Venetian dish

This exquisite recipe is so easy and quick to prepare you can hardly call it a recipe. It consist of gently boiling the asparagus and dress them with oil, sea salt and pepper to allow the delicate and mild sweet taste of white asparagus to be fully enhanced and appreciated. Asparagus prepared this way can be served as a starter, main course or as a side dish and is a great meal for vegetarians.

White asparagus grow with the absence of sunlight which prevents the photosynthesis to take place and therefore stops the asparagus turning green in colour.

Back home, where I come from, on the Slovenian coast, this dish, (Beli beluši s trdo kuhanimi jajci / Beli šparglji s trdo kuhanimi jajci) among other asparagus dishes, is very popular during the fairly short asparagus season and the locals make the best of it.

My nona shared with me a very touching story about white asparagus. She very modestly confessed to me that when she was a little girl, her father was the first farmer in the village (Marezige), and the first in the surrounding area to grow white asparagus. She also told me the story that when the asparagus were almost ready to be harvested, he would guard them during the night as these vegetables were very precious source of income for the family and were almost never consumed for domestic use. Only a very small amount of the asparagus, the ones that broke during the harvest, were used by the family for cooking, and this was a real treat for everyone.

White asparagus were, and still are, more difficult and more laborious to grow, therefore they fetch a higher price when they are sold on the market. The asparagus would be taken by my great grandmother to Trieste, just across the border, a big port city with Imperial style cafes, and important theatres where a fairly high number of wealthy noble families used to live, families that could easily afford to buy this type of vegetable and appreciate its gastronomic use.

My nona also told me that the locals used to say that the white asparagus were so cherished they were considered to be vegetable fit for the queen.

Even nowadays, white asparagus, although more accessible, are still pricier compared to the green ones, and they are enjoyed as a “festive food” especially around Easter celebrations when they are in season.

There is a very close geographical proximity between my home town and the Italian region of Veneto, where this flavoursome and elegant dish is typical, (Asparagi bianchi con uova sode alla Veneta) and where in the foothills of the town of Bassano, and along the whole stretch of the river Brenta, the best, renowned, plump white asparagus are produced in terms of size and flavour.

I am sharing here this simple and very much loved family recipe which traditionally calls for white asparagus, and is a very much anticipated vegetable in the spring season. However, if you have difficulty buying them, then just use green asparagus, the dish will be equally delicious.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1kg white asparagus (you can use green asparagus)
8 eggs, soft or hard boiled and quartered, sliced or chopped
extra virgin olive oil (sunflower oil or a neutral tasting oil of your preference)
sea salt
black pepper
red or white vinegar, optional

Method

First of all prepare the asparagus. Chop off the ends which are normally hard, woody and fibrous.

With the potato peeler, peel the asparagus starting from just underneath the tips.

Place the asparagus in a pan with a small amount of boiling water.

Gently boil for about 10-15 minutes or until just tender. Test by inserting the tip of a small sharp knife into the end of the asparagus as this part takes the longest to cook. The cooking times will vary according to the size and thickness of the asparagus.

With a slotted spoon gently remove the asparagus from the pan and place them, one next to each other, on paper kitchen towel. Allow the asparagus to drain and cool.While removing the asparagus be careful not to break the tips, they cook quicker than the ends and will be much softer, if they do break, however, it is not the end of the world, they will just not look quite as nice on the plate.

Alternatively, you can steam the asparagus or cooked them tied in a bundle and placed upright in a tall pot with two thirds of their length immersed in cold water. Bring the water to boil and cook for about 10-15 minutes (the steam will cook the tips). Remove and untie the bundle.

Transfer the cooked asparagus and lay them on a serving plate.

Place the soft or hard boiled eggs on the top or between the asparagus.

Dress liberally with oil, sea salt and black pepper.

Serve with crunchy bread to soak up the juices.

Just a thought

You can use the water in which you cooked the asparagus as a stock. Just add the ends you cut off the asparagus and the peels and add them to the water, gently boil for about half and hour and strain.

You will end up with a delicious and delicate asparagus flavoured stock to be used for asparagus risotto, minestrone primavera or asparagus soup.

If you are not using the stock straight away it is perfect for freezing.

Wine suggestione

Collio Sauvignon DOC 2020 - Schiopetto

Dandelion Salad with hard boiled eggs, boiled potatoes and crispy pancetta Recipe

Beans and Sardines

April 20, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, dinner, Easter, Easy recipe, entrée course, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, light meal, main course, main dish, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, Salads, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Starters, Vegetarian, Vegan, Spring recipe, Spring dish, foraging

This very healthy and nutritious but incredibly tasty salad is made from young and tender dandelion leaves and enriched with hard boiled eggs, cooked potatoes and crispy pancetta that give us extra energy for the long spring walks in the nature and for completing all those chores in the garden and inside the house.

This salad can also easily become vegetarian and vegan friendly by simply omitting some of the ingredients.

Dandelion leaves, with their verdant colour, can be eaten cooked (customary on the Slovenian coast) or raw, they have a pleasant bitter taste, a bit like peppery rocket salad, and they should be picked small and tender before the plant blooms, then they turn seriously bitter.

When foraging for dandelion try to avoid the areas close to busy roads, lanes popular with dog walkers (no need to go into too much detail as to why), and fields close to farms that have potentially been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers and antibiotics which get absorbed into the plant.

To pick dandelion you can use a small knife and cut around the plant root and then pull it out of the ground or just simply tear the leaves off the plant.

Dandelion is very rich in vitamins and minerals, very good for our body, and yes it might be a bit bitter, but it is this bitter substance in the dandelion leaves that helps to optimise the function of the gallbladder and the liver. They contain a lot of potassium which is very beneficial for the kidneys, and iron which enriches our blood and helps to purify it. .

This is of no coincidence since dandelion salad is very popular in early spring (around Easter), not only because this is the right time to pick the leaves, but also because this salad is also traditionally eaten with eggs, a symbol of purity, rebirth, and rejuvenation.

In Slovenia, where I come from, picking dandelion leaves in spring time during long walks and returning home with a free lunch or dinner is a great pastime, and almost an obsession.

But there is another tradition that is deeply rooted and much anticipated, especially with the children. It is colouring and decorating Easter eggs, and lots of them, they would be beautifully displayed in small wicker baskets and than used, yes, you guessed it, in the dandelion salad and of course other dishes.

I am sharing here the family recipe, that includes the use of crunchy pancetta or ocvirki (very commonly used in Slovenia, they are small pork cracklings in lard, usually home made, kept in glass jars in the fridge).

A small amount (about 2Tbsp) of pork cracklings in lard will be placed in a small frying pan and warmed up, by doing so, the lard melts and the cracklings get very crunchy, all of this would then be added to the dandelion salad substituting the oil and the pancetta.

If you never have this salad before, try it and play around with the ingredients to suit your taste, keep the ingredients you like and omit the ones you are less keen on. You can also forage a smaller amount of dandelion leaves than indicated in this recipe and mix with other salad leaves.

Have a go and make this super salad, next time you look at the dandelion you will not see it as a annoying weed...

Ingredients

Serves 4

100-150g freshly picked young dandelion leaves, trimmed and picked through
4 eggs, hard boiled
potatoes (about 400g) cooked and peeled (you can use baby potatoes or new potatoes with the skin on)
150g pancetta rashers (sliced pancetta) or streaky bacon, smoked or unsmoked
extra virgin olive oil (or other type if prefer)
vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar, you can use red or white wine vinegar or cider vinegar works well too)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped, optional (I did not use garlic I this recipe)
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Start by preparing all the ingredients needed for the salad.

Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, bring to boil and simmer until cooked.

Cut pancetta rashers or streaky pancetta into small pieces, place them in a small pan and gently fry until very crisp. Remove them from the pan, and place on to kitchen paper so they can drain, and the excess fat can be absorbed. Let the rashers cool and set them aside.

Cook the eggs in a small pan of simmering water until hard boiled, cool, peel and cut into quarters.

Clean dandelion leaves, wash and dry thoroughly (use salad spinner if you have one).

Wine suggestion

Collio Friulano DOC 2021 - Pighin

Bread dumplings Recipe

Beans and Sardines

March 23, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Austrian inspired dishes, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, casserole, Celebratory dish, Central European recipes, dinner, Dumplings, Eastern European dishes, Eastern European recipes, Easy recipe, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main course, main dish, Mitteleuropean cuisine, Mitteleuropean dish, Mitteleuropean food, Mitteleuropean recipes, one pot meal, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, stew, supper, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe, family friendly meal, child friendly meal, child friendly dish, family friendly dish

Bread dumplings are a real crowd pleaser, they are made from a mixture of stale bread soaked in milk and combined with fresh parsley, marjoram, onions, pancetta, beaten egg, seasoned with sea salt and black pepper, then formed into a ball shape and gently cooked in simmering water.

They can be easily turned into a vegetarian friendly option by simply omitting the meaty element and adding, if prefer, a bit of grated cheese, depending on your preference.

They are served as a perfect companion to stews, braised meats and roasted meats with a gravy. The idea behind these dumplings is to squash them with the fork, and this will soak up all the juices of whatever is accompanying them. In other words, it is an ideal side dish for almost anything that has some kind of sauce with it.

I simply love the recipes that provide some kind of a solution to the “problem” of avoiding food waste, and in this case the recipe is a brilliant side dish that uses - nothing more than stale bread as the key ingredient.

This is one of those recipes that you do not really need to plan since you can make bread dumplings when you simply end up with old bread and do not know what to do with it. If you have quite a bit of it to use up, then double or triple the ingredients since you can freeze a big batch of bread dumplings.

These rustic and elegant bread dumplings became a staple dish in a lot of cuisines of Eastern and Central Europe where stale bread has been very cleverly turned into a pure delicacy.

In Slovenia, where I was born and grew up, bread dumplings, called Kruhovi cmoki, have been so popular they almost became a national dish, and this recipe is most similar, or actually almost identical to the Austrian and South German( Bavarian) variety, where it is believed bread dumplings originated from, and are referred to as Semmelknödel.

There are a variety of bread dumpling recipes, for example, in the Czech Republic, fresh herbs, onions and the meaty element is not added to the bread mixture, which is also not shaped into small balls, but instead into a roll, then boiled and sliced.

Similar to bread dumplings are Canederli, found in Italy, in Trentino Alto Adige, an autonomous province of Italy, and in Austria, where small pieces of speck (lightly smoked cured meat) and cheese are added to the basic bread mixture, then they are shaped into small balls and typically cooked and served in hot beef or chicken broth.

This dish was one of my favourite dishes when I was a child, and it really does take me down memory lane. My mother would prepare them quite often, and I am sharing here her recipe, a typical Istrian variation of bread dumplings, in which fresh marjoram is added to the basic bread mixture.

Ingredients

Will make about 8 dumplings, depending on the size.

310g roughly of stale bread (for this recipe I used 5 stale white baps)
250-300ml milk (skimmed, semi skimmed or full fat)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp olive oil
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 10g), finely chopped
1 medium onion (about 100g), peeled and finely chopped
sea salt
ground black pepper
40-50g sliced pancetta, cut into very small pieces (can use bacon or lardons), optional
1 Tbsp fresh marjoram, very finely chopped, optional
all purpose flour (enough to coat the bread dumplings)
1 Tbsp white dry breadcrumbs (only if needed)

Method

Cut or tear with your hands white baps (or any other type of stale bread you are using) into small pieces and put them in a fairly large bowl. Pour over the milk, mix well and leave to soak for about 20-30 minutes or until the bread is completely softened.

While the bread is soaking in milk, prepare the onion and pancetta mixture.

Put olive oil, finely chopped onions and small pieces of pancetta in a frying pan. Gently fry the mixture until the onions become nice and soft and transparent but not brown. Cool the pancetta and onion mixture and set aside.

Add to the bowl with the soaked bread, the beaten egg, onion and pancetta mixture, finely chopped parsley and marjoram and season with sea salt and black pepper.

With your hand(s) mix very well all the ingredients, almost using a squeezing action, to thoroughly combine the mixture. You should end up with a bread mixture that is soft, and with a fairly smooth consistency (if you end up with bigger bread pieces just break them with your fingers).

Adjust the mixture, adding a bit of breadcrumbs (and never the flour, as the mixture will get too sticky and will become unworkable), one tablespoon at the time, if the bread mixture is too wet.

On the contrary, if you feel the mixture is too hard and dry, add a bit of milk.

It is important to use a bit of personal judgment and intuition here. The idea behind this recipe is using the stale bread or a combination of different types of stale bread which will absorb a slightly different quantity of liquid, therefore the moisture of the bread mixture needs to be adjusted accordingly.

Wet you hands (this will prevent the dough to stick to your hands).

Take roughly a handful of the mixture and shape it into a compact ball, about the size of a tennis ball.

Repeat the process until you run out of the mixture.

Put some flour into a deep plate or a bowl.

Gently coat each dumpling into a flour and remove excess flour (this will prevent sticking).

Fill a large pot of water and bring to boil. Turn down the heat and leave the water to a gentle boil.

With a slotted spoon, drop one dumpling at the time in a simmering water and cook for about 15 minutes. Do not allow the dumplings to cook in a strong boiling water as they might loose the shape and fall apart.

Remove cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a serving plate or directly on the plates, serve warm.

Just a thought

Bread dumplings are suitable for freezing.

You can freeze uncooked dumplings by freezing them individually first, and then transfer them into freezing bags or containers. Do not defrost the dumplings when you need them, just plop them frozen directly into a simmering water and cook them slightly longer, and they are cooked when they float on the surface.

Alternatively, you can freeze already cooked dumplings. Cool them first, freeze them individually and place in freezing bags or containers. When you want to use the dumplings, let them thaw first and then reheat covered, in order to get some steam, using a microwave works well.

You can “recycle” this dish even further, if you end up with some left over cooked dumplings, slice them up and fry the slices on both sides lightly in a frying pan with some butter or olive oil.

You really could not ask anything more from stale bread!

Wine suggestion

Alto Adige Schiava DOC "Menzen" 2020 - Colterenzio

Braised Fennel Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

February 09, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, brunch, Central European recipes, Easy recipe, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main dish, Nutritious, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, supper, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter recipe, Vegetable side dish, Vegetables, Root vegetables

Braised fennel is made with fresh fennel bulbs, a humble and very often underrated and forgotten vegetable, and if you were ever put off by maybe a slightly “assertive” liquorice taste of a raw fennel, try this dish, it is like eating a completely different vegetable.

Fennel, during braising process, becomes mellow and sweet, very tender, and develops soft and mild aniseed and slightly caramelized flavour, sincerely gorgeous!

For this dish, perhaps, we can apply the famous saying “do not judge the book by its cover.”

With its appearance, maybe it does not belong to the privileged club of the most appealing looking dishes, but the taste of braised fennel is simply luxurious and elegant, worthy to be served as a part of Sunday roast.

Back home, on the Slovenian coast, where I come from, braised fennel is a very popular, very much loved dish and served with dignity for a simple midweek lunch or dinner.

Here I am sharing my mother's recipe for a traditional and regional braised fennel recipe. Try it, and next time you are shopping for your vegetables, you will be reaching out for fresh fennel...

Ingredients

Serves 4 as part of meal

few fresh fennel bulbs (1200g approximately)
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the best you can afford)
sea salt
black pepper
fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
100ml water or vegetable stock

Method

Wash fennel bulbs under cold running water and dry them with clean kitchen paper or towel. Place the bulbs on the chopping board and trim the hard hollow stalks which are quite tough and very fibrous. You can discard the stalks or put in the compost, or trim the stalks, cut them into pieces and use them instead of, or as an addition to the celery in soups and stews, or use them as a bed for roasted chicken, or other meats, and roasted fish.

Cut the feathery fronds from the stalks, you can use these as a garnish for this dish, or as a herb to make others dishes. Trim off the root end of the the bulb (the base of the fennel bulb) and cut it into wedges.

The layers may separate and fall apart, do not worry, this is normal.

Put extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan, preferably non stick, and heat it up a bit.

Place the fennel wedges into a pan.

Add a pinch of sea salt and sauté for few minutes on a fairly high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown in colour.

Add 100ml of water, black pepper, lower the heat to fairly low, cover with the lid.

Cook on a gentle heat for about 40 minutes, then uncover the lid.

Turn the heat to medium and cook further uncovered until all the water evaporates.

At this stage the fennel might catch a bit and turn slightly mushy, oozy and creamy in the middle.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Add a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for extra flavour and some fennel fronds for garnish.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Just a thought

This dish freezes very well, so it might be a good idea to cook in bigger quantities when the fennel is in season and freeze it.

Home made Baked Beans Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

January 26, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Appetizers, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, brunch, Central European recipes, Eastern European recipes, Easy recipe, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, main course, main dish, Nutritious dish, Nutritious, one pot meal, one pot meat recipe, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Starters, stew, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe, casserole

Home made baked beans is one of the most humble staple dishes in Slovenian Istra, the peninsula located at the head of the Adriatic Sea. This dish is nutritious, as full of fibre and protein, wholesome, super delicious, cheap and simple to make, and what it may lack in appearance it most certainly makes up in flavour.

This dish is classic comfort food, quintessentially rustic, a truly peasant food since it used to be made by farmers during colder months to help them to get warm, and to partially replenish their energy used up during the very hard, physical and laborious jobs required in the fields during the day.

This borlotti beans casserole is made with beautifully caramelized onions and sautéed pancetta and flavoured with garlic, bay leaf and a touch of tomato paste, it is typically served with polenta or crusty bread and a fantastic companion to grilled meats.

My nona grew up with this dish, as borlotti beans were consistently cooked as a part of the Mediterranean diet, the recipe was passed down to my father who adored baked beans and would prepare them regularly when there was a family barbecue, normally in such a huge quantities that we would eat them on a toasted bread for days to follow, nobody seemed to mind or complained about it, on the contrary...

This home made baked beans are known in standard Slovenian as Praženi Fižol, but the locals would refer to this dish simply in the dialect as Pražen Fežu.

This very traditional dish calls for dry borlotti beans, but you can use canned beans to cut down on time without compromising the deliciousness of the final dish, it can also be made with or without the meat component, in which case, this version makes an excellent vegetarian and vegan meal option.

I am sharing here the traditional, local family recipe which uses only few simple ingredients, however, you can take this dish slightly off the beaten track and jazz it up a bit by adding few chilli flakes or powdered sweet or smoked Hungarian paprika, which will give a more “Imperial” and “Balcanic” flavour. My father attempted this only once and was severely told off by his mother, my famous nona, for “corrupting” the traditional recipe making it too “exotic” for her to eat, this version of baked beans, although very delicious indeed, was never cooked again by my father in her presence...

Whether you go for a traditional or more exotic version of the recipe for home made baked beans, give it a go, a store bought tinned baked beans might just become a thing of a past...

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

500g dry borlotti beans, (or other dry beans of your choice) soaked overnight or for about 8 hours
For this recipe you can also use tinned borlotti beans or other tinned beans of your choice 4 x 400g)
1 medium onion, (about 130g) finely chopped
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
100g pancetta, (smoked or unsmoked) thinly sliced and chopped
You can replace pancetta for smoked or unsmoked bacon or lardons
1 Tsp white all purpose flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves (fresh or dry)
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Place dry borlotti beans, or other dry beans of your choice, in a big bowl, cover completely with plenty of cold water and soak for about 8 hours or overnight.

Drain soaked beans in a colander and rinse with cold running water.

Transfer soaked beans in a pot.

Add plenty of cold water, to completely cover the beans, a bay leaf and bring to boil.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook the beans for about 1 -1 ½ hour or until the beans are fully cooked and soft but not falling apart. Skim any foam if it rises to the surface. Towards the end of cooking time add sea salt.

Fish out the bay leaf and discard. Turn the heat off, leaving the pot with the beans in their liquid on the stovetop for later use.

Put extra virgin olive oil in a fairly large and deep skillet or casserole dish (both preferably non stick). Add finely chopped onion, crushed garlic, finely sliced and chopped pancetta or similar, if using, and sauté on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and translucent.

Add the flour and stir well with the onion, garlic and pancetta mixture.

With the slotted spoon, (or a regular big serving spoon) transfer the beans to the skillet with the onion, garlic and pancetta mixture.

Pour the liquid from the beans into the skillet to completely cover the beans. If you are left with more liquid from the beans as needed at this stage, keep it aside and do not discard it. You might use it later on, if the beans during the cooking process get too dry. On the contrary, if you end up using all the liquid from the beans, and the beans get too dry, you can simply use water.

Add sea salt, black pepper, bay leaf, tomato paste and bring to a gentle boil.

Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Just a thought

Home made baked beans are suitable for freezing.

Wine suggestion

Schiava Alto Adige DOC "Kolbenhofer" 2020 - Hofstater

Sautéed Savoy Cabbage with potatoes, garlic and olive oil Istrian Recipe

Beans and Srdines

December 27, 2021 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, brunch, Central European recipes, Christmas dish, dinner, Easy recipe, Festive dish, Healthy, healthy mael, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Nutritious dish, Rustic dish, Side Dishes, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, supper, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe, one post fish recipe

Let's face it, not a lot of people I know will get particularly excited about the cabbage, but slowly cooked down and sautéed savoy cabbage with delicate boiled potatoes, fragrant garlic, excellent olive oil and seasoned well with sea salt, will most certainly made up in the taste for what maybe lacks in appearance. This comforting and rustic vegetable side dish is simply delicious, trusted and reliable gastronomic companion to just about any meat dish, very easy to prepare, healthy, nutritious and inexpensive.

When savoy cabbage is cooked well with just a few excellent quality and fresh ingredients tastes nothing like you imagine, and it might convert the most austere cabbage 'dislikers'. This recipe can become a new classic cabbage dish for your family, changing what they have in mind when thinking about cabbage - if they ever even think about cabbage! This recipe completely changes the taste and texture of the cabbage, and it becomes “sweet”, soft, and ever so slightly mushy and velvety in a pleasant way.

I have never thought about this aspect of the dish, nor have I ever been bothered about it, as I grew up with it and have always been fully aware of the reward you get on the palate when it is cooked properly.

This dish is deeply rooted in Slovenian Istra, and is one of the most traditional dishes to be cooked as part of everyday family meals during autumn and winter when savoy cabbage is in full season and is most full of flavour. When it tastes at its best, it takes nothing less than the central place on dining tables, and as tradition wants, especially on Christmas Eve, together with salted cod spread and fritole (Istrian small doughnuts).

It is during these colder months of the year that my mother and most other households would prepare this side dish. My brother and I have always found this dish somehow reassuring, we would eat it paired with breaded, pan fried chicken escallops or pork Wiener schnitzel, which is one of the most common ways of serving it.

If there were any leftovers, my mother would reheat them, and they would be served with fried eggs - no waste, no hassle, and another meal sorted, and so happy children, and also happy, or relieved mom!

This recipe is normally made with freshly cooked cabbage and potatoes but it is made, and it can be made, using left over cooked cabbage and boiled potatoes which is a fantastic way to reduce food waste.

If you are one of those cabbage non-lovers, and managed to read up to this point about my enthusiasm for this humble vegetable, I warmly invite you to try this recipe, you might have a revolutionary moment and convert, this dish might just become one of your favourite autumn/winter vegetable side dishes.

I am sharing here my family recipe, give it a chance to see how nice it tastes

Ingredients

Serves 4 as part of meal

1 savoy cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
2 medium size potatoes (about 380g), peeled and cubed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut lengthwise
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the best quality you can afford)
sea salt
ground black pepper, optional

Method

Cut up the savoy cabbage into quarters, remove core, cut roughly into smaller pieces and wash thoroughly

Peel the potatoes, cut into cubes and wash under cold running water.

Place both cabbage and the potatoes in a fairly big pot and add water to completely cover.

Bring to boil, turn the heat down, add a pinch of salt and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and cabbage are cooked but still a bit firm.

When cooked, drain in a colander and leave for a few minutes so the extra water can drain well.

Put the extra virgin olive oil and the garlic in a pan (you can use the same pan that you cooked the cabbage and potatoes in, just dry it well) or use a skillet.

Cook the garlic in the oil until golden in colour allowing to flavour the oil, then remove and discard the garlic.

Add potatoes and the cabbage to the pan or skillet and cook down for about 20 minutes on a gentle heat stirring occasionally until a nice soft and velvety consistency.

While cooking, break the potatoes a bit with a back of wooden spoon or a fork but do not mash it completely.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and add ground black if using.

Serve hot immediately.

Just a thought

This side dish will keep very well in fridge in the airtight container for a few days. Reheat well before serving warm.

Not particularly suitable for freezing.