Croatian Leek Stew Poriluk Cuspajz Food

CROATIAN LEEK STEW ("PORILUK CUšPAJZ")

Steps:

• Wash the leek very thoroughly (there might be some mud between the leaves) and cut them in 1 inch pieces (also the green parts, at least nice looking one). Preheat the water and when it boils put the leek in it and leave it boil for one minute. During this operation prepare this: put lard in a pot, heat it and brown flour in lard (but not too brown). Add grounded paprika and just few drops of cold water to make "zafrig" (a kind of "sauce veloutè"). Take out leek with hollow spoon, add sliced potato in small cubes and water you have cooked leek in it. Season with salt and pepper and cook until potato is soft (10-20 minutes). Serve as a side dish to steaks, sausages, dried smoked ham etc.

NORTH CROATIAN KOHLRABI STEW (KOLORABA CUSPAJZ)

Steps:

• Peel kohlrabi like you peel apples. Remove leaves (don't throw away baby leaves, you can slice them and put into stew later) and cut kohlrabi like you cut potato for French fry potato, but just little bit thicker.
• Melt lard (or butter) in a pot, add flour and sauté it 1 minute. Add water and make creamy liquid. Add sliced kohlrabi and add water to cover the vegetable. Add salt and pepper and baby leaves if you want.
• Cook about 30 minutes or until kohlrabi softens.
• At the end add sour cream, stir well and serve.

CROATIAN CABBAGE STEW ( PRISILJENO ZELJE")

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage to narrow strips approximately 5mm wide and 2-5 cm long.
• Heat water with vinegar and when it boils put cabbage in it.
• Cook for 3 minutes.
• During this put sliced bacon (in small cubes) on fat until transparent, add flour and brown it.
• Add cold water, tomato juice.
• Take out cabbage with hollow spoon, and throw the water out.
• Add caraway seeds, season with salt and pepper.
• Cook about 30 minutes or until cabbage softens.
• Serve as a side dish to sausages, pork chops, and similar meat and mashed potato.

CROATIAN "COBANAC" STEW

Steps:

• Cut horse and beef meat into small pieces (not larger than 2x2 cm). Do the same with potato.
• Finely mince onion.
• Soak dried porcini mushrooms in cold water about 15 minutes, and than cut into small pieces.
• Cut pancetta into small pieces.
• Heat the lard and sauté onion until translucent. Add meat and continue to sauté (covered) 20 minutes. At that point meat will start to leave juices.
• Add paprika, salt, pepper, bay leaf, pancetta and thyme. Stir well and continue to sauté 5 minutes; now add wine, stir and sauté until alcohol evaporates.
• Add potato and water to cover meat and potato. Add mushrooms. Stir and cook on easy fire about 120 minutes.
• If you need to add more salt do it, but do not add additional pepper or hot paprika. If you want it hot, do it at the beginning.
• The stew must be soup-like. You eat it only with spoon. All ingredients must be soft and easy to eat.

NORTH CROATIAN GREEN PEAS STEW ("GRASAK CUSPAJZ")

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot and add flour. Fry it until becoming brownish than add water and make creamy liquid.
• Add some water and when boils add all green peas, parsley leaves, salt, and thyme.
• Add water just to cover peas and cook abut 30 minutes or peas become soft.