Oysters, Muscles, Wine, Fruits, Desserts, etc

With world class Wines to die for, Fresh Sea Food and Desserts of many persuasions Dubrovnik has it all, simplicity, style & luxury.....

Saturday 2 June 2012

Dubrovnik Green Menestra

There are three kinds of green menestra (cabbage and smoked meat stew).

The present City recipe, the Župska and the Primorska Green Menestra.
- Dalmatian prosciutto (smoked ham) 0,80 kg
- smoked lamb (kaštradina) 0,60 kg
- bacon (home-smoked) 0,50 kg
- sausages (home-made) 0,60 kg
- cabbage (green-raštanj) 0,80 kg
- kale (verza) 0,50 kg
- cabbage (white,head) 0,65 kg
- potatoes 0,75 kg
- oil (olive) 0,15 l
- salt 0,02 kg

Preparation: Wash the prosciutto (koljenica) and the smoked lamb in warm water and scrap if needed (smoked surface). Put in lukewarm water and cook. After a set time, add and cook the sausages and bacon. The softer pieces of cooked meat are removed so they remain intact.

Wash the green cabbage (raštanj). The washed kale and head of white cabbage are cut in thick slabs. Each vegetable is blanched for a short time, removed and drained. The potatoes are cleaned, washed, cut in four and cooked in the strained stock from the cooked meat. Salt to taste. When the stock boils, add olive oil, and then add all the blanched vegetables. Do not overcook the vegetables.

Remove the cooked meat from the bones, and cut into serving pieces. Place the cut meat over the vegetables and cook all together for a short while on low heat. Remove from heat and keep covered for one half hour.

Pile up the vegetables in a serving dish, encircle with all the meat. Each guest should be served the vegetables together with a portion of each variety of meat. Stock is poured over the dish prior to serving.

Note
Various kinds of smoked pork can be used to prepare this dish, ie. smoked neck, rib, shoulder, prosciutto, etc.
In late spring or early summer, the vegetables could include broad and spring beans.
In the original recipe, the vegetables do not have to be blanched, but then the vegetables might not have the nice green color of blanched vegetables. Also, some of the bitterness found in the vegetables disappears with blanching.
The greed menestra is not prepared for a small group of people. The dish must be prepared rapidly and on high heat, so as to preserve the vegetables natural color, particularly vegetables that are green.

(This article comes courtasy of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board)

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Dubrovnik Wine List

Croatian wine Institute managed to prove that the famous Californian grape Zinfandel is actually the same as the forgotten Croatian authentic sort Plavac Kastelanac.

Wine drinking in the Mediterranean have roots from ancient times. It was consumed even before Ancient Greece or the Great Roman Empire. Viti culture is older then many modern European cultures and civilizations. Croatian nation is no exception. Wine has been accepted in this region since the 7th century. Strong wine culture is still present in Croatia. Here consuming wine is not just a habit, but a lifestyle choice  occasionally enjoyed for the simple pleasures it brings. Wine for us is part of everyday life. Croatian Wine production has very long traditions, but unfortunately under unhappy historical circumstances, economical and political crises, wine production was pushed out on margins.
New generation of Croatian wine producers is on a good track to change that. No more forgotten and abandoned vineyards! Renaissance of Croatian wines restarted!
It will be too much to list all good Croatian wines. Here will be mentioned only Dalmatian Wines. We're proud to say that most of those are coming from the Dubrovnik province.
             
Dingač is most famous Croatian red wine. Dingač is strong full-boded vine, perfect with meat dishes, prsut and domestic cheeses. It's prodact of peninsula Peljesac, situated 30 km from Dubrovnik.
             
Postup is coming from same place as Dingač. It have almost same characteristics. It's just, bit lighter then Dingač.
             
Plavac is a name for wines made of Plavac Mali sort of grape. Sort is widely spreeded in Peljesac, Islands of Korčula and Hvar. Some well-known names are Plavac Mali from Peljesac and Zlatan Plavac from Island Hvar.  
             
Babić is wine from famous stone fences vineyards in Primosten (Central Dalmatia). Hard work to make it, but result is powerful vine. Enlarge photo Primosten vineyard!
           
Dubrovnik Malvasia is newly recovered authentic sort of white grape, almost disappeared during turbulent history. It is expensive vine with still limited production, but if you are wine lover don't miss Dubrovnik Malvasia. Vineyards are placed in Konavle just 15 km from Dubrovnik.
The current root stock come courtasy of a single cutting from a 200 year old vine from Dubrovnik Zupa. It was rescued a decade ago by a group of enthusiasts from Konavle and Zupa (near Dubrovnik).
             
Posip and Grk are excellent authentic white wines from Island of Kočula. They are ideal wines for Fish and seafood meals. Their vineyards look like those in Primosten (Central Dalmatia), and are monuments of hard work and wine passion. Due to Grk's specialised need for sandy surfaces (& its inability to self polinate), its wine stocks are neither commercial nor large.
Nearer to Dubrovnik however, small vineyards of both varieties can be found on the Elafiti Islands.
             
Zlatan Otok is a dry white wine from Island of Hvar. Fit perfectly with oysters and shells. Generally most of white wines from islands of Hvar and Korčula are very good.
Hint: Croatian wines are most usually named same as a sort of a grape or place of origin. If you are interested we will be glad to help you to choose wine from best houses.
Suggestion: Avoid drinking red wine with seafood and fish if you can. White wines fit much better. Generally red wines are better with most of meat dishes.

(Courtasy of Dubrovnik Villamar Site)

Thursday 29 March 2012

Dalmatian Brownies

These brownies are must for any chocolate lover. A chocolate brownie is dotted with white chocolate chips and macadmia nuts. Perfect for snacking on or for dessert.

Ingredients

Makes: 24 brownies
  • 115g plain chocolate
  • 170g unsalted butter
  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 350g caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 100g chopped macadamia nuts
  • 270g white chocolate

Preparation method

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 25 mins