Author: Crunch Crunch Away

Barley with Smoked Pork Bones / Ječam sa suhim svinjskim kostima

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I love cooking with smoked pork bones because they are incredibly cheap and give fantastic smoky flavor. My butcher also sells bones that have quite a bit of meat on them, so with a little hassle you get a really affordable, satisfying meal. I usually toss smoked bones into stews and similar soupy dishes, but this time decided to throw them in a pot with barley and vegetables, to make a thick, risotto-like one pot dish.

Also, I got really lucky and scored bones which were on sale, so it was double win for me.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 servings / 0.43 EUR per serving / 3.40 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 large carrots (0.13 EUR)

2 parsley roots (0.27 EUR)

½ small celeriac root (0.27 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.09 EUR)

2 cups barley (0.67 EUR)

2 tbps tomato paste (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves (0.13 EUR)

Bunch of fresh celeriac leaves (0.13 EUR)

1 kilo of smoked pork bones (1.33 EUR)

6-8 cups water (–)

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METHOD:

Finely dice all the vegetables. In a colander, wash barley under running water. Chop pork bones into 6-8 smaller chunks (you can also ask your butcher to do this for you).

In a deep pot, saute diced onion with olive oil on high heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in diced carrot, parsley root, celeriac root and garlic, giving everything a good stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in barley, paprika, black pepper, chopped parsley and celeriac leaves, then stir to combine. Nest pork bones in with the barley. Pour water so everything is mostly submerged, bring to boil and cook on low with lid cracked open for 45 minutes. Occasionally check on the dish and gently scrape barley from the bottom of the pot and add more water if necessary.

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After 45 minutes turn the heat off, remove bones and let them cool enough to handle. Pick the meat from the bones, return meat to barley pot and stir everything well, discarding the clean bones. Now taste the dish for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Mine didn’t need any salt at all, the bones were salty enough. You might also want to add a bit more water, if the dish appears too thick, as barley keeps absorbing water all the time.

Serve with a nice green salad and enjoy!

Volim kuhati sa suhim svinjskim kostima jer su jako jeftine a jelu daju fantastičnu aromu dima. Moj mesar prodaje kosti na kojima uvijek bude dosta mesa, tako da sa malo truda uvijek dobijem jeftino a ukusno jelo. Obično suhe kosti ubacim u variva i slična jušna jela, ali sam se ovoga puta odlučila dodati ih u lonac sa ječmom i povrćem, da dobijem gusto jelo slično rižotu, koje se kuha u jednom loncu.

Također, uspjela sam naletiti na suhe kosti na sniženju, pa je ovo za mene bila dvostruka pobjeda.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 porcija / 3,20 kn po porciji / 25,56 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 velike mrkve (1,00 kn)

2 korjena peršina (2,00 kn)

½ male glavice celera (2,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,70 kn)

2 šalice ječma (5,00 kn)

2 žlice pasirane rajčice (1,00 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

Pregršt svježeg lišća peršina (1,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg lišća celera (1,00 kn)

1 kg suhih svinjskih kostiju (10,00 kn)

6-8 šalica vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

Sitno narežite svo povrće. U cjedilu pod tekućom vodom operite ječam. Nasijecite suhe kosti na 6-8 manjih komada (možete zamoliti i vašeg mesara da vam to napravi).

U dubokom loncu, na jakoj vatri, dinstajte luk na maslinovom ulju oko 5 minuta, dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte narezane mrkvu, korjen peršina, korjen celera i češnjak pa sve dobro promiješajte. Dinstajte oko 5 minuta, povremeno miješajući. Ubacite ječam, crvenu papriku, papar, nasjeckano lišće peršina i celera pa sve izmiješajte. Ugnijezdite unutra komade kostiju. Prelijte vodom, tako da sve uglavnom bude potopljeno, pričekajte da zakipi, pa onda smanjite vatru na nisko i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 45 minuta. Povremeno provjerite jelo i nježno postružite ječam sa dna lonca, a po potrebi dodajte malo vode.

Nakon 45 minuta ugasite vatru, izvadite kosti i pustite da se malo ohlade. Skinite meso sa kostiju, pa meso umiješaje u lonac s ječmom, a kosti bacite. Sada probajte jelo i prilagodite začine. Ja nisam morala uopće soliti, jer su kosti bile već dovoljno slane. Možda ćete morati dodati i još malo vode ako vam se jelo čini pregustim, jer ječam upija puno tekućine.

Poslužite sa velikom zelenom salatom i uživajte!

Barley with Smoked Pork Bones / Ječam sa suhim svinjskim kostima

Blueberry Banana Muffins / Mafini od banane i borovnice

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Banana bread, with all its numerous variations, is one of my favorite cakes to make. It’s simple, quick and very flexible. Whenever I have a few overripe bananas at hand and a handful of random ingredients left over from another recipe, I know just what to do.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 12 regular sized muffins / 0.26 EUR per muffin / 3.10 EUR for all)

2 large overripe bananas (0.53 EUR)

2 large eggs (0.40 EUR)

½ cup yogurt (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

¼ butter, melted (0.40 EUR)

2 cups plain white flour (0.15 EUR)

1/3 cup sugar (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

1 cup frozen blueberries (1.33 EUR)

IMGP4370 METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. If using tin muffin molds, lightly coat them with oil. Skip this step if using silicone muffin molds. In a medium bowl, mash bananas using a potato masher or a fork until smooth. Whisk in eggs, yogurt and vanilla. Finally whisk in melted butter until fully combined.

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In a larger bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and mix with a spatula until just combined. Gently fold in frozen blueberries and divide the dough between muffin molds.

Bake muffins for 20 minutes, until tops become golden. Allow muffins to cool for five minutes in their molds, before removing.

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Kruh od banane, sa svim svojim bezbrojnim varijacijama, jedan je od meni najdražih kolača za peći. Jednostavan je, brz i jako fleksibilan. Kad god imam prezrele banane pri ruci, sa još pregrštom ostataka iz nekih drugih recepata, znam što mi je činiti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 12 mafina standardne veličine / 1,92 kn po mafinu / 23,07 kn za sve)

2 velike prezrele banane (4,00 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

½ šalice jogurta (1,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta vanilije (0,20 kn)

¼ šalice maslaca, rastopljenog (3,00 kn)

2 šalice oštrog pšeničnog brašna (1,00 kn)

1/3 šalice šećera (0,25 kn)

1 žličica praška za pecivo (0,10 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

1 šalica smrznutih borovnica (10,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Ako koristite plehnate kalupe za mafine, namastite ih sa malo ulja. Preskočite ovaj korak ako koristite silikonske kalupe. U srednjoj zdjeli zgnječite banane gnječilicom za krumpir ili viljuškom u glatku kašu. Umiješajte jaja, jogurt i vaniliju. Na kraju dodajte rastopljeni maslac i miješajte dok se ne sjedini.

U većoj zdjeli pomiješajte brašno, šećer, prašak za pecivo, sodu bikarbonu i sol. Prelijte mokre sastojke preko suhih, pa špatulom kratko miješajte da postane jednolično. Na kraju nježno umiješajte borovnice i podijelite smjesu među kalupima za mafine.

Pecite mafine 20 minuta, dok vrhovi ne budu zlatno-žuti. Pustite ih da se 5 minuta hlade u kalupima prije nego što ćete ih izvaditi.

Blueberry Banana Muffins / Mafini od banane i borovnice

Pizza Triangles / Pizza trokutići

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I might have overdone it with the cheese a bit in here. Not that there is such a thing as too much cheese. Please. It’s like saying you’ve got too much free time.

So these might not look too presentable, but man, they are so damn delicious. And don’t be intimidated by dough making. It’s a breeze, I promise.

Small tip: these would be even better if you’d sprinkle the triangles with coarse salt. I was out so I used fine salt instead of running to the store, but some extra salty crunch would have been nice.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 30 triangles / 0.12 EUR per triangle / 3.63 EUR for all)

1 cup warm milk (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp dry active yeast (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

3 – 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided (0.23 EUR)

¼ cup vegetable oil + more for the mixing bowl (0.07 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

¾ cup tomato paste (0.27 EUR)

1 tbsp dried oregano (0.07 EUR)

½ cup ham, cut into thin leaves (1.33 EUR)

½ cup shredded cheese (1.00 EUR)

1 egg yolk (0.20 EUR)

1 tbsp sesame seeds (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp cumin seeds (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp coarse salt (0.01 EUR)

METHOD:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm milk with active yeast, sugar and 1 teaspoon of flour. Be careful that the milk is only warm and not too hot, as too much heat will kill the yeast. Leave it for 10 minutes until slightly frothy. If the yeast doesn’t start getting frothy, discard everything and start again with the fresh batch, as your dough won’t rise.

To the frothy yeast mixture add 3 cups of flour, oil and a good pinch of salt. Mix everything together until a shabby dough forms, turn over on a clean counter and start kneading, incorporating more flour if necessary, until the dough is soft but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes and form into a ball.

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Clean up your mixing bowl, add a bit of oil to it and turn the dough ball around to cover in oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm and draft-free place for up to an hour, to double in size.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200°C. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside. Gently deflate the dough on a clean counter and flatten. Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface into a large sheet.

Cut the sheet in half using a dough scraper. Brush each half with tomato paste, sprinkle oregano and divide ham and cheese between the halves. Now roll each half into a long sausage. Mix the egg yolk with a tablespoon of cold water and then brush over the top of each sausage. Then sprinkle sesame, cumin and coarse salt over brushed areas.

Again use the dough scraper to cut each sausage zig-zag, so you end up with triangles. Spread the triangles on prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave enough space between them, and bake for 20-25 minute, until puffy and golden. Just be sure to switch the baking sheets halfway through baking, so all of the triangles bake evenly.

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Možda sam mrvicu pretjerala sa sirom. Nije da zapravo postoji tako nešto kao previše sira. Baš. To je kao da kažete da imate previše slobodnog vremena.

Ovi trokutići možda i nisu ogledni primjerci, ali su zato jako, jako fini. I nemojte se bojati pravljenja tijesta. To je čas posla, stvarno.

Mali savjet: trokutići bi bili još bolji da su posipani sa krupnom solju. Ja sam imala samo sitne soli kod kuće, pa sam zato upotrijebila nju jer mi se nije dalo trčati do dućana. Ali malo slane hrskavoće bi bilo baš super.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 30 trokutića / 0,90 kn po trokutiću / 27,03 kn za sve)

1 šalica toplog mlijeka (1,50 kn)

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

3 – 3 ½ šalice pšeničnog brašna, podijeljene (1,75 kn)

¼ šalice suncokretovog ulja + mrvica za namastiti zdjelu (0,50 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

¾ šalice pasirane rajčice (2,00 kn)

1 žlica sušenog origana (0,50 kn)

½ šalice šunke, narezane na tanke listiće (10,00 kn)

½ šalice ribanog sira (7,50 kn)

1 žutanjak (1,50 kn)

1 žlica sjemenki sezama (0,25 kn)

1 žlica sjemenki kima (0,50 kn)

1 žličica krupne morske soli (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte toplo mlijeko sa kvascem, šećerom i žličicom brašna. Pazite da mlijeko nije prevruće jer ćete tako ubiti kvasac. Ostavite 10 minuta dok se mješavina ne počne blago pjeniti. Ako se kvasac ne počne pjeniti, bacite i počnite iz početka jer vam se tijesto neće dignuti.

Pjenastoj mješavini sa kvascem dodajte 3 šalice brašna, ulje i dobar prstohvat soli. Sve dobro promiješajte, a kad se krene formirati tijesto, istresite na čistu radnu plohu i mijesite oko 5 minuta, po potrebi dodajući još brašna. Tijesto treba biti mekano, ali ne smije biti ljepljivo. Formirajte tijesto u loptu.

Očistite posudu u kojoj ste miješali tijesto, dodajte mrvicu ulja u nju, pa ubacite loptu tijesta i okrećite da se namasti sa svih strana. Pokrijte posudu čistom krpom i ostavite tijesto da se diže na toplom mjestu bez propuha, do sat vremena da se volumen udvostruči.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite dva pleha za pečenje masnim papriom i stavite na stranu. Nježno ispuhnite tijesto. Čistu radnu plohu posipajte brašnom i razvaljajte tijesto u veliku plahtu.

Prerežite plahtu tijesta na pola. Obje polovice premažite pasiranom rajčicom, posipajte origanom i podijelite po polovicama šunku i sir. Sada svaku polovicu zarolajte u dugačku kobasicu. Pomiješajte žutanjak sa žlicom hladne vode i time premažite obje kobasice tijesta. Po premazanoj površini posipajte sezam, kim i krupnu sol.

Svaku kobasicu režite cik-cak, tako da dobijete trokutiće. Raširite trokutiće po pripremljenim plehovima, pazeći da ostavite dovoljno mjesta između njih. Pecite oko 20-25 minuta dok ne budu pufasti i zlatno-smeđi, s time da na pola pečenja zamijenite protvane kako bi se sve ravnomjerno ispeklo.

Pizza Triangles / Pizza trokutići

Whole Roasted Sea Bass / Cijeli pečeni brancini

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Whenever we have fish we conclude that we need to eat more fish. Then a couple of months go by. Then I remember that we haven’t had fresh fish in a long time. Then we conclude that we need to eat more fish.

So the cycle goes.

And we really need to eat more fish.

This sea bass is on the pricier spectrum of the meals we eat. But, to cut it down serve it with a cheap side of boiled potatoes with Swiss chard. Or with a potato salad.

And, you know, what’s life if you won’t treat yourself from time to time, right? IMGP4397

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 8 / 2.17 EUR per serving / 17.36 EUR for all)

8 sea basses, 250-300 grams each (16.00 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.07 EUR)

2 lemons (0.67 EUR)

2-3 small rosemary branches (0.13 EUR)

A bunch of fresh parsley, divided (0.13 EUR)

5 tbsp olive oil, divided (0.22 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, crushed (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Clean sea bass from scales, remove gills and guts, wash well under cold running water and pat to dry, including the body cavity. You can ask your fishmonger to clean the fish for you, but you’ll definitely want to fix it up as soon as you come home, as they tend to do only rough work with cleaning. Which is totally understandable.

Preheat oven to 250°C. Line baking tray with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and place wire rack on top, so the fish lies slightly lifted from the bottom of the tray while roasting. Make three incisions on each side of every fish, rub salt and pepper all over the fish and stuff each belly cavity with a slice of lemon, small chunk of rosemary branch and a sprig of parsley. Lightly brush each fish on both sides with olive oil and then spread on prepared wire rack. Bake for 15 minutes in the upper third of the oven.

While the fish is baking, finely chop remaining parsley and mix with remaining olive oil and crushed garlic. Serve roasted fish drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice and the parsley – olive oil – garlic mix you’ve just prepared.

Svaki puta kada jedemo ribu zaključimo kako trebamo jesti više ribe. Onda prođe par mjeseci. Onda se sjetim da nismo jeli svježu ribu već sto godina. Pa onda zaključimo da trebamo jesti više ribe.

I tako u krug.

I zaista trebamo jesti više ribe.

Ovi brancini su na skupljem djelu spektra hrane koju inače jedemo. Ali, da stvar bude ekonomičnija, možete ih poslužiti sa nekim jeftinim prilogom, kao što je blitva sa krumpirima ili krumpir salata.

Osim toga, što je život ako se s vremena na vrijeme nećete malo počastiti?

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 osoba / 16,27 kn po osobi / 130,16 kn za sve)

8 brancina, svaki od po 250-300 g (120,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,50 kn)

2 limuna (5,00 kn)

2-3 male grančice ružmarina (1,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina, podijeljen (1,00 kn)

5 žlica maslinovog ulja, podijeljenih (1,65 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Očistite brancine od ljusaka, izvadite škrge i utrobe, dobro ih operite pod tekućom hladnom vodom pa ih posušite kuhinjskim ručnicima, uključujući i trbušnu šupljinu. Možete zamoliti da vam ribe očiste u ribarnici, ali ćete morati to malo popraviti čim dođete doma jer će vam u ribarnici ribe očistiti samo na grubo. Što je i razumljivo.

Zagrijte pećnicu na 250°C. Obložite pleh za pečenje aluminijskom folijom za lakše čišćenje, pa na njega stavite rešetku za pečenje kako bi riba prilikom pečenja bila malo odignuta od pleha. Napravite po tri reza sa svake strane ribe, utrljajte u ribe sol i papar, a u trbušnu šupljinu stavite krišku limuna, komadić grančice ružmarina i po grančicu peršina. Kistom namočenim u maslinovo ulje lagano premažite svaku ribu sa obje strane, pa ribe složite po pripremljenoj rešetki za pečenje. Pecite ribe 15 minuta u gornjoj trećini pećnice.

Dok se ribe peku, sitno nasjeckajte preostali peršin i pomiješajte sa ostatkom maslinovog ulja i sjeckanim češnjakom. Pečene ribe poslužite pokapane svježe iscijeđenim sokom od limuna i sa mješavinom peršina, maslinovog ulja i češnjaka koju ste pripremili.

Whole Roasted Sea Bass / Cijeli pečeni brancini

Braised Sauerkraut and Crushed Potatoes / Dinstano kiselo zelje i restani krumpir

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As much as I love and appreciate winter holidays, I am somewhat relieved that the shebang is over and I am slowly adjusting to my normal routine. After a month of gluttony, sloth and money spending, it’s nice to have some structure again. I’m also happy to have this vast clear slate of 2016 in front of me. So many possibilities!

And you might ask yourself if we really need another sauerkraut recipe around. Absolutely! More than anything. You can whip this dish up so fast that it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. IMGP4378

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 1.36 EUR/ 5.45 EUR for all)

For crushed potatoes:

1 kg potatoes (0.93 EUR)

2 tbsp vegetable oil (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

For braised sauerkraut:

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 tbsp vegetable oil (0.01 EUR)

2 spicy sausages (2.00 EUR)

500 g shredded sauerkraut (2.00 EUR)

1 large apple, peeled and grated (0.27 EUR)

1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

1 cup water (–)

Salt and pepper to taste (0.01 EUR) IMGP4379

METHOD:

Wash potatoes under running water, giving them a good scrub and leaving skins intact. In a large pot, cover potatoes with clean water and place on high heat. When the water boils, reduce heat to medium and cook with lid cracked open for 20-25 minutes, until softened.

IMGP4382

Preheat oven to 220°C. Give potatoes good rinse under cold water, until cool enough to handle and peel. Using a potato masher, slightly crush the potatoes, stir in oil, salt and pepper and spread over baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden crust starts forming, giving them a good stir once or twice during baking.

Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and place on high heat with a tablespoon of vegetable oil, to cook until slightly translucent, for about 2-3 minutes. Chop sausages into coins, add to onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add in sauerkraut, grated apple, pumpkin seed oil, paprika and water, giving everything a good stir. When things come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer with lid cracked open for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a bit water if necessary. Taste to adjust seasoning and serve with crushed potatoes.IMGP4384

Koliko god volim zimske praznike, u neku ruku mi je olakšanje činjenica da je sve to iza nas pa se sada polako vraćam u normalnu rutinu. Nakon mjesec dana prežderavanja, ljenčarenja i trošenja novaca, lijepo je opet imati neku strukturu u životu. Također me veseli imati pred sobom ovu cijelu praznu 2016. godinu. I sve te mogućnosti!

Možda se pitate da li nam zaista treba još jedno jelo sa kiselim zelje. Apsolutno! Sada više nego ikada. Ovo jelo možete na brzinu smutiti tako da je savršeno za brzi objed usred tjedna.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 10,22 kn po porciji / 40,86 kn za sve)

Za restani krumpir:

1 kg krumpira (7,00 kn)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

Za dinstano kiselo zelje:

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,05 kn)

2 kobasice češnjovke (15,00 kn)

500 g rezanog kiselog zelja (15,00 kn)

1 velika jabuka, oguljena i naribana (2,00 kn)

1 žlica bučinog ulja (0,25 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

1 šalica vode (–)

Sol i papar po potrebi (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Dobro operite krumpire pod tekućom vodom i ostavite na njima kore. Stavite u dubok lonac, prekrijte sa čistom vodom i stavite da se kuha na jakoj vatri. Kada voda zakipi, smanjite vatru na srednje i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 20-25 minuta, dok krumpiri ne omekšaju.

Zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. Isperite krumpire pod hladnom vodom dok nisu dovoljno hladni da njima možete rukovati, pa ih ogulite. Sa gnječilicom za pire malo zgnječite krumpire, dodajte ulje, sol i papar pa ih raširite po plehu za pečenje. Pecite 30 minuta, dok se ne uhvati zlatna korica, a promiješajte ih jednom ili dva puta tokom pečenja.

U međuvremenu, sitno nasjeckajte luk i sa žlicom suncokretovog ulja stavite na jaku vatru i kuhajte dok ne postane staklast, jedno 2-3 minute. Kobasice narežite na novčiće pa dodajte luku i dinstajte oko 5 minuta. Dodajte kiselo zelje, naribanu jabuku, bučino ulje, crvenu papriku i vodu pa sve dobro promiješajte. Kada zavrije, smanjite vatru na srednje-nisku i sa odškrinutim poklopcem kuhajte uz povremeno miješanje 30 minuta. Po potrebi dodajte mrvicu vode. Kada je gotovo, kušajte i začinite po potrebi pa poslužite sa restanim krumpirom.

Braised Sauerkraut and Crushed Potatoes / Dinstano kiselo zelje i restani krumpir

Naan Bread / Indijske pogačice – Naan

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One of my goals for 2016 is to make more homemade bread. I’m realistic and know that fully giving up on bread is absolutely out of the question. I might as well give up on sleep or breathing. That’s what bread means to me. But I can at least make a conscious effort to eat more bread where I am completely in control of what goes in it. And really, any bread will do here. The simpler the better, as simple will keep me more motivated to bake. My will suddenly flops when faced with anything that requires triple rise, for instance.

So this Naan bread is a great step towards my goal of more bread baking. The recipe is so simple and straightforward, bread gets cooked on stovetop, and it’s so tasty that you just have to make it. And Naan is a great vessel for swiping a delicious sauce or a stew. Plus, kneading dough is a great stress relief therapy. And it can pass as a workout. IMGP4406

What you might ask yourself is if we are really at a point in life when we need more carbs? Well, absolutely! I mean, what did I just tell you about kneading dough and working out? So roll up your sleeves and push that scale somewhere far under your bed where you won’t be able to reach it. IMGP4407

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 Naan breads / 0.21 EUR per Naan bread / 1.69 EUR for all)

1 tsp dry active yeast (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp all-purpose flour (0.01 EUR)

½ cup warm water (–)

½ cup Greek yogurt (0.53 EUR)

¼ cup olive oil + more for greasing the bowl (0.60 EUR)

1 large egg (0.20 EUR)

3 cups all-purpose flour + more for sprinkling (0.20 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR) IMGP4416

METHOD:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yeast, sugar, tablespoon of flour with half a cup of warm water. Be careful that the water isn’t too hot as it will kill the yeast. Leave it to rest for about 10 minutes, until yeast starts bubbling up and the surface is frothy. If yeast doesn’t bubble, discard and start again with fresh batch of yeast. Trust me, better to do it now than to have a ball of dough which stubbornly refuses to rise.

Once the yeast is frothy, whisk in yogurt, olive oil and egg until smooth. Add in three cups of flour and salt and start mixing with a wooden spoon until a shabby dough forms. Turn the dough over on a clean counter and start kneading until you have a smooth ball, for about 8-10 minutes. If necessary, you can add some more flour or water, if the dough feels too sticky or too tough. Just be sure to always add bit by bit at a time.

Clean up your mixing bowl, add a bit of oil to it, and turn the dough ball around in the bowl to cover in oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, up to an hour. IMGP4414

After the dough is doubled, gently deflate into a disc on a clean counter and divide into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into a thin disc and place on a preheated heavy bottom skillet on medium heat. Flip the disc after a couple of minutes, once big bubbles are formed, and cook for a minute or two more on the other side.

Keep cooked Naan wrapped in a clean kitchen towel until ready to serve.

And if you need ideas what to eat Naan with, I made smashing combo using this pulled turkey and this lentil and corn stew. With addition of cheese. Because I can eat cheese with everything. IMGP4419

Jedan od mojih ciljeva u 2016. godini je peći više kruha. Trudim se biti realna jer znam da je sasvim odustati od jedenja kruha nemoguće. Mogu onda odustati i od spavanja ili disanja. Toliko mi je kruh bitan. Ali ću se barem svjesno potruditi da jedem onaj kruh za koji točno znam što je sve u njemu. I zapravo bilo kakav kruh onda dolazi u obzir. Što jednostavniji, to bolji, jer ću tako biti više motivirana. Moja volja odmah poklekne kada je suočena sa receptom u kojem se tijesto, na primjer, mora tri puta dignuti.

Ove Naan pogačice su odličan korak prema mojem cilju pečenja više kruha. Recept je jednostavan i jasan, kruh se peče na štednjaku, a toliko je ukusan da ga jednostavno morate napraviti. Naan je izvrsno sredstvo za pomazati neko fino varivo ili umak. Uz to, mijesiti kruh izvrsna je terapija protiv stresa. I čak može proći pod vježbanje.

Možda se pitate da li nam u ovom trenutku života zaista treba još ugljikohidrata? Apsolutno! Mislim, upravo sam vam objasnila sve o rađenju tijesta i vježbanju. Zato zasučite rukave i gurnite tu vagu daleko ispod kreveta gdje ju nećete nikako moći dosegnuti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 Naan pogačica / 1,57 kn po pogačici / 12,53 kn za sve)

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

1 žličica oštrog brašna (0,01 kn)

½ šalice tople vode (–)

½ šalice grčkog jogurta, odnosno 1 malo pakiranje (4,00 kn)

¼ šalice maslinovog ulja + još malo za namastiti zdjelu (4,50 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

3 šalice oštrog brašna + još malo za posipanje (1,50 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte kvasac, šećer, žličicu brašna i pola šalice tople vode. Pazite da voda nije prevruća jer će ubiti kvasac. Pustite da stoji desetak minuta dok se kvasac ne aktivira i površina ne postane pjenasta. Ako se ne počne pjeniti, bacite sve i ponovite sa svježom turom kvasca. Vjerujte, bolje da to napravite sada nego da završite sa kuglom tijesta koja se tvrdoglavo odbija dignuti.

Jednom kada je kvasac pjenast, umiješajte jogurt, maslinovo ulje i jaje dok ne dobijete glatku masu. Dodajte 3 šalice brašna i sol pa sa drvenom kuhačom miješajte dok se ne oformi labavo tijesto. Istresite tijesto na čistu radnu plogu pa mijesite dok ne dobijete glatku kuglu, oko 8-10 minuta. Ako je potrebno, slobodno dodajte mrvicu brašna ili vode, ako je tijesto preljepljivo ili pretvrdo. Samo pazite da uvijek dodajete malo po malo.

Očistite svoju zdjelu, dodajte mrvicu ulja, pa unutra okrećite kuglu tijesta da sa svih strana bude pokrivena uljem. Pokrijte zdjelu čistom krpom i ostavite tijesto da se diže na toplom mjestu dok se ne udvostruči u veličini, do jednog sata.

Kada se tijesto dignulo, nježno ga ispuhnite u disk na radnoj površini pa podijelite u 8 dijelova. Svaki dio razvaljajte na dobro pobrašnjenoj površini u tanki disk, pa pecite na zagrijanoj teškoj tavi na srednje jakoj temperaturi. Okrenite disk nakon nekoliko minuta kada se počnu formirati veliki mjehuri i kuhajte na drugoj strani oko minutu-dvije.

Gotove pogačice do posluživanja čuvajte zamotane u čistu kuhinjsku krpu.

Ako trebate ideje sa čime bi jeli Naan, ja sam napravila super kombinaciju sa ovom pečenom puretinom i ovim varivom od leće i kukuruza. Sa dodatkom sira, naravno. Jer sir mogu jesti baš na svemu.

Naan Bread / Indijske pogačice – Naan

Lentil and Corn Stew / Varivo od leće i kukuruza

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I came up with this because I needed something to stuff into sort of tacos I was making but didn’t feel like waiting for 3 hours for beans to cook. Then I figured, why not just use lentils instead? I mean, it’s a legume and is done in 15 minutes. The outcome was just as hearty and tasty. Naturally, I felt like I’ve won at life. IMGP4409

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.60 EUR per serving / 2.40 EUR for all)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

2 large carrots (0.07 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.09 EUR)

1 cup lentils (0.40 EUR)

1 500 g box tomato puree (0.67 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 can corn (0.80 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (0.13 EUR) IMGP4411

METHOD:

Finely dice onion, add with tablespoon of oil to a pot to saute on high for a few minutes, until softened. Add diced carrot and minced garlic and cook for two to three minutes. Meanwhile, pick through lentils and rinse well in a colander. Then stir in lentils together with onion and carrot and saute for just a minute. Pour over tomato puree, add bay leaf, paprika, salt and pepper and cook on medium high for fifteen minutes, until lentils are cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of water if necessary. When lentils are cooked, add in corn and parsley, stir well and serve. IMGP4412

 

Ovo sam jelo smislila jer mi je trebalo neki filer za tacose koje sam radila, a nije mi se dalo čekati 3 sata da se skuha grah. Onda mi je sinulo da umjesto graha upotrijebim leću. Zašto ne? Također je mahunarka, a gotova je za 15 minuta. Rezultat je bio jako zasitan i ukusan. Naravno, odma sam se osjećala kao da sam pobijedila u životu.

 

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 4,50 kn po porciji / 18,00 za sve)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 velike mrkve (0,50 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (0,70 kn)

1 šalica leće (3,00 kn)

1 pakiranje od 500 g pasirane rajčice (5,00 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,10 kn)

1 žlica slatke paprike (0,50 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježeg mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

1 limenka kukuruza (6,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina, sitno nasjeckanog (1,00 kn)

 

PRIPREMA:

Sitno nasjeckajte luk pa na jakoj vatri dinstajte na žlici ulja nekoliko minuta, dok ne omekša. Dodajte narezanu mrkvu i nasjeckani češnjak pa kuhajte dvije-tri minute. U međuvremenu, proberite leću, isperite u cjedilu pod mlazom vode i ubacite sa mrkvom i lukom na minutu. Onda umiješajte pasiranu rajčicu, lovorov list, papriku, sol i papar pa kuhajte na srednje jakoj vatri 15 minuta dok se leće ne skuha do kraja, uz povremeno miješanje i dodavanje malo vode po potrebi. Kada je leća gotova ubacite kukuruz i peršin, dobro sve promiješajte i poslužite.

Lentil and Corn Stew / Varivo od leće i kukuruza

Dry Rubbed Low and Slow Pulled Turkey / Sporo pečena puretina u suhoj marinadi

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We are not big meat eaters at home. When we do eat meat, it’s mostly either minced, or clean, lean cuts like chicken breast or pork fillets, or something really easy and similar to that. Stuff that comes attached to a bone? Nah. That feels like too much of a hassle. Especially if there is roasting involved. I’m always scared that I’ll bite into raw, bloody hunks of meat surrounding the bone.

But then we were given a whole turkey. I dropped the idea of roasting it intact right away. We could never manage to eat such a gigantic bird, and even if we did, roasting a whole turkey seems like too daunting of a task with too many uncertainties. Plus, I still haven’t fully recovered from the oven scrubbing action after roasting a whole chicken on a beer bottle. But that’s a whole different story. (The chicken was delicious, though.) IMGP4399

Anyway, after mulling over what to do with a whole turkey, I’ve figured the best approach would be chopping the bird up and processing different things in different ways. And thus thighs and legs went to dry marinade for slow cooked pulled meat dish, which you can later use for sandwiches, tacos, stews, salads, or have on its own with a side of some potatoes and veggies.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields at least 4 servings / 1.37 EUR per serving / 5.48 EUR for all)

2 turkey legs and 2 turkey thighs (5.33 EUR)

1tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp smoked paprika (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp ground nutmeg (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp vegetable oil (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (0.01 EUR)

IMGP4401

METHOD:

Using a sharp paring knife remove skin from turkey and save for broth or discard. In a small bowl, mix together salt, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, sugar and nutmeg. Place meat in a freezer bag, pour marinade mix over and, using your hands, rub well into the meat. This might seem like an awful lot of marinade, but worry not. Close the bag and allow meat to marinade in a fridge, ideally for 24 hours.

IMGP4403

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 150°C. For easy cleanup, line baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly coat the foil with a tablespoon of oil. Remove meat from freezer bag and place in a prepared pan. Discard any liquid and marinade residue remaining in the bag. Tightly cover baking pan and meat in it with another sheet of aluminum foil and bake covered for 3 hours. Be very careful when peeling the foil from the pan, there is going to be a lot of hot steam in there. You’ll know the meat is done when it’s pulling away from the bone.

Let the meat sit for at least 15 minutes before separating from the bones and cleaning any remaining veins and fat. Shred the meat using two forks, pour over any juices remaining from the roasting with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, stir and serve.

IMGP4405

Mi doma i nismo neki veliki mesojedi. Kada jedemo meso, uglavnom je to ili faširano, ili čisti jednostavni komadi pilećih prsa ili svinjski file. Stvari koje su prikačene na kost? Ne baš. To mi se uvijek čini kao previše posla. Posebno ako je u pitanju pečenje. Uvijek se bojim da ću zagristi o krvavu hrgu mesa oko kostiju.

Ali dobili smo cijelu puricu. Odmah sam odustala od ideje da ju pečem u komadu. Nikad ne bi uspjeli pojesti tu pričurinu. A čak i da tome nije tako, pečenje cijele purice čini mi se kao preogroman projekt sa previše neizvjesnosti. Osim toga, još uvijek se oporavljam od ribanja pečnice koje je slijedilo nakon pečenja cijelog piceka na pivskoj boci. Ali to je skroz druga priča. (Picek je bio jako fini.)

Uglavnom, nakon mozganja i premišljanja, zaključila sam da je najbolje puricu raskomadati i različite komade pripremiti na različite načine. Tako su bataci i zabatci završili u ovom jelu koje kasnije možete koristiti u sendvičima, tacosima, gulašima, salatama ili jesti samo za sebe, sa krumpirima i povrćem za prilog.

SASTOJCI:

(Za barem 4 porcije / 10,26 kn po porciji / 41,03 kn za sve)

2 pureća batka i 2 pureća zabatka (40,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žlica slatke paprike (0,50 kn)

½ žličice dimljene paprike (0,25 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

¼ žličice mljevenog muškatnog oraščića (0,10 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,05 kn)

1 žličica jabučnog octa (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Oštrim nožićem skinite kožu sa mesa pa sačuvajte za temeljac ili bacite. U maloj posudi izmiješajte sol, slatku papriku, dimljenu papriku, papar, šećer i muškatni oraščić. Stavite meso u vrećicu za smrzavanje pa preko pospijte marinadu i rukama ju dobro utrljajte u meso. Možda vam se čini da je ovo previše marinade, ali ništa ne brinite. Dobro zatvorite vrećicu pa ostavite meso da se marinira u hladnjaku, najbolje 24 sata.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 150°C. Za lakše čišćenje, obložite tepsiju za pečenje aluminijskom folijom i foliju premažite sa žlicom ulja. Izvadite meso iz vrećice i poslažite po tepsiji, a eventualni ostatak marinade i tekućinu koja se skupila u vrećici bacite. Čvrsto pokrijte tepsiju sa mesom još jednim komadom folije i pecite 3 sata. Budite jako oprezni kada mičete foliju jer će ispod biti puno vruće pare. Znati ćete da je meso gotovo kada se bude lako odvajalo od kostiju.

Pustite da meso odstoji barem 15-tak minuta prije nego ga krenete skidati sa kostiju i čistiti od žilica i masnoće. Sa dvije viljuške natrgajte meso, prelijte preko sokove koji su se skupili od pečenja sa žličicom jabučnog octa, promiješajte i poslužite.

Dry Rubbed Low and Slow Pulled Turkey / Sporo pečena puretina u suhoj marinadi

Protein Packed Lentil and Tuna Salad / Proteinska salata od leće i tune

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I don’t know about you, but I could sure step away from the carbs for second, with holiday season being in full swing and cookies and other sweet temptations lurching to get me behind every corner. This tuna salad is just the thing. It’s simple, yet filling and delicious. And not drenched in mayo, like majority of tuna salads mostly are. Not that I have anything against mayo, on the contrary. But I’m trying to keep things with this on the healthier side of the spectrum.

IMGP4373

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 generous servings / 1.13 EUR per serving / 2.26 EUR for all)

½ cup of dried lentils (0.27 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

Two pinches of salt, divided (0.01 EUR)

Two pinches of freshly ground black pepper, divided (0.01 EUR)

1 medium onion (0.09 EUR)

Bunch of fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

1 can of tuna chunks in brine (1.60 EUR)

¼ tsp garlic powder (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (0.07 EUR)

IMGP4376

METHOD:

Pick through dried lentils, wash in colander and add to pot with bay leaf, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper and about 2-3 cups of water. Simmer the lentils for 15 minutes on medium heat, until cooked through. Rinse well under running cold water and drain.

Meanwhile, finely dice the onion, chop parsley and add to drained lentils together with drained tuna chunks. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and lemon juice, stir well, taste to adjust seasoning and serve.

This salad keeps well for a couple of days, if stored in fridge in an airtight container. IMGP4377

Ne znam za vas, ali meni bi dobro došlo da se na sekundu maknem od ugljikohidrata sada kad smo usred blagdanske sezone, a keksi i drugi slatkiši vrebaju iza svakog ugla. Ova salata od tune prava je stvar. Jednostavna je, a opet zasitna i ukusna. I ne pliva u majonezi, kao većina ostalih salata od tune. Nije da imam nešto protiv majoneze, sasvim naprotiv. Ali trudim se da ovo jelo zadržim na zdravijoj strani spektra.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 izdašne porcije / 8,49 kn po porciji / 16,99 kn za sve)

½ šalice sušene leće (2,00 kn)

1 lovorov listopad (0,10 kn)

Dva prstohvata soli, podijeljena (0,01 kn)

Dva prstohvata svježe mljevenog crnog papra, podijeljena (0,10 kn)

1 srednji luk (0,70 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

1 limenka komada tune u salamuri (12,00 kn)

¼ žličice češnjaka u prahu (0,25 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

1 žlica zvježe iscijeđenog soka od limuna (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Proberite sušenu leću, isperite u cjedilu i stavite u lonac sa lovorovim listom, prstohvatom soli, prstohvatom papra i 2-3 šalice vode. Kuhajte leću na umjerenoj vatri oko 15 minuta, dok se skroz ne skuha. Dobro isperite pod tekućom hladnom vodom i ocijedite.

U međuvremenu sitno nasjeckajte luk i peršin pa pomiješajte sa ocijeđenom lećom i ocijeđenim komadima tune. Začinite solju, paprom, češnjakom u prahu, maslinovim uljem i sokom od limuna, dobro promiješajte, pa kušajte da prilagodite začine i poslužite.

Ova salata može stajati nekoliko dana u frižideru u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi.

Protein Packed Lentil and Tuna Salad / Proteinska salata od leće i tune

Happy New Year / Sretna Nova Godina

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Dear Friends,

I wish you all the best in 2016. I hope all of you have abundance of happiness, love and delicious food. May you achieve everything you are hoping for and may you dream big and fearless.

Love, Martina

IMGP4502

Dragi Prijatelji,

želim vam sve najbolje u 2016. Nadam se da ćete svi imati obilje sreće, ljubavi i ukusne hrane. Želim vam da postignete sve ćemu se nadate i da su vam snovi veliki i neustrašivi.

Voli vas Martina

Happy New Year / Sretna Nova Godina