main dish

Potato Halves with Bacon / Krumpirove pole sa špekom

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I’ve been craving something savory, crispy and smoky and these potato halves were just the thing. They’re inexpensive, super simple to make and require only a few ingredients, all of which we had at home.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 servings / 0.42 EUR per serving / 0.84 EUR for all)

5-6 potatoes (0.40 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

Small piece of bacon (0.40 EUR)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Give potatoes a good scrub and cut them in half. Arrange potatoes in a baking dish with skins facing down and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake potatoes for about 45 minutes, until slightly crispy and deep golden-brown. Cut the bacon in small pieces and arrange on top of potatoes. Finish baking potatoes for another 15 minutes, until bacon is nice and crispy. Serve with a big crunchy salad and a dollop of sour cream.

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Baš mi se jako jelo nešto slano, hrskavo i sa aromom dima, a ove krumpirove pole su bile baš prava stvar. Ovo jelo je jeftino, skroz jednostavno za napraviti i uključuje samo par sastojaka, a koje smo sve ionako već imali doma.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 porcije / 3,13 kn po porciji / 6,26 kn za sve)

5-6 krumpira (3,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

Mali komadić špeka (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Dobro oribajte i raspolovite krumpire. Poslažite krumpire po posudi za pečenje, sa ljuskom okrenutom prema dolje, te posipajte sa soli i paprom. Pecite krumpire oko 45 minuta, dok se ne zahrskaju i ne budu zlatno-smeđi. Narežite špek na male komadiće i poslažite po krumpirima, pa pecite još 15 minuta da se špek zahrska. Poslužite sa velikom salatom i žlicom kiselog vrhnja.

Potato Halves with Bacon / Krumpirove pole sa špekom

Bean and Lentil Stew (vegan) / Varivo od graha i leće (vegansko)

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I’ve been in a mood for a hearty bean stew for a while and decided to add in some lentils for a good dose of creaminess. This recipe yields a huge bulk, which is more than fine by me, because it means I have lunch sorted out for a while. While it does take some time for dried beans to cook, the actual work involved here is minimal, so it’s definitely worth to put in the extra effort to be more cost-effective.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 servings / 0.66 EUR per serving / 5.30 EUR for all)

2 cups dried beans (2.00 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

2 large onions (0.20 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

2 chili peppers (0.40 EUR)

4 large carrots (0.40 EUR)

1 can peeled tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

1 cup red lentils (1.00 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.02 EUR)

Pinch red pepper flakes (0.03 EUR)

6 cups water (–)

Bunch of fresh parsley (0.27 EUR)

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METHOD:

Pick through, wash and soak the beans in cold water the night before. The following day drain the beans, cover with fresh water and simmer until the beans are cooked through. Rinse once more, drain and set aside.

Wash, peel and chop up all the veggies. Rinse and drain lentils and set aside. Saute onion on oil in a large pot for a few minutes, on high heat, until softened and slightly translucent. Add in minced garlic, finely chopped chili peppers and diced carrots and cook briefly to get the flavours going. Dump in canned tomatoes and crush them with your spatula. Now add in the cooked beans, lentils, bay leaf, paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until thickened and the lentils are cooked through. Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley and taste to adjust seasoning. This freezes and reheats great, so you have lunch situations sorted out for a while.

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Već mi se neko vrijeme jede neko fino varivo od graha, a u ovo sam odlučila ubaciti i leću za ekstra kremastu teksturu. Ovaj recept daje ogromnu količinu, ali meni to sasvim odgovara jer onda imam riješen ručak za neko vrijeme. Usprkos tome što suhom grahu treba vremena da se skuha, stvaran posao je u tom dijelu minimalan. Tako da mislim da se definitivno isplati uložiti malo više truda i tako proći jeftinije.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 porcija / 4,96 kn po porciji / 39,64 kn za sve)

2 šalice suhog graha (15,00 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

2 velika luka (1,50 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

2 čili papričice (3,00 kn)

4 velike mrkve (3,00 kn)

1 konzerva pelata (5,00 kn)

1 šalica crvene leće (7,50 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,10 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,12 kn)

Prstohvat sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,25 kn)

6 šalica vode (–)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Većer prije proberite i operite grah, te ga ostavite namočenog u hladnoj vodi. Sljedećeg dana ocijedite grah, pokrijte svježom vodom i stavite kuhati. Skuhani grah isperite, ocijedite i stavite na stranu.

Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte svo povrće. Isperite leću i sstavite na stranu. U velikom loncu na jakoj vatri prodinstajte luk na ulju par minuta, dok ne bude staklast i mekan. Ubacite sjeckani češnjak, čili i mrkve, pa kratko prokuhajte da se aktiviraju arome. Dodajte pelate pa ih izgnječite špatulom. Sada u lonac ubacite kuhani grah, leću, lovorov list, slatku papriku, sol, papar, čili pahuljice i zalijte sve vodom. Pustite neka zavrije, a onda smanjite vatru i krčkajte oko 30 minuta, dok se varivo ne zgusne, a leća se ne skuha. Maknite s vatre, umiješajte sjeckani peršin, te kušajte i prilagodite začine. Ovo se super smrzava i podgrijava, tako da imate osiguran ručak za još neko vrijeme.

Bean and Lentil Stew (vegan) / Varivo od graha i leće (vegansko)

Falafel Burgers / Falafel burgeri

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Usually I’m too lazy to cook dried beans, so I generally never stock up on them. Which I know is pretty stupid, because cooking dry beans is the easiest thing in the world. You soak them overnight, turn the stove on, simmer for a while and there you have it – cooked beans.

But then I found some dried chickpeas on sale and that motivated me to actually cook them up on my own this time, instead of resorting to cans. And it thrilled me to later see how cheap a cup of such cooked chickpeas actually is. I’d love to say that I am never going back to canned, but that would probably be a lie. However, I will try to utilize dried beans more in my life.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 burgers / 0.18 EUR per burger / 1.40 EUR for all)

2 cups precooked chickpeas (0.40 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

1 large carrot, grated (0.10 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

3 tbsp olive oil (0.13 EUR)

½ cup breadcrumbs (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp sesame seeds (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Add cooked chickpeas, onion, garlic, grated carrot, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley and olive oil to food processor and blitz to desired consistency. Stir in breadcrumbs and sesame seeds, then form patties using your hands. I have a huge ice cream scoop which I use for scooping the mixture, so the patties turn out approximately the same size. Spread patties on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the edges start browning and they crisp up.

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Obično sam poprilično lijena kad je u pitanju kuhanje suhog graha i slanutka, pa ih niti ne držim doma u nekim većim količinama. Što znam da je skroz glupo, jer skuhati suhi grah ili slanutak najlakša je stvar na svijetu. Namočite ih večer prije, upalite štednjak, krčkate neko vrijeme i to je to – imate kuhani grah.

Pošto sam slučajno nabasala na suhi slanutak na rasprodaji, to me i motiviralo da ga ovaj puta i sama skuham, umjesto da uzmem onaj u konzervi. Kasnije me oduševila činjenica i koliko je zapravo jeftin takav kuhani slanutak. Voljela bih da mogu reći kako nikad više neću posegnuti za konzervom, ali to ne bi bila istina. No, u buduće ću se barem potruditi više koristiti suhe grahorice.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 burgera / 1,33 kn po burgeru / 10,60 kn za sve)

2 šalice kuhanog slanutka (3,00 kn)

1 veliuki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

1 velika mrkva, naribana (0,75 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

3 žlice maslinovog ulja (1,00 kn)

½ šalice krušnih mrvica (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sezama (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Dodajte kuhani slanutak, luk, češnjak, ribanu mrkvu, jaje, sol, papar, papriku, peršin i ulje u multipraktik, pa pulsirajte do željene gustoće. Umiješajte unutra krušne mrvice i sezam, pa rukama oblikujte smjesu u burgere. Ja imam veliku žlicu za sladoled koju koristim za grabljenje smjese, tako da mi burgeri ispadnu otprilike podjednake veličine. Raširite burgere po pripremljenom protvanu te pecite oko 30-40 minuta, dok im rubovi ne počnu tamnjeti i burgeri se ne zahrskaju.

Falafel Burgers / Falafel burgeri

Potato Phyllo Rolls (vegan) / Pita krumpiruša (veganska)

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Whoever tells you that potatoes and dough can’t mix doesn’t know what the hell they are talking about it. It’s carbs on carbs! Of course they mix, and they mix quite well. Naturally, if you are on a low carb diet, avoid this like the plague. But everyone else should definitely indulge in this super simple, yet very tasty dish, at least occasionally.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 10 rolls / 0.24 EUR per roll / 2.41 EUR for all)

4-5 medium sized potatoes (0.67 EUR)

2 large onions (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

¼ cup sunflower seed oil, divided (0.10 EUR)

10 sheets of phyllo pastry (1.33 EUR)

4 tbsp water (–)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease a large baking tray, or two smaller ones, with a bit of oil and set aside. I prefer dividing these rolls between two trays, so I can bake one right away and freeze the other one for later.

Peel and finely dice potatoes and onions, then toss with salt, pepper, paprika and a tablespoon of oil. Add about three tablespoons of filling to each phyllo sheet, sprinkle the sheet with about a teaspoon of oil and roll up. Repeat until all the filling and phyllo sheets are used up, but reserve a teaspoon of oil for later. Arrange the rolled phyllo in prepared baking tray. At this point you can freeze the rolls for later, but otherwise bake them for 45 minutes, until crispy and golden.

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After 45 minutes remove the rolls from the oven and taste a tiny bit to check the seasoning. Stir the remaining tablespoon of oil with water and if necessary add in any salt and pepper. Sprinkle the rolls with this mixture, cover the tray with aluminum foil and return to the oven for additional 15 minutes. Serve the rolls warm with some yogurt or a big crunchy salad. These also reheat great.

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Tko god vas proba uvjeriti da krumpiri i tijesto ne idu skupa nema pojma o čemu priča. To su ugljikohidrati sa ugljikohidratima i naravno da idu skupa. Razumljivo, ako ste na dijeti zaobiđite ovo u širokom luku. Ali svi ostali definitivno se trebaju s vremena na vrijeme počastiti sa ovim jako jednostavnim, a finim jelom.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 10 bureka / 1,80 kn po bureku / 18,01 kn za sve)

4-5 srednjih krumpira (5,00 kn)

2 velika luka (1,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

¼ šalice suncokretovog ulja, podijeljena (0,75 kn)

10 listova kora za savijače (10,00 kn)

4 žlice vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C. Namastite jedan veliki ili dva manja protvana sa malo ulja i stavite na stranu. Ja radije podijelim bureke u dva protvana i jedan pečem odmah a drugi onda smrznem za kasnije.

Ogulite i narežite na kockice krumpir i luk, pa pomiješajte sa solju, paprom, paprikom i žlicom ulja. Na svaku koru dodajte oko 3 žlice nadjeva i poškropite ju sa još žličicom ulja, pa ju zarolajte. Ponavljajte dok ne potrošite sav nadjev i kore, a žličicu ulja sačuvajte za kasnije. Zamotane burekiće poslažite u pripremljeni protvan. Ako hoćete, sada možete dio smrznuti za kasnije, a ostatak pecite 45 minuta, dok tijesto ne dobije lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju.

Nakon 45 minuta izvadite pitu iz pećnice i probajte komadić da provjerite začine. Preostalu žličicu ulja pomiješajte sa vodom i po potrebi dodajte još soli ili papra. Poškropite bureke sa ovom mješavinom, pokrijte protvan aluminijskom folijom, pa vratite u pećnicu na još 15 minuta. Pitu poslužite toplu sa jogurtom ili velikom hrskavom salatom, a super se i podgrijava.

Potato Phyllo Rolls (vegan) / Pita krumpiruša (veganska)

Cabbage and Mushroom Stir-Fry / Kineski kupus i gljive iz woka

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While browsing the store the other day I saw that Napa cabbage is on sale. I still had no idea what to cook, but soon a stir-fry recipe started crystallizing in my mind. As any other stir-fry, this one is also very adaptable to your likes and what you have on hand. You can also make it vegan or vegetarian, but be sure to then skip the Worcestershire sauce and eggs.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.69 EUR per serving / 2.77 EUR for all)

For the sauce:

2 tbsp soy sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp white wine (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp warm water (–)

1 tbsp corn starch (0.03 EUR)

Good pinch red pepper flakes (0.03 EUR)

For stir-fry:

4 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.05 EUR)

8-10 large Portobello mushrooms (1.00 EUR)

½ head of Napa cabbage (0.40 EUR)

2 carrots (0.20 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

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METHOD:

Start off by making the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine, sesame oil, water, corn starch and red pepper flakes. Set aside. Wash, peel and finely slice mushrooms and all the vegetables so you have everything ready, as the cooking will go quickly. Whisk the eggs in a separate small bowl.

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Place wok on high heat for a few minutes, so it gets thoroughly warmed. First, stir-fry mushrooms on a tablespoon of oil. Add another tablespoon of oil, then gradually add in one at a time sliced cabbage, carrots, garlic and onion, allowing a minute or two of cooking time in between, before adding a new vegetable. Push all the vegetables to one side of the wok, add remaining two tablespoons of oil to the empty part of wok bottom and pour in whisked eggs over the oil. Allow the eggs to briefly cook through, folding them over and breaking them up in smaller chunks with your spatula. Finally, pour the sauce over everything, briefly cook just so the sauce thickens, stir everything well and serve immediately over cooked rice.

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Neki sam dan u dućanu naletila na kineski kupus na sniženju. Još uvijek nisam imala ideju o tome što bi skuhala, ali mi se brzo iskristalizirao recept za klopu iz woka. Kao i sa bilo kojim drugim wokom, ovdje lako možete prilagoditi sastojke u ono što najviše volite i što imate pri ruci. Također, lako možete napraviti i vegansku ili vegetarijansku verziju ako izbacite jaja i Worcestershire umak.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 5,23 kn po porciji / 20,90 kn za sve)

Za umak:

2 žlice soja sosa (1,00 kn)

1 žlica Worcestershire umaka (1,00 kn)

2 žlice bijelog vina (1,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,50 kn)

2 žlice tople vode (–)

1 žlica kukuruznog škroba (0,25 kn)

Dobar prstohvat sušenog chilija u pahuljicama (0,25 kn)

Za wok:

4 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,40 kn)

8-10 velikih šampinjona (7,50 kn)

½ glavice kineskog kupusa (3,00 kn)

2 mrkve (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Za početak napravite umak tako da u zdjelici pomiješate soja sos, Worcestershire umak, vino, sezamovo ulje, vodu, kukuruzni škrob i chili. Stavite na stranu. Operite, ogulite i tanko narežite gljive i svo povrće tako da vam sve bude pripremljeno jer će samo kuhanje ići jako brzo. Razmutite jaja u posebnoj zdjelici.

Stavite wok na jaku vatru na par minuta tako da se dobro ugrije. U vrući wok dodajte žlicu ulja i kratko popecite gljive. Dodajte još žlicu ulja, pa jedno po jedno ovim redoslijedom dodajte narezano zelje, mrkvu, češnjak i luk, s time da svako povrće pržite uz miješanje minutu-dvije prije nego dodate sljedeće. Gurnite svo povrće na jednu stranu woka, pa onda u prazni dio woka dodajte preostale dvije žlice ulja. Ulijte razmućena jaja na ulje da se isprže, s time da ih špatulom nježno preklapajte i na kraju natrgajte na manje komadiće. Na kraju, preko svega prelijte umak koji ste pripremili. Pustite da kratko prokuha, samo da se umak zgusne, dobro promiješajte i poslužite odmah sa kuhanom rižom.

Cabbage and Mushroom Stir-Fry / Kineski kupus i gljive iz woka

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Garlic Potatoes / Tuna steak sa žara i krumpiri s češnjakom

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Last week we had a blast of fake spring and temperature suddenly plummeted from -13°C to +13°C in a day. Let me tell you, it’s been glorious to finally take off the gloves, scarves, hats and all seven layers of underclothes. I suddenly felt like grilling something (even though all my grilling is done in a pan on a stove) and a nice juicy chunk of tuna caught my eye. Whenever I have such a nice fresh piece of meat or fish, I go very minimal with the seasonings.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 servings)

For potatoes:

4-5 potatoes

Good pinch of salt

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

For tuna:

2 tuna steaks

1 tbsp olive oil

Good pinch of salt

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice for serving

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METHOD:

Peel and cube potatoes, add to a pot, cover with water and place on high heat. When potatoes reach rolling boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Once cooked, drain the potatoes and toss with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and olive oil.

While the potatoes are cooking, place a grilling pan on high heat for 2-3 minutes until warms up. Pat-dry the tuna steaks with a kitchen towel, brush with olive oil and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. Place tuna steaks on preheated grilling pan and grill for about 2-3 minutes, then flip and finish on the other side for a minute or two. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Prošloga smo tjedna imali nalet lažnog proljeća i temperature su odjednom u jendom danu skočile sa -13°C na +13°C. Samo da znate, bilo je čista milina napokon se izvući iz kapa, šalova, rukavica i sedam podslojeva odjeće. Odmah mi se nešto peklo na grilu (iako ja to sve radim na gril tavi na štednjaku), a za oko mi je zapeo lijepi komad sočne tune. Kad god imam tako dobro svježe meso ili ribu, začine svedem na minimum.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 porcije)

Za krumpire:

4-5 krumpira

Dobar prstohvat soli

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno sjeckana

Pregršt svježeg peršina, nasjeckan

2 žlice maslinovog ulja

Za tunu:

2 odreska tune

1 žlica maslinovog ulja

Dobar prstohvat soli

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra

Sok od limuna za posluživanje

PRIPREMA:

Ogulite i narežite krumpir na kocke, dodajte u lonac, pokrijte vodom i stavite na jaku vatru. Kada voda zavrije, smanjite vatru, te kuhajte na srednjoj temperaturi oko 20 minuta, dok se krumpiri skroz ne skuhaju. Procijedite kuhane krumpire i pomiješajte ih sa soli, paprom, češnjakom, peršinom i maslinovim uljem.

U međuvremenu dok se krumpiri kuhaju, stavite gril tavu na jaku vatru na 2-3 minute da se dobro ugrije. Tunu posušite kuhinjskim ručnikom, premažite maslinovim uljem i lagano posipajte solju i paprom. Stavite odreske tune na zagrijanu tavu i pecite oko 2-3 minute na jednoj strani, pa onda okrenite i dovršite još minutu-dvije na drugoj strani. Tunu pokapajte limunovim sokom i poslužite odmah.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Garlic Potatoes / Tuna steak sa žara i krumpiri s češnjakom

Peas and Carrot Risotto / Rižoto od graška i mrkve

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I have a really simple and tasty risotto for you guys. This dish reheats great, so you can cook up more to have weekday lunch situations sorted out. Also, you can easily go vegan here by replacing butter with coconut or olive oil. I had some white wine sitting around the fridge, so I added it in and it worked out great for that extra flavor.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.65 EUR per serving / 2.58 EUR for all)

3 tbsp butter (0.40 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

1 cup frozen peas (0.40 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.30 EUR)

1 cup rice (0.33 EUR)

½ cup white wine (0.80 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 ½ – 2 cups water (–)

Bunch of fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash and peel all the vegetables, dice onion, mince garlic, grate the carrots on a box grater and chop up fresh parsley. Add butter to a pan on high heat and swirl it until the butter melts. Dump diced onion over melted butter and saute briefly, until translucent. Add in minced garlic, frozen peas and grated carrot, then stir well and cook for a few minutes.

Add uncooked rice to the vegetables, stir and cook for just a minute or two. This step ensures that the rice won’t stick while it’s cooking and helps it to better absorb the liquid and flavors. Pour white wine over everything, stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate, for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium and gradually add in water bit by bit, while stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

Once the rice is thoroughly cooked, turn off the heat, taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in fresh parsley, cover the pot with a lid and allow it to sit covered for about 10 minutes. Serve warm. To bulk it up, add a fried egg on top or another source or protein of your choice.

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Imam za vas jedan jednostavan i fini recept za rižoto. Ovo se jelo super podgrijava, pa možete slobodno pripremiti više i imati riješen ručak za preko tjedna. Također, lako se može prilagoditi u vegansko, tako da maslac zamijenite sa kokosovim ili maslinovim ulje. U frižideru smo imali bijelog vina koje nam se povlačilo već neko vrijeme, pa sam i njega ubacila u rižoto, a što je super podignulo okus.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 4,83 kn po porciji / 19,31 kn za sve)

3 žlice maslaca (3,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

3 češnja ćešnjaka (0,75 kn)

1 šalica smrznutog graška (3,00 kn)

3 velike mrkve (2,25 kn)

1 šalica riže (2,50 kn)

½ šalice bijelog vina (6,00 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 ½ – 2 šalice vode (–)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite i ogulite svo povrće. Nasjeckajte luk, češnjak i peršin, a mrkvu naribajte. Stavite maslac u lonac na jakoj vatri pa malo prodrmajte da se maslac otopi. Ubacite nasjeckani luk na rastopljeni maslac i kratko dinstajte dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte nasjeckani češnjak, smrznuti grašak i ribanu mrkvu, dobro promiješajte i kuhajte par minuta.

Ubacite u povrće sirovu rižu, promiješajte i kuhajte samo minutu-dvije. Ovaj korak pomaže da se riža kasnije ne lijepi i da bolje upije tekućinu i okuse. Zalijte sa bijelim vinom, promiješajte i kratko prokuhajte koju minutu da alkohol ispari. Začinite sa solju i paprom, smanjite vatru na srednje jaku i postepeno dodajte malo po malo vode, uz učestalo miješanje. Čekajte dok se većina tekućine ne iskuha prije nego dodajete još vode.

Kada je riža skroz kuhana, ugasite vatru, pa kušajte i prilagodite začine. Umiješajte sjeckani peršin, poklopite lonac i pustite da odstoji poklopljeno desetak minuta. Poslužite toplo. Za još zasitniji obrok, poslužite sa prženim jajetom ili nekim drugim proteinom po izboru.

Peas and Carrot Risotto / Rižoto od graška i mrkve

Simple Curried Lentils (including a vegan option) / Jednostavna leća sa curryjem (uključena i veganska opcija)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , 2 Comments

We’ve been having a period of Siberian-like freezing weather for quite a while and all I wanna do is eat comforting food. Of course, it has to be spicy too, to warm me up a little and uplift my spirits. Honestly, I’m still pretty lazy about cooking, as part of ongoing holiday recuperation, and try to keep things minimal. This lentil dish filled all of the above criteria and I liked it so much that I’ve already made it twice during the past week.

If you want to make this in vegan version, just be sure to substitute butter with coconut or olive oil and add vegetable stock to it instead of chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.78 EUR per serving / 3.13 EUR for all)

2 tbsp butter (0.27 EUR)

2 large onions, diced (0.20 EUR)

6 garlic cloves, minced (0.20 EUR)

1 can of peeled tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

1 cup red lentils (1.00 EUR)

2 cups chicken stock (0.48 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp curry powder (0.07 EUR)

Pinch of chili flakes (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Place pot with butter on high heat. As soon as the butter melts, add diced onion and saute for a few minutes until softened and slightly translucent. Add minced garlic, briefly stir and add in canned tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes using your spatula. Wash lentils in colander under running water, then add to the pot together with stock, salt, paprika, curry and chili flakes. Stir and bring to a rolling boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until thick and creamy. Be sure to stir occasionally, so the lentils wouldn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley.

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S obzirom na sibirske vremenske uvjete zadnjih dana, jede mi se samo neka utješna hrana. Naravno, to mora biti ljuto, da me malo ugrije i ojača mi duh. Iskreno, još uvijek sam malo lijena što se tiče kuhanja, a što je i dio oporavka od zimskih blagdana, pa se trudim stvari raditi minimalistički. Ovo jelo od leće ispunjava sve gornje stavke i toliko mi se svidjelo da sam ga kuhala već dva puta u zadnjih tjedan dana.

Ako želite ovo napraviti u veganskoj verziji, nema problema. Samo zamijenite maslac sa kokosovim ili maslinovim uljem, a umjesto pilećeg temeljca podlijte sa povrtnim.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 5,85 kn po porciji / 23,38 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslaca (2,00 kn)

2 velika luka, sitno nasjeckana (1,50 kn)

6 češnjeva češnjaka, sitno nasjeckanih (1,50 kn)

1 konzerva pelata (5,00 kn)

1 šalica crvene leće (7,50 kn)

2 šalice pilećeg temeljca (3,62 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

1 žličica currya u prahu (0,50 kn)

Prstohvat sušenog chilija u pahuljicama (0,25 kn)

2 žlice sjeckanog svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite lonac sa maslacem na jaku vatru. Čim se maslac otopi dodajte luk i dinstajte par minuta dok luk ne omekša i ne postane staklast. Dodajte sjeckani češnjak, kratko promiješajte, pa ubacite pelate i usitnite ih sa kuhačom. U cjedilu operite leću pod mlazom vode, te stavite u lonac skupa sa temeljcem, soli, paprikom, curryjem i chilijem. Dobro promiješajte i pustite da zavrije.

Kada sve zavrije, smanjite vatru i krčkajte oko 45 minuta, da leća zgusne i postane kremasta. Samo pazite da povremeno promiješate kako se leća ne bi zalijepila za dno lonca. Kušajte, prilagodite začine i poslužite posipano svježim sjeckanim peršinom.

Simple Curried Lentils (including a vegan option) / Jednostavna leća sa curryjem (uključena i veganska opcija)

Turkey and Mushroom Phyllo Rolls / Burek sa puretinom i gljivama

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , Leave a comment

I know, I know, we’ve just finished with the holidays and are probably all ready for a detox and yet here I am, bringing such a rich dish on the table. In my defense, I’ve made this prior to Christmas and everything else I’ve ingested afterwards. I just couldn’t get around to write up a post about it. Well, since I am on vacation as of three days ago, the post is finally being compiled.

Please be warned that this recipe yields an enormous amount and could easily feed 8-10 people, especially if served with a nice big salad. However, this dish both freezes and reheats great, so don’t be afraid to stock up. Oh, and don’t be intimidated by this super long block of text. You’ll see that this dish is actually quite simple to make and, while it might take up some time, it’s most absolutely worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 12 rolls / 0.93 EUR per roll / 11.17 EUR for all)

To assemble the rolls:

12 sheets of phyllo pastry (1.33 EUR)

500 grams of turkey breast (4.67 EUR)

1 tsp salt, divided (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.02 EUR)

2 large onions (0.20 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp butter (0.40 EUR)

500 grams of Portobello mushrooms (2.00 EUR)

Handful of Shiitake mushrooms (1.33 EUR)

2 cups of chicken stock (0.48 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp corn starch (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp warm water (–)

To pour over rolls:

1/3 cup chicken stock (0.08 EUR)

2 tbsp butter (0.27 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the baking dish (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Start off by cutting turkey breast into small cubes, then toss them with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and allow to sit for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile you can dice the onion, mince garlic, cut mushrooms into thin strips and finely chop up parsley, so you have everything ready for later on.

Place a larger pot on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil to it and stir-fry half of the turkey. Using a slotted spoon remove the meat from the pot and set aside, add another tablespoon of oil and fry the rest of the meat. Remove all meat and keep aside.

Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté onion until softened and slightly translucent. Add in minced garlic, stir and cook for a minute or two. Now add in butter, mushrooms and remaining salt and pepper and stir everything well. Cook for about 10 minutes, so the mushrooms can soften down. Pour stock over, add in parsley and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, dissolve corn starch in warm water and stir into the filling so it thickens. Return the fried turkey back to the pot, stir everything well, then taste and adjust seasoning.

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Allow the filling to cool down a bit. Meanwhile grease your baking dish or dishes with a bit of butter and set aside. I assembled my rolls in two baking dishes, baking one right away and freezing one for later, so do this the way it works for you.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180°C. Spread phyllo sheets on clean flat surface. Assemble the rolls by adding about 3 tablespoons of filling to each phyllo sheet and roll them up, then nest the rolls neatly in to the prepared baking dish. If you’re planning to freeze the rolls, cover the prepared baking dish with assembled rolls with cling foil, then stash in the freezer. There is no need to thaw the rolls before baking, just add about 5 minutes to the total baking time. Otherwise, place the rolls in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.

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If you enjoy the rolls super crispy, you can eat them up right away because they are ready. I prefer mine softened, so I add an additional step. Please note that the amount of stock and butter for drizzling over rolls are for the total amount of 12 rolls which are in the recipe. If you froze a portion, adjust the amount accordingly so you don’t end up with a soggy mess.

Once the rolls are baked, bring the remaining 1/3 cup of stock to a boil with 2 tbsp of butter. Drizzle this mixture over baked rolls, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Be super careful when handling the baking dish because it’s gonna be hot. Also, be equally careful when removing the foil so the steam doesn’t get to you. Cut the rolls up in smaller pieces and serve them warm. For reheating, just nuke them up in a microwave for half a minute or reheat in the oven in a covered oven-safe dish.

Znam, znam, tek smo završili sa blagdanima i svi smo skupa vjerojatno spremni za jedan detox, a eto mene sa jednim ovako bogatim jelom. U svoju obranu mogu reći da sam ovo radila prije Božića i prije nego što sam potamanila sve što je uslijedilo. Ali jednostavno nisam nikako uspijevala sjesti i napisati recept. E pa pošto sam od prije tri dana na godišnjem odmoru, ovaj post je napokon napisan.

Molim vas da imate na umu da je ovo recept za enormnu porciju i lako može nahraniti 8-10 ljudi, posebno ako bureke poslužite sa nekom lijepom velikom salatom. No ovo se jelo također i super smrzava i podgrijava, pa se nemojte bojati napraviti zalihu. E da, i nedajte da vas ovaj super dugi blok teksta obeshrabri. Ovakav burek je jako jednostavan za napraviti, a iako možda zahtijeva malo više vremena, stvarno se isplati jer je prefin.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 12 bureka / 6,98 kn po bureku / 83,73 kn za sve)

Za nadjev za bureke:

12 komada kora za savijače (10,00 kn)

500 g purećih prsa (35,00 kn)

1 žličica soli, podijeljena (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

3 žlice suncokretovog ulja, podijeljene (0,15 kn)

2 velika luka (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

3 žlice maslaca (3,00 kn)

500 g šampinjona (15,00 kn)

Pregršt gljiva shii taka (10,00 kn)

2 šalice pilećeg temeljca (3,62 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

2 žlice kukuruznog škroba (0,50 kn)

2 žlice tople vode (–)

Za zaljev:

1/3 šalice pilećeg temeljca (0,60 kn)

2 žlice maslaca (2,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti posudu za pečenje (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Za početak narežite puretinu na sitne kockice, pomiješajte sa po ½ žličice soli i ½ žličice papra, pa ostavite da miruju 20-tak minuta. U međuvremenu možete narezati luk, češnjak, gljive i peršin da vam sve bude kasnije spremno.

Stavite veći lonac na jaku vatru, pa na žlici ulja ispecite pola puretine. Maknite meso kada je gotovo, dodajte novu žlicu ulja i ispecite ostatak mesa. Svo meso izvadite iz lonca i držite sa strane.

Dodajte ostatak ulja i na njemu izdinstajte luk da omekša i postane staklast. Ubacite češnjak, promiješajte i kuhajte minutu-dvije. Sada dodajte maslac, gljive i ostatak soli i papra, pa sve dobro promiješajte. Kuhajte desetak minuta, dok gljive ne omekšaju. Prelijte temeljac, dodajte sjeckani peršin i pustite da zavrije. Razmutite kukuruzni škrob u vodi i umiješajte u kipući nadjev da ga zgusnete. Vratite u lonac pečenu puretinu, sve dobro promiješajte, kušaje i prilagodite začine.

Pustite da se nadjev malo ohladi. U međuvremenu namastite posudu ili posude za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Ja sam bureke raspodijelila u dva protvana, s time da sam jedan pekla odmah, a drugi smrznula za kasnije, pa organizirajte situaciju kako vama najbolje odgovara.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Raširite kore na čistoj ravnoj površini. Na svaku koru stavite oko 3 žlice nadjeva, zarolajte i slažite u pripremljeni protvan. Ako planirate smrzavati bureke, samo pokrijte protvan sa složenim burekima sa prozirnom folijom i stavite u frizer. Nemorate ništa odmrzavati prije pečenja, samo pecite još dodatnih 5 minuta. U protivnom, stavite bureke u pećnicu i pecite 30 minuta, dok ne postanu zlatno-žuti i hruskavi.

Ako volite hrskave bureke, možete ih odmah sada jesti jer su spremni. Ja volim da su mekaniji, pa dodajem i zaljev. Imajte na umu da je količina zaljeva ovdje u receptu za svih 12 bureka, pa ako ste nešto smrzavali prilagodite količinu da ne završite sa gnjecavim užasom.

Kada su bureki pečeni stavite da ostatak od 1/3 šalice temeljca sa 2 žlice maslaca zavrije. Pokapajte ovaj zaljev po pečenim burecima, pokrijte protvan aluminijskom folijom i vratite u pećnicu na 10 još minuta. Budite jako oprezni kada baratate protvanom jer će sve biti vruće, kao i kada ćete micati foliju sa njega, da vas para ne zahvati. Bureke narežite na manje komade i poslužite tople. Za podgrijavanje, bombardirajte ih u mikrovalnoj pola minute ili podgrijte u pećnici u poklopljenoj posudi.

Turkey and Mushroom Phyllo Rolls / Burek sa puretinom i gljivama

Shakshuka / Jaja u umaku od rajčica

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , 2 Comments

I’ve been meaning to post about Shakshuka for a while because it’s my perfect quick, cheap and satisfying lunch solution. As usually, life somehow got in the way. But here’s we are, finally, to admire this tasty dish.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 generous servings / 1.70 EUR per serving / 3.39 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 chili pepper (0.20 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic (0.10 EUR)

2 bell peppers (0.67 EUR)

1 can of tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

4 eggs (0.80 EUR)

Small chunk of feta cheese (0.67 EUR)

2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely dice all the vegetables. Place skillet on high heat, add oil and saute diced onion for a few minutes until slightly translucent. Add in diced chili and garlic, stir and saute for a minute, then add in diced bell pepper and cook for a few minutes to soften. Add in canned tomatoes, salt and pepper. Crush tomatoes with spatula and cook for a few minutes until excess liquid evaporates and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Carefully crack the eggs into the skillet so all the yolks remain intact. Cover skillet with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook shortly, until the whites are cook through, but yolks still remain runny. Using a spatula crumble the cooked egg whites into tomato sauce but leave the yolks intact. Crumble feta on top, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a hunk of good bread for dipping.

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Već duže vrijeme mislim napisati recept za Shakshuku, jer je to jedna savršena brza, jeftina i zasitna solucija za ručak. Kao i obično, vrijeme je jednostavno proletjelo. Ali evo, recept je napokon tu da se svi možemo diviti ovom ukusnom jelu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 izdašne porcije / 12,61 kn po porciji / 25,22 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 čili papričica (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

2 paprike babure ili roge (5,00 kn)

1 konzerva pelata (5,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

4 jaja (6,00 kn)

Komadić feta sira (5,00 kn)

2 žlice sjeckanog svježeg peršina (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte svo povrće. Stavite tavu na jaku vatru pa na ulju popržite nasjeckani luk da bude staklast. Dodajte nasjeckani čili i češnjak, kuhajte minutu, pa dodajte narezane paprike i dinstajte ih nekoliko minuta da omekšaju. Dodajte pelate, sol i papar. Izgnječite pelate špatulom u komadiće i kuhajte kratko da ispari višak tekućine i umak se ne zgusne.

U takav umak pažljivo razbijte jaja tako da vam svi žumanjci ostanu cijeli. Poklopite tavu, smanjite vatru na nisku i kuhajte par minuta dok se bjelanjci skroz ne skuhaju, a žutanjci još budu tekući. Špatulom izmrvite kuhane bjelanjke u umak od rajčice, ali žumanjke ostavite netaknute. Nadrobite po svemu komadiće fete, posipajte sjeckanim peršinom i poslužite sa komadom nekog finog kruha za umakanje.

Shakshuka / Jaja u umaku od rajčica