weeknight meal

Whole-Wheat Flour Summer Zucchini Pizza / Ljetna pizza od integralnog brašna sa tikvicama

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , 1 Comment

If only the summer could last forever, with its abundance of fresh produce, colours, smells and tastes. And the sunshine. Ah… I wanna enjoy the Summer to the max while it’s still here, but I also wanna enjoy a pizza. So here’s a delicious summer pizza for you all!

IMGP5238

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 large pizza / 1.56 EUR)

For the dough:

½ tsp active dry yeast (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

¾ cup warm water (–)

1 – 1 ½ cup plain all-purpose flour, divided (0.07 EUR)

1 ½ cup whole-wheat flour (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil + more for greasing the bowl (0.10 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

For the pizza topping:

2 large zucchini (0.40 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

½ cup of hard, finely grated cheese (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp dried oregano (0.07 EUR)

Additional:

A bit of oil for greasing the baking tray (0.01 EUR)

IMGP5240

METHOD:

To prepare the dough, first whisk together yeast, sugar, water and 1 tsp of plain flour in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 10-15 minutes until frothy. If the yeast mixture doesn’t become frothy, discard and start over with fresh batch of yeast because this means that your dough won’t rise either and that would suck.

IMGP5245

Add 1 cup of plain flour, all of whole wheat flour, 2 tbsp of olive oil and salt to the frothy yeast mixture and stir well with a spoon, until shabby dough forms. Dump everything onto a clean flat surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, incorporating extra flour as necessary. The dough should be soft and pliable, but not too sticky. Clean and oil your mixing bowl, turn the dough around to grease from all sides and cover the bowl with clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest for about 30 minutes, until doubled in size.

While you’re waiting for the dough to rise, wash and grate your zucchini. Mix with salt and leave in a colander to drain. You wanna get as much water out of that zucchini as humanly possible.

IMGP5241

When ready to bake pizza, preheat oven to 250°C. Deflate the dough and stretch with your hands on a lightly greased baking tray. This doesn’t need to be perfect and completely even, so just pinch the dough together should you need to patch up any holes. Omitting the rolling rends a super fluffy and puffy finished pizza.

Press any excess liquid with your hands out of the grated zucchini and scatter on top of the dough. Sprinkle with black pepper, grated cheese and oregano and bake for 10-15 minutes in the middle rack, until crispy and golden. Serve immediately.

IMGP5242

Ah, kada bi ljeto moglo trajati vječno sa svojim obiljem svježe hrane, boja, mirisa i okusa. I svo to sunce. Ah… Želim maksimalno uživati u ljetu dok još uvijek traje, ali želim i jednu pizzu. Pa vam evo jedan recept za savršenu ljetnu pizzu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 veliku pizzu / 11,38 kn)

Za tijesto:

½ žličice suhog kvasca (0,50 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

¾ šalice tople vode (–)

1 – 1 ½ šalice glatkog pšeničnog brašna, podijeljene (0,50 kn)

1 ½ šalica integralnog pšeničnog brašna (1,00 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja + još malo za namastiti posudu (0,75 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

Dodaci za pizzu:

2 velike tikvice (3,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

½ šalice tvrdog, fino naribanog sira (5,00 kn)

1 žličica sušenog origana (0,50 kn)

Dodatno:

Malo ulja za namastiti protvan za pečenje (0,05 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Da bi ste napravili tijesto, prvo u velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte kvasac, šećer, toplu vodu i žličicu glatkog brašna. Pustite da miruje 10-15 minuta dok ne postane pjenasto. Ako mješavina do tada ne postane pjenasta, bacite i krenite ispočetka sa novom turom kvasca, jer vam se tijesto vjerovatno neće dignuti, a to bi bilo koma.

Dodajte u mješavinu kvasca 1 šalicu glatkog brašna, svo integralno brašno, 2 žlice maslinovog ulja i sol, pa miješajte žlicom dok se ne formira labavo tijesto. Sve iskrenite na čistu radnu plohu i mijesite 5-10 minute, a po potrebi dodajte još malo brašna. Tijesto treba biti mekano i podatno, ali se ne smije previše lijepiti. Očistite i nauljite svoju posudu, okrenite unutra tijesto da se namasti sa svih strana, pa prekrijte posudu čistom krpom. Ostavite tijesto da se diže oko 30 minuta, dok mu se veličina ne udvostruči.

Dok čekate da se tijesto digne, operite i naribajte tikvice. Pomiješajte sa soli i ostavite u cjediljki. Željite da u tikvici na kraju ostane što manje vode.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje pizze, zagrijte pećnicu na 250°C. Ispuhnite tijesto i rukama ga rastegnite na lagano namašćenom protvanu. To ne mora biti savršeno i svugdje jednako, a rupe samo zakrpajte tako da tijesto stisnete skupa. Ovako, bez valjka, će vam pizza na kraju biti puno prhkija i pufastija.

Rukama iz tikvica iscijedite što više vode pa ih raštrkajte po tijestu. Posipajte sa paprom, naribanim sirom i origanom, pa pecite 10-15 minuta u sredini pećnice, dok pizza ne bude hruskava i zlatno-žuta. Odmah poslužite.

Whole-Wheat Flour Summer Zucchini Pizza / Ljetna pizza od integralnog brašna sa tikvicama

Chicken and Summer Veggie Stir-Fry / Stir-Fry od piletine i ljetnog povrća

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Have you tried making Chinese food at home, but never got that taste just right? So then you just succumb to getting a takeaway instead? Those days are now over because I’m gonna let you in on the secret of perfect homemade Chinese food. It’s MSG!

Just kidding. We’re not using that.

It’s all in the sauce. And a really hot and well-seasoned wok. But mainly, it’s the sauce. For wok seasoning, I suggest you just take a peek at Youtube, but it basically comes down to coating the wok in layers of burnt fat. It does sound kinda gross, but it’s the only way to get that deep smoky flavour.

Now onto the sauce.

IMGP5178

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.69 EUR per serving / 2.75 EUR for all)

For the sauce:

3 tbsp soy sauce (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.07 EUR)

¼ tsp of cayenne pepper (0.02 EUR)

3 tbsp corn starch (0.10 EUR)

½ cup warm water (–)

For the stir-fry:

½ of large chicken breast (1.33 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp oil, divided (0.04 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

3 carrots (0.20 EUR)

1 large bell pepper (0.27 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 large zucchini (0.27 EUR)

IMGP5179

METHOD:

Prepare the sauce by whisking together soy sauce, sesame oil, cayenne, corn starch and water until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Cut chicken into thin strips and rub well with salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to soak in the salt and pepper by letting it rest for 20-30 minutes. During that time mince garlic and wash and chop all the vegetables. You want to have everything prepared beforehand before you start cooking, because it’s going to go fast.

IMGP5188

Place wok on high heat for a few minutes until it starts smoking. Add a tablespoon of oil and half of the chicken to your wok and stir-fry for a few minutes until slightly crispy. Remove chicken when it’s done and repeat with second half of the meat.

Remove all meat from the wok, then add to it remaining tablespoon of oil, chopped carrot and minced garlic. Briefly stir-fry, then gradually add in chopped pepper, onion and zucchini in that order, while stir-frying for a few minutes in between, before adding a new batch of veggies. The idea is to start with firmer veggies which take longer to cook and work your way towards softer ones. Once you’ve finished cooking up all the vegetables, return meat to the wok and stir to warm through. Pour sauce over everything, stir and cook for just a few seconds until the sauce thickens. Be sure not to overcook as the sauce might get burnt and bitter.

Remove from heat and serve immediately over a bed of cooked rice. Either go with the plain old rice, or spice things up with this coconut lime rice.

IMGP5186

Jeste li već pokušavali doma kuhati kinesku klopu, ali vam okus nikad ne bi ispao baš onako kako treba? Pa onda na kraju pokleknete i naručite dostavu? Ti su dani sada iza vas jer ću vam odati tajne savršene kineske hrane iz kućne radinosti. To je MSG!

Šalim se. Nećemo to koristiti.

Stvar je u umaku. I jako vrućem i dobro začinjenom woku. Ali uglavnom je stvar u umaku. Što se tiče začinjavanja woka, predlažem da malo virnete na Youtube. Ali u principu, sve se svodi na to da vam wok bude obložen slojevima zagorene masnoće. To možda zvuči malo ogavno, ali je i jedini način da dobijete onaj duboki dimljeni šmek.

Sad idemo na umak.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 5,12 kn po porciji / 20,49 kn za sve)

Za umak:

3 žlice soja sosa (1,50 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,50 kn)

¼ žličice kajenskog papra (0,13 kn)

3 žlice kukuruznog škroba (0,75 kn)

½ šalice tople vode (–)

Za stir-fry:

½ velikih pilećih prsa (10,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

3 žlice ulja, podijeljene (0,30 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

3 mrkve (1,50 kn)

1 velika paprika babura (2,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 velika tikvica (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Pripremite umak tako da dobro razmutite soja sos, sezamovo ulje, kajenski papar, škrob i vodu, i to tako da ne bude grudica. Stavite na stranu.

Narežite piletinu na tanke trakice i u nju utrljajte sol i papar. Pustite da odstoji jedno 20-30 minuta da se sol i papar upiju u meso. Za to vrijeme sitno nasjeckajte češnjak te operite i narežite svo povrće. Neka vam sve bude spremno prije nego što krenete kuhati, jer će to ići jako brzo.

Stavite wok na par minuta na jaku vatru dok se ne počne dimiti. Dodajte žlicu ulja i pola mesa, pa pržite miješajući par minuta dok se piletina ne zahrska. Izvadite meso kada je gotovo i ponovite sa ostatkom piletine.

Svo meso maknite iz woka, dodajte u wok preostalu žlicu ulja, narezanu mrkvu i sjeckani češnjak. Kratko pržite uz miješanje, pa onda postepeno u wok dodajte narezanu papriku, luk i tikvicu po tom redoslijedu, a sve tako da miješate i par minuta pržite između svakog novog povrća. Ideja je da počnete sa najtvrđim povrćem kojem treba najduže da se skuha i idete prema onom najmekšem. Kada je svo povrće na taj način gotovo, vratite u wok meso i promiješajte da se ono ugrije. Prelijte preko svega umak, dobro promiješajte i kuhajte svega par sekundi, samo da se umak zgusne. Pazite da ne kuhate predugo jer bi vam umak mogao zagoriti i postati gorak.

Maknite s vatre i odma poslužite preko kuhane riže. Možete upotrijebiti i najobičniju rižu, ili učinite stvar zanimljivijom sa ovom rižom sa kokosom i limetom.

Chicken and Summer Veggie Stir-Fry / Stir-Fry od piletine i ljetnog povrća

Coconut Lime Carrot Salad (vegan) / Salata od mrkve sa kokosom i limetom (veganska)

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

We’ve been having some really hot and humid weather so all I feel like eating are salads and watermelons. Without further ado, here’s a super simple recipe for a crunchy and refreshing salad.

IMGP5162

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 serving / 0.67 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.20 EUR)

1 tbsp coconut strips (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp chopped parsley (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

Juice from 1 lime (0.27 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

METHOD:

Wash, peel and grate carrot on a box grater. Mix with coconut, parsley, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper and serve chilled. I happened to have fresh coconut which I’ve cut into thin strips, but I’m sure this would work just as well with dried coconut.

IMGP5163

Pošto je vrijeme zadnjih dana vruće i sparno, jedine stvari koje mi se jedu su salate i lubenica. Bez daljnjeg pametovanja, evo vam jedan turbo jednostavni recept za hrskavu i osvježavajuću salatu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 porciju / 4,89 kn)

3 velike mrkve (1,50 kn)

1 žlica kokosovih trakica (0,50 kn)

1 žlica nasjeckanog peršina (0,50 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Sok od 1 limete (2,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i naribajte mrkvu na ribežu. Pomiješajte sa kokosom, peršinom, maslinovim uljem, sokom od limete, soli i paprom, pa poslužite ohlađeno. Ja sam igrom slučaja imala svježi kokos koji sam narezala na tanke trakice, ali sigurno bi ovdje funkcionirao i sušeni kokos.

Coconut Lime Carrot Salad (vegan) / Salata od mrkve sa kokosom i limetom (veganska)

Leek and Mushroom Brown Rice Pilaf (vegan) / Pilav od smeđe riže sa porilukom i gljivama (veganski)

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

As the days get warmer, I’m looking for quick dishes that cook in big batches, so I can stay as far away from the stove as possible. This dish is ideal, as it comes together easily and doesn’t require much hovering over the hot pot.

IMGP5148

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.77 EUR per serving / 4.61 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large leek (0.80 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

1 large carrot (0.10 EUR)

500 g of mushrooms (2.67 EUR)

2 cups of brown rice (0.67 EUR)

3 cups of water (–)

½ tsp of salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

Handful of freshly parsley, roughly chopped (0.13 EUR)

IMGP5151

METHOD:

Wash and chop mushrooms and all of the vegetables, but keep the dark green parts of the leek separated from the rest of it, as you’ll need those a bit later. For the mushrooms, I used a mix of brown button mushrooms and shiitake, but feel free to pick whichever kind is available to you.

IMGP5153

In a large pot, saute on high heat white and light green parts of the leek, garlic and carrot on olive oil, until softened. Add in mushrooms and dark green leek parts to cook down for a few minutes. You might want to do this in a few smaller batches, as the amount of chopped mushrooms might seem enormous at first. Once mushrooms have cooked down and most of the liquid has evaporated, add in the rice to briefly toast, while stirring frequently. Then add in water, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook with the lid cracked open for 30-40 minutes, until the rice has cooked through. Once you’ve covered the pot with a lid and reduced heat there is no need for stirring, so just step away from the stove and do your own thing as the dish cooks.

IMGP5155

Taste and adjust seasoning, stir in chopped parsley and serve.

IMGP5157

Kako su dani sve topliji, tražim brza jela koja se mogu nakuhati u većim količinama, a sve da mogu biti što dalje od štednjaka što je moguće. Ovo je jelo idealno jer se brzo može smutiti i ne zahtijeva da stalno stojite nad kipućim loncem.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 5,75 kn po porciji / 34,47 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki poriluk (6,00 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

1 velika mrkva (0,75 kn)

500 g gljiva (20,00 kn)

2 šalice smeđe riže (5,00 kn)

3 šalice vode (–)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

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

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

PRIPREMA:

Operite i narežite gljive i svo povrće, ali držite tamno zeleni dio poriluka odvojen od ostatka jer će vam trebati malo kasnije. Ja sam od gljiva uzela mješavinu smeđih šampinjona i shii taka, ali slobodno upotrijebite one koje su vam na raspolaganju.

U velikom loncu i na jakoj vatri, na maslinovom ulju izdinstajte da omekšaju bijeli i svijetlo zeleni dio poriluka, čenjak i mrkvu. Dodajte gljive i tamno zeleni dio poriluka i kuhajte par minuta da se gljivama smanji volumen. Možda ćete sve morati dodavati u par manjih tura, jer će količina narezanih gljiva isprve biti enormna. Kada se gljive skuhaju i većina tekućine ispari, dodajte rižu i kratko ju tostirajte, uz često miješanje. Onda dodajte vodu, sol i papar, pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru na nisku i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 30-40 minuta, sve dok se riža ne skuha. Kada ste poklopili lonac i smanjili temperaturu više nema potrebe za miješanjem, pa samo pustite da se riža kuha i slobodno se bavite drugim stvarima.

Kušajte i prilagodite začine, umiješajte nasjeckani peršin i poslužite.

Leek and Mushroom Brown Rice Pilaf (vegan) / Pilav od smeđe riže sa porilukom i gljivama (veganski)

One Pot Pancetta and Chili Pasta / Tjestenina sa pancetom i chilijem iz jednog lonca

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , Leave a comment

The following pasta dish is one of the staples at our place. It requires minimal fuss and is whipped up from the items we usually have sitting around. If you need to level up your game of quick weeknight meals, look no further. Plus, it all cooks in a single pot, which also means fast clean up.

IMGP5139

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.83 EUR per serving / 3.33 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

4-5 slices of pancetta, diced (0.67 EUR)

1 onion, diced (0.07 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

1 chili pepper, minced (0.07 EUR)

1 large bell pepper, diced (0.27 EUR)

1 can diced tomatoes (0.93 EUR)

1 tbsp dried basil (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp dried parsley (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 cups of water (–)

350 g of pasta (1.00 EUR)

IMGP5141

METHOD:

In a large pot, briefly cook pancetta on olive oil until slightly crisped. Add in onions and saute for a few minutes until translucent. Then add in garlic, chili and bell pepper and briefly cook to soften. Add diced tomatoes, basil, parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper, water and pasta and give everything a good stir.

IMGP5142

As necessary, add in a bit more water until all of the pasta is submerged, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook with a closed lid for 10-15 minutes, until pasta is cooked al dente, while stirring occasionally. Be careful not to overdo with stirring, as the pasta will break apart and become mushy. Also, the al dente pasta will finish up cooking as it cools down and soak up any extra liquid that might remain in the pot.

IMGP5147

Ovo je jelo sa tjesteninom na čestom meniju kod nas doma. Zahtjeva minimalan trud i može se smutiti od stvari koje obično imamo doma. Ako vam treba nešto za nadopuniti meni za radni tjedan, ne trebate tražiti dalje. Osim toga, sve se kuha u istom loncu, što znači ekspresno čišćenje kuhinje.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 6,21 kn po porciji / 24,82 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

4-5 kriški pancete, narezanih na kockice (5,00 kn)

1 luk, narezan na kockice (0,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,75 kn)

1 čili papričica, sitno nasjeckana (0,50 kn)

1 velika paprika babura, nasjeckana na kockice (2,00 kn)

1 konzerva sjeckane rajčice (7,00 kn)

1 žlica sušenog bosiljka (0,50 kn)

1 žlica sušenog peršina (0,25 kn)

1 žlica jabučnog octa (0,10 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

2 šalice vode (–)

350 g tjestenine (7,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikom loncu kratko popržite pancetu na maslinovom ulju dok se lagano ne zahruska. Dodajte luk i prodinstajte koju minutu da bude staklast. Onda ubacite češnjak, čili i papriku, pa kratko kuhajte dok ne omekšaju. Na kraju dodajte rajčicu, bosiljak, peršin, ocat, sol, papar, vodu i tjesteninu te sve dobro promiješajte.

Po potrebi dodajte još mrvicu vode da sva tjestenina bude potopljena, pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru na srednje nisku i kuhajte poklopljeno 10-15 minuta da tjestenina bude al dente, sve uz povremeno miješanje. Pazite da ne miješate previše jer će vam se tjestenina raspasti i razgnjeckati. Također, al dente tjestenina će se skuhati do kraja kako se bude hladila te će popiti ektra tekućinu koja vam je možda ostala u loncu.

One Pot Pancetta and Chili Pasta / Tjestenina sa pancetom i chilijem iz jednog lonca

Summer Tomato and Mozzarella Snack / Ljetni snack od rajčice i mozzarelle

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

I love summer and summer produce, especially tomatoes. When in season, I pretty much eat tomatoes every day and with most meals. This little snack is super quick and easy and salt and oil packed anchovies make it all bit more special. Sure, those anchovies might be an expensive side, but a tiny jar can last you a while, as they are packed with intense flavor and you only need a little bit.

IMGP5071

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 large serving / 2.08 EUR)

2 Roma tomatoes (0.27 EUR)

1 ball of mozzarella (0.93 EUR)

½ tsp dried basil (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

6 salt and oil packed anchovies (0.80 EUR)

IMGP5073

METHOD:

Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into rings and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle with basil and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange anchovies on top and serve with a piece of toasted bread.

IMGP5075

Obožavam ljeto i ljetno sezonsko povrće, a posebno rajčice. Kada su u sezoni, rajčice jedem manje-više svaki dan i sa većinom obroka. Ovaj mali snack je super brzi i jednostavan, a slani inćuni jelo čine malo posebnijim. Istina, slani inćuni nisu baš jeftini, ali malena posudica može vam stvarno dugo trajati, pošto imaju jako intenzivan okus i treba vam samo mrvica.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 veliku porciju / 15,63 kn)

2 rajčice šljivara (2,00 kn)

1 loptica mozzarelle (7,00 kn)

½ žličice sušenog bosiljka (0,25 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

6 slanih inćuna (6,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Narežie rajčice i mozzarellu na kolutove i rasporedite po tanjuru. Posipajte sa bosiljkom i paprom te pokapajte maslinovim uljem. Rasporedite po vrhu inćune i poslužite sa komadom tostiranog kruha.

Summer Tomato and Mozzarella Snack / Ljetni snack od rajčice i mozzarelle

Love Your Leftovers Burrito / Burrito od raznih ostataka

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

Our fridge got to the point where we had various scraps of odds and ends mingling together. Naturally, I wasn’t going to throw any of those things away. Instead, I whipped up these colorful burritos. Hence the amounts in this recipe are a bit annoying – it was literally stuff we had lying around. So tweak and adjust the ingredients a bit to make it all work for you. Just don’t go running to the store to buy an avocado to only use up a quarter! That would be pure madness!

IMGP5040

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 burritos / 1.34 EUR per burrito / 2.67 EUR for all)

For the meat:

200 g pork loin (0.80 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp oil (0.03 EUR)

For the burrito:

¼ of avocado (0.20 EUR)

½ of small onion (0.03 EUR)

1 Roma tomato (0.20 EUR)

Handful of arugula (0.13 EUR)

½ can of corn (0.40 EUR)

1 tbsp lemon juice (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 tortillas (0.53 EUR)

2 tbsp sour cream (0.07 EUR)

3 tbsp shredded cheese (0.13 EUR)

IMGP5035

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease an oven-safe dish and set aside. Cut the meat into thin strips, toss with salt, pepper and oil and fry in a skillet on high heat. Drain from the excess oil and set aside. Dice avocado, onion and tomato, chop up arugula and then toss everything with corn, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

To assemble burritos, divide veggie mixture between tortillas, top with meat, dollop sour cream, sprinkle cheese and wrap up. Mine were really fat, so the only way to secure them was with a toothpick. Place burritos in your prepared baking dish and bake for 5-7 minutes, just so the cheese can melt and the top crisps up slightly. Serve immediately.

IMGP5038

Spletom okolnosti u frižideru su nam počeli minglati razni čudni ostaci od svega po malo. Naravno, nisam namjeravala išta od toga baciti. Umjesto toga, iskombinirala sam ove šarene burritoe. Iz tog su razloga količine u receptu iritantne – to su doslovce stvari koje sam imala pri ruci. Tako da podesite i prilagodite sastojke kako vama najbolje odgovara. Samo nemojte trčati u dućan po avokado i onda iskoristiti samo četvrtinu! Ti bi bila čista ludost!

SASTOJCI:

(Za dva burrita / 9,95 kn po burritu / 19,90 kn za sve)

Za meso:

200 g svinjskog buta (6,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

2 žlice ulja (0,20 kn)

Za burrito:

¼ avokada (1,50 kn)

½ malog luka (0,25 kn)

1 rajčica šljivar (1,50 kn)

Pregršt rukole (1,00 kn)

½ konzerve kukuruza (3,00 kn)

1 žlica limunovog soka (0,50 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

2 tortilje (4,00 kn)

2 žlice kiselog vrhnja (0,50 kn)

3 žlice naribanog sira (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Lagano namastite posudu za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Narežite meso na tanke trakice, pomiješajte sa soli, paprom i uljem, pa u tavici ispecite na jakoj vatri. Ocijedite od viška ulja i stavite na stranu. Narežite avokado, luk i rajčicu na kockice, nasjeckajte rukolu, te sve pomiješajte sa kukuruzom, limunovim sokom, maslinovim uljem, soli i paprom.

Složite burritoe tako da podijelite povrće među tortiljama, pokrijte s mesom, pokapajte kiselim vrhnjem i na kraju posipajte sirom. Zamotajte tortilje, a ako vam budu debele kao moje, učvrstite čačkalicom. Stavite u pripremljenu posudu za pečenje i pecite 5-7 minuta, samo da se sir rastopi a vrh lagano zahrska. Poslužite odmah.

Love Your Leftovers Burrito / Burrito od raznih ostataka

Garlic Sesame Zoodles (vegan) / Špageti od tikvica sa češnjakom i sezamom (veganski)

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

I am very reluctant about purchasing new kitchen gadgets, but vegetable spiralizer was a pretty cool buy. Of course, you can make zoodles with a mandolin, box grater or even a potato peeler, but spiralizer makes the process so much faster and easier. Sure enough, I got the cheapest one from E-bay for about 3.00 bucks. It gets the job done and thus is an investment well made.

This whole dish is whipped up in about 10 minutes, including all the chopping and cleaning up. It is the weeknight meal perfection.

IMGP5005

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 serving / 0.79 EUR)

1 medium zucchini (0.27 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

2 garlic cloves, crushed (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp sesame seeds (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

¼ avocado, peeled and thinly sliced (0.20 EUR)

IMGP5008

METHOD:

Wash, pat dry and push zucchini through spiralizer with skin intact. To a skillet on high heat, add olive oil and crushed garlic and briefly cook, merely to slightly soften. Then add sesame seeds and toss for a few seconds. Dump in the zoodles and stir-fry for a few minutes, until zucchini is heated up. Stir in sweet Thai chili sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper and serve immediately, with avocado slices arranged on top.

IMGP5010

IMGP5009

Nisam niti malo sklona nabavi novog kuhinjskog pribora, ali spiralizator je bio super investicija. Zoodlse (špagete od tikvica) možete napraviti i sa mandolinom, ribežom, pa čak i običnom gulilicom za krumpir, ali spiralizator tu proceduru olakšava i ubrzava. Naravno, ja sam kupila neki najjeftiniji na E-bayu za oko 3,00 dolara. Ali služi svrsi, tako da se kupnja isplatila.

Ovo cijelo jelo je napravljeno u kojih 10 minuta, uključujući i svo rezanje i pranje suđa. Savršena večerica za preko tjedna.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 porciju / 5,89 kn)

1 srednja tikvica (2,00 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

2 češnja češnjaka, sitno sjeckana (0,50 kn)

1 žlica sjemenki sezama (0,25 kn)

1 žlica tajlandskog slatkog chili umaka (1,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,25 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

¼ avokada, oguljena i narezana na tanke ploške (1,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, posušite kuhinjskim ručnikom i naspiralizirajte tikvicu skupa sa kožom. U tavi na jakoj vatri kratko popržite češnjak s uljem, samo da mrvicu omekša. Dodajte sezam i kratko promiješajte. Ubacite zoodlse, pa pržite miješajući koju minutu, dok se tikvica samo ne ugrije. Umiješajte tajlandski čili umak, sezamovo ulje, sol i papar, pa odmah poslužite sa kriškama avokada posloženim po vrhu.

Garlic Sesame Zoodles (vegan) / Špageti od tikvica sa češnjakom i sezamom (veganski)

Avocado Tuna Spread / Namaz od tune i avokada

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I finally stumbled onto avocados on sale and immediately grabbed a few. Avocados are generally priced very unreasonably over here, so I tend to treat myself with them only when I score some for super cheap.

IMGP5012

INGREDIENTS:

(2.84 EUR)

1 small avocado (0.80 EUR)

Juice from ½ a lemon (0.20 EUR)

1 can of tuna in brine (1.60 EUR)

2 garlic cloves, minced (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp mustard (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

IMGP5014

METHOD:

Peel and roughly chop avocado, then mash with a fork in a bowl. Immediately mix with lemon juice to prevent browning. Drain tuna from all the brine, flake, using a fork and add to avocado. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and taste to adjust seasoning. Serve chilled as a dip or spread. I ate mine over toasted, buttered homemade bread.

IMGP5016

IMGP5022

Napokon sam uspjela naletiti na avokado na akciji, pa sam odmah zgrabila par komada. Avokadoi (avokadad? avokada?) ovdje imaju totalno nerazumne cijene, pa se sa njima počastim samo kada ih ulovim na nekom velikom sniženju.

SASTOJCI:

(21,27 kn)

1 mali avokado (6,00 kn)

Sok od ½ limuna (1,50 kn)

1 konzerva tune u salamuri (12,00 kn)

2 češnja češnjaka, sitno sjeckana (0,50 kn)

1 žlica sitno sjeckanog svježeg peršina (0,25 kn)

1 žličica senfa (0,25 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Ogulite i na grubo narežite avokado, pa ga viljuškom izgnječite u zdjelici. Odmah pomiješajte sa sokom od limuna da vam avokado ne posmeđi. Ocijedite tunu od salamure, viljuškom usitnite, pa dodajte avokadu. Umiješajte sve ostale sastojke, kušajte i prilagodite začine. Poslužite ohlađeno kao namaz ili za umak. Ja sam svoj jela na tostiranom domaćem kruhu premazanom maslacem.

Avocado Tuna Spread / Namaz od tune i avokada

Kaiserschmarrn – Imperial Crumble / Kaiserschmarrn – Carski drobljenac

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

My great grandma, who lived to be 96 years old, and through her long life saw three wars and consequential formation and dissolution of several countries, would often whip up Kaiserschmarrn for me while I was growing up. If you are unfamiliar with the dish, it’s basically a crumbled up pancake, named after Austrian emperor (or Kaiser) Franz Joseph I. The dish is incredibly humble and easy to make, unlike what its fancy name might suggest. It is still my favourite, whenever I am in a mood for a quick and simple desert.

IMGP4973

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 small or 1 gigantic serving / 0.85 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

2/3 cup of yogurt (0.27 EUR)

4 tbsp all-purpose flour (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp butter (0.10 EUR)

IMGP4974

METHOD:

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, vanilla, sugar and yogurt. Then add in the flour and whisk for a minute, until creamy and no lumps remain. The batter might appear too liquid, but don’t worry, it’s going to turn out fine.

IMGP4976

Place heavy skillet on medium heat. Allow skillet to fully warm up before melting the butter in it. Swoosh the melted butter around to evenly coat the skillet and then pour in all of the batter. Allow the batter to cook for 5-10 minutes (this depends on your skillet size and thickness) without disturbing it. When the edges start puffing up, but the center is still quite liquid, check the bottom of Kaiserschmarrn to see if it is nice deep golden-brown. If yes, flip the whole thing over. Don’t worry too much if it’s messy as you will tear it down to small chunks anyway. For easier flipping, you can also divide the Kaiserschmarrn with your spatula into smaller pieces.

IMGP4978

Once flipped, finish on the other side for 2-3 minutes, to brown the bottom and thoroughly cook through. Using a spoon or a spatula, tear Kaiserschmarrn to bite-sized pieces. Kaiserschmarrn is usually served with jam or apple sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar. However, my favourite toppings are a sprinkle of castor sugar for crunchiness combined with instant cocoa powder.

IMGP4979

Moja prabaka, koja je doživjela 96 godina, te je kroz svoj dugi život vidjela nekoliko ratova i posljedično formiranje i rasformiravanje nekoliko država, bi mi dok sam odrastala često napravila Kaiserschmarrn. Ako niste upoznati sa ovim jelom, ono je u biti izdrobljena palačinka, a ime je dobilo po austrijskom caru (odnosno, Kaiseru) Franji Josipu I. Šmarn (po naški) je jako skromno i jednostavno jelo, nevezano na to što možda sugerira njegovo fensi ime. Ono je još uvijek među mojim omiljenima, kad god sam raspoložena za brzi i jednostavni desert.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 manje ili 1 gigantsku porciju / 6,25 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

2 žlice šećera (0,10 kn)

2/3 šalice jogurta (2,00 kn)

4 žlice glatkog brašna (0,20 kn)

1 žlica maslaca (0,75 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U zdjeli izmiješajte jaja, sol, vaniliju, šećer i jogurt. Onda dodajte brašno, pa dobro miješajte koju minutu, dok sve ne bude kremasto i bez grudica. Smjesa vam se može učiniti prerijetkom, ali bez brige, sve će ispasti okej.

Stavite težu tavu na srednju vatru. Pustite ju da se skroz ugrije prije nego što ćete u njoj rastopiti maslac. Malo promrdajte tavu da se maslac po njoj ravnomjerno rasporedi, pa onda ulijte svu smjesu. Pustite da se smjesa kuha 5-10 minuta (ovo ovisi o veličini i debljini vaše tave) bez da ju dirate. Kada se rubovi napuhnu, a sredina je još dosta tekuća, provjerite da li je dno šmarna dobilo lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju. Ako da, preokrenite šmarn. Nemojte se brinuti ako to bude neuredno, jer ćete ionako šmarn natrgati na komade. Da si olakšate okretanje, možete šmarn sa špahtlom podijeliti na manje dijelove.

Kada ste preokrenuli šmarn, kuhajte drugu stranu još 2-3 minute, dok i ona ne bude zlatno-smeđa te se dobro skuha. Sa žlicom ili špahtlom natrgajte šmarn na komadiće veličine zalogaja. Kaiserschmarrn se obično poslužuje sa pekmezom ili umakom od jabuke i posipan sa šećerom u prahu. Međutim, meni je najdraže jesti ga posipanog sa običnim šećerom za hrskavoću, pomiješanim sa instant kakaom praškom.

Kaiserschmarrn – Imperial Crumble / Kaiserschmarrn – Carski drobljenac