Dish of the Month

Tripe, in Croatian tripice, škembići or fileki, is a traditional dish of many countries such as Portugal, Spain, England, Italy and France all the way to Turkey and China. It can be prepared in various ways and there are numerous distinct recipes; in Spain and Portugal they prepare tripe with mushrooms, and in France and Italy with wine or tomato sauce. In Croatia, however, the preparation of tripe might be slightly different. Due to historical factors, German, Italian and Turkish (Ottoman) cuisine have left deep traces on our gastronomy, so our tripe dishes were being invented under the same influences. You can make tripe soups, tripe goulash and stuffed tripe. There are also tripe risottos made of anglerfish and even tuna entrails.

This is not just any shrimp dish – it’s the shrimp dish. Croatian shrimp, or škampi na buzaru is an authentic Croatian meal. The shrimps from Adriatic Sea are a special kind; they taste like no other and if you spice them up the right way, you are going to get the most perfect meal! The dish originates from the times of the Venetians on what is today Croatian territory. They prepared shrimps (they called them scampo) in a pot which they called buzzara, so it kind of stuck with Dalmatian people and they named their favorite meal after it. The recipe is simple and the shrimps buzarra taste best when prepared fresh-out-of-the-sea. They are best paired with polenta or homemade white bread. Oh, a glass of white wine with it won’t hurt either.

Yes, this specialty is famous on an international level, but we believe that the best roast lamb is the one prepared by the islanders of Croatian Adriatic. In fact, almost every region of Croatia takes pride in preparing the most delicious lamb on the spit. From Istria to Lika, and all the way through Dalmatia, lamb on the spit is not only a meal – it is a tradition. If you have ever visited Croatia, it is highly unlikely that you haven’t heard about it. It is prepared in various ways depending on the region and customs. It is a mouthwatering delicacy that can be complemented with a sumptuous array of spices and side dishes, yet the unsurpassed peak of lamb enjoyment is the simplest of all and for which you only need one spice – salt. The true beauty lies in simplicity, right? Salt is the key to getting that perfect, delectable taste. Lamb on the spit is a go-to meal for family feasts, birthday celebrations, or friendly gatherings. Let’s just put it this way: if there is a party coming up and the rumor has it there will be roast lamb, everybody will RSVP. It is a luxury we cannot say no to.