[Recipes] Xmas Croatian style - What will you find on the table
Rabbit of Caerbannog
It is no secret Croatians love their food and there is usually no need to wait for special occasions for an impressive feast. Christmas is a special time though.
For Croatians, the big day in the Christmas period is “Badnji Dan” (Christmas Eve Day) and “Badnja Večer” (Christmas Eve night).
The term badnjak means “to be awake”, hence referring to staying awake all through the night until Christmas Day. The tradition of bringing a log into the house and placing it on the fire on badnjak, and keeping it burning throughout Christmas Day, has been going on in regions in Croatia for centuries.
Another old tradition is the sowing of pšenica (wheat seeds) in a bowl of water (usually on St. Lucy’s day), which will grow until Christmas and is then used to decorate the table on Christmas.
Since Christmas Eve is a fasting day, traditionally on Christmas Eve Croatians eat a small meal in the evening.
On Christmas Day, Croatians traditionally prepare a roast – either turkey, lamb, pig or duck. Winter dishes like sarma and stews are also eaten over the festive period. And an abundance of traditional Christmas desserts.
Here are some tasty things you will likely see on the table over the festive period in Croatian households:
1. Bakalar
After soaking in water for 24 hours, dried cod is usually served as a stew with potatoes.
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-christmas-recipes-bakalar/
2. French salad
Also known as Olivier or Russian salad with mayo, egg, peas, potatoes, pickles, carrots… There is also versions without mayo and potatoes, I find it much more refreshing and less heavy.
3. Sarma ❤
Sarma is minced meat, spiced and moulded together with rice, which is wrapped in sour, fermented cabbage leaves, known locally as kiseli kupus and in Germany as sauerkraut and then boiled in a spiced tomato sauce, which also sometimes contains bacon until the rice is cooked. A beloved dish in Croatia, it's eaten year-round, and it's a particular favourite when visiting the family home. A milder tasting version can be produced using either fresh cabbage leaves or blitva (chard) leaves. A hearty, comforting dish, it really comes into its own during winter, served with mashed potatoes.
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/video-croatian-recipes-sarma/
4. Turkey / duck with mlinci
In the past, duck and goose were more commonly used, and are still most easily available at this time of year. Turkey is also popular in some parts and chicken especially so. Mlinci is a thin pasta-like accompaniment, which is frequently (and rather unusually) cooked in fat.
5. Roast pork (Buncek)
Slowly cooked and roasted pork (smoked), usually served with homemade bread, sour cabbage and bacon
6. Stuffed peppers
Stuffed peppers with mince and rice (similar to sarma, but not the same 😁
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-punjene-paprike-stuffed-peppers/
7. Fiš paprikaš / Fish stew
Spicy fish stew is a popular dish in the east of Croatia in Slavonia. It's usually made outside on fire made from wood in a big pot and with at least 3 types of fish and a lot of spicy red pepper. Usually served with wide pasta strings (rezanci).
Recipe:
https://www.gct.com/community/the-inside-scoop/the-buzz/recipe-fis-paprikas
8. Cold served smoked meat
Cheese, prsut, olives, salamis, bacon, smoked ham starters
9. Pašticada ❤
❤
Slowly cooked and baked and then again cooked beef. Served with gnocchi. Must try!
Also can be made with tuna steaks or rabbit 😉
Recipe:
https://www.petersommer.com/blog/another-bite/pasticada
10. Fritule
Fritule are deep fried Croatian doughnuts that historically come from the coastal region of Dalmatia. They are usually boozy, and are flavoured with brandy or loza (a grape rakija). They can also be served with sugar, jam or chocolate.
Recipe:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/klaras-traditional-croatian-fritters-recipe-1135857
11. Makovnjača / Orehnjača / Rogačnica
Roll made with poppy seed, walnuts or rogač
Recipe:
https://www.cookingalongthedrava.com/makovnjaca-orehnjaca/
12. Vanilla kiflice
Vanilla half-moons biscuits
Recipe:
https://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-vanilin-kiflice-recipe-vanilla-crescent-cookies/
13. Štrudla
Strudel with sweet filling (apples, cherries, sour cherries..) or salty version (fresh cheese and cream, also pumpkin, potato or some other green vegetables can be added)
Recipe:
http://www.yachtgourmetcroatia.com/croatian-recipes-savijaca-od-visanja-cherry-strudel
Recipe for Bučnica (pumpkin strudel)
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-bucnica/
14. Kroštule
Deep frying ribbon-shaped dough pastries popular in Dalmatia and Istria
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-krostule/
15. Paprenjaci
Paprenjaci are peppery gingerbread cookies which date back to at least the 16th century. Decorated with a stamped pattern, recipes vary, with some substituting honey for sugar, butter for fat, walnuts for hazelnuts and the inclusion of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg alongside pepper. In the past, when pepper was an expensive spice, they were quite rare.
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-traditional-paprenjak-biscuit/
16. Međimurska gibanica
Four filling layer cake called Međimurska or Prekomurska gibanica. If you love poppy seed, apples and cheese, be sure to try this wonder!
Recipe:
http://www.kuhaona.com/en/2018/04/medimurje-gibanica-four-filling-layer-cake/
Also, you can be sure you will not be thirsty 😉
17. Wine
Most likely will be found on every table, either homemade or bought in the shop.
18. Kuhano vino (hot wine)
Scent of hot wine with herbs is one of those which will follow you around the city streets, but also is used at home as warm welcome for guests in cold winter nights.
Recipe:
https://www.croatiaweek.com/how-to-make-kuhano-vino/
19. Rakija ❤
Brandy (schnapps) made from fermented fruit with a help of the Happy machine 🙂
And if you are wondering what is a Happy machine..
That's all folks!
Hope you liked this tasty article 😉
Feel free to put some more recipes or meals you and your families prepare in this Christmas / winter time 😉
And thank you all for your help with subscriptions and my try to reach 1000 of them! 🤗
Please subscribe if you already haven't, and you can send me PM / leave comment with your newspapers and I will sub back 😉
o7
R.
Comments
Gnam 😃
samo mkdonalds i burger king
xD
u japanu je tradicija za božić KFC
Pole!
v6
one Pašticada for me please !
This is smth I can't stop eating.. uh... perfect meal..
o7
vote za sarmu 😘
You are hired! Come to Portugal and do my Christmas food. 🙂
Can I get Severina naked on the table?
So I can make a movie
Hmmm.. here is something nice for start 😃
https://youtu.be/HtCiCCuFWhc
You cant, severina otišla u srbiju i sad je kod milutina....neka tamo i ostane! Dosta je sramotila Hrvatsku! Ali ako hoćeš imamo još ovakvih niškoristi pa samo nosi, Bog da neko hoće i da se mi riješimo ovih romunjsko-turskih pevaljki
Severina only makes movies at yatchs? 🙁
Zašto treba više vremena da se napravi snjegović u obliku 'rvackog crnog vrapčića? Pa treba puno vremena da u snijegu izdubiš šuplju glavu.
Ja bi prije reka, zato što si nesposoban!
MMM...FINooO
Sto je tebi najdraze, sunce moje eRepovsko?
Sto kuha zecetina za uz whiskey? 🙂
aaa jaa najviše volim juhu saa noklicama ili gravće na tavće .
Prodano! 😉
Pigs in blankets
https://wiltshirebacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pig-blanket-1024x445.jpg
Sausages wrapped in bacon, the UK's premier Christmas snack
Uuuuuu yeeees..
I do them with spicy sausages (those for grill 😉)
Or just roll bacon and cheese to the pastery.. mixed egg yolk over them and some herbs on the top.. and they are done after 25mins in the oven..
crispy, spicy, hot.. you can't say to them NO or NOT!
Perfect snack!
looks like fried rabbit dicks
Hmmm.. 🤔
How does one know how fried Rabbit ducks look like? 😃
And this must have been some ultra mega big rabbit 😃
WHERE RUSSIAN VODKA?
In the cocktail 🙂
Vodka
SARMA NEŠTO KAO SARMA JELO PRAVO SARMA!!!
Georgios, najrađe bi se lupio sjekirom u glavu da preskočim i Božić i Novu, taman sam u kalorijskom deficitu.
Fiš paprikaš I do remeber from Slavonia, lovely! 😃
It seems in the Netherlands we have also something like Fritule: oliebollen.
Have fun and eat! 🙂
Where is PEČENKA???
ja pravim dizanicu/gibanicu sa čokoladom 🙂
filanu papriku jedemo u sezoni dok ima svježih vrtnih paprika, kao i svježe ukuhanog soka od paradajaza
i neeee maaast u mlince 😛
mlince skuvam u vodi, 3min max, onda prebacim u posudu/tepsiju i prelijem sa sokom/saftom u kom se pekla perad,
ima masnoće, al je podljevano vodom dok se peklo
i jabuka iz peradi je pustila sok, kao i med kojom je bila premazana
😉
recept za dizanicu s čokoladom 😃
https://i.imgur.com/7NXwqVI.jpg
🤤🤤
Baš znaš sline dotjerati na usta 😛
Hihihi 🙂
Je, i ja sam bila cijelo vrijeme ovak 🤤🤤🤤 dok sam slagala clanak 🙂
Now I want to visit Croatia in xmas 🙂
Uuu, I hope you will!
If you come to Zagreb, feel free to contact me, I would be happy to show you around / and we can organise a little eRep meeting (we like them a lot, and there are always few players happy to come and meet 🙂 )
v45 s459 o7
Thank you!
Will sub back!
o7
R.
Sub 13 😉
subao odavno a sad mogu samo viknut
vote bre
😉
Bote 6pe?
Ili kak se vec pise 😃
Jos ucim 😃
Soon 😛
😃
Kazan na elektro pogone je za pick*!!!
Tako je!
Elekto kazan bi trebao biti smjer glazbe, a ne sredstvo za kuhanje 😃
Sve je dobro, osim ove ribe, jer riba nije meso i...
Ajde ajde, pa nisu niti svi ljudi 😃