Starogrojski Paprenjok - biscuits from Croatia

 These biscuits are typical from Croatia, specifically from the island of Hvar ,their origin is in the city of Stari Grad. In the past they were also widely consumed throughout the Dalmatian coast.

They are eaten at all family parties and are highly appreciated for being very durable. In fact in the past, it was a gift that the guests used to give to the bride and groom on their wedding day, the bride and groom had to keep them and consume them when they had their first child.

The sailors' wives and mothers used to make these cookies for sailors to take with them on long voyages, they knew that they were going to have a good sweet for the whole trip.

They are made with sweet wine, honey and a set of spices called 'prapen' with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

Ingredients:

For the dough

- 500 grams flour.

- 250 grams honey.

- 62 ml olive oil.

- 75 ml sweet wine.

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

- 1 teaspoon baking soda.

- 1 teaspoon nutmeg.

- 1 teaspoon cloves.

- 0,5 grams saffron strands.

For the decoration

- 250 grams cast sugar.

- 1 lemon juice.

- 1 egg white.

Method:

1- Put the wine in a saucepan together with the cloves , turn on the fire until it boils.

2- Turn off the heat and add the saffron threads, let the wine get cool.

3- In a bowl, mix the honey with nutmeg, cinnamon and baking soda.

4- When the wine is cold, strain it and add it to the honey bowl, mix everything well.

5- Add the flour and oil, mix and knead until everything is well integrated, make a ball with the dough and cover it with cling film.

Let it rest for 5 or 6 hours.

6- Take portions of the dough and with the help of a rolling pin flatten the dough on a flat surface.

Use cookie molds to cut the dough, also use some stamps to make some drawing on the surface of the cookie.

7- Line a tray with baking paper and place the cookies on it, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes, and then bake at the same temperature for 20 minutes, heat up and down.

8- You can decorate the cookies on the same or another day, the advantage is that these cookies can last for many months, so you won't lose them.

To decorate the cookies we are going to prepare the icing.

Put an egg white in a bowl and beat until it is white and you can make peaks with it and the peaks do not fall off.

Add the icing sugar little by little while stirring.

9- Add lemon juice and continue stirring.

10- Once the mixture is added, cover it with cling film, you can keep it in the fridge until you decide to decorate the cookies.

Croatian women traditionally use a pin to decorate, they dip it in the icing and then make some drawings on the biscuits.

You already have some cookies that you can use at Christmas even if you make them in summer!

Receta en Español

You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:

Here you have my  favourite cooking tools: https://viaja-en-mi-cocina-english.blogspot.com/2023/05/shop.html

Croatia

Drap:
De Nightstallion, Elephantus, Neoneo13, Denelson83, Rainman, R-41, Minestrone, Lupo, Zscout370,MaGa (based on Decision of the Parliament) - http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?sec=4317, Dominio público, Enlace

Cod Burgos style

 Cod Burgos style is a typical dish from the region of Burgos at Castilla y León. 

The origin of the dish is placed at Santa Clara convent in Lerma. It was the year 1610 when nuns received salted cod from Felipe the III , the cod was guarded in the convent cellars.

Nuns cooked the cod together with vegetables from their orchard.

Ingredients:

- 4 salted cod fillets.

- 1 garlic clove.

- 2 onions.

- olive oil.

- 2 red peppers.

Method:

1- Soak cod for 48 hours, during this time change the water 6 times.

2- Cut into slices the garlic, onions and peppers. Put garlic and onions in a frying pan with olive oil , sautée for 2 minutes.

3- Add peppers, cook until pepper gets tender. I did not add salt because cod always remains salty.

4- Take an oven proof dish, put half of the onions and peppers  on the base of the dish.

5- Put the cod fillets on top of onions and peppers.

6- Put the rest of onios and peppers on top of the cod fillets.

7- Preheat oven at 150 ºC, then cook the cod at the same temperature for 20 minutes.

Receta en Español

You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:

Burgos

Castillian soup

                                                                                                                        Receta en Español

 Castillian soup is tipical from several Spain regions, it receives that name because Castilla is the region where it was cooked for the first time. This recipe has a humble origin, depending on the region and the family economy more or less ingredients can be used, the minimum ingredients are broth, bread, garlic, paprika and egg.

Today I present to you the version from Burgos where they add ham to the previous named ingredients.

Ingredients:

- 1 l meat broth.

- 3 garlic gloves.

- 1 tablespoon paprika.

- olive oil.

- 1 bread from the previous day.

- 1 egg by person.

- 100 grams ham.

Method:

1- Use some meat to make meat broth,  I used one bone and some portions of chicken and meat ,all mixed with a large quantity of water and some salt. I used the pressure cooker, put it on a high heat until the steam goes out, and then on a low heat for 1 hour.

2- Cut the garlic into slices and sautée it with some oil.

3- Cut ham into little cubes and add it to the casserole , cook for 2 more minutes.

4- Cut bread into thin slices, add it to the casserole.

5- Add paprika and cook everything for 3 minutes.

6- Add the broth to the casserole, put it on a high heat until it reaches boiling point.

Then put it on a low heat and cook for 15 minutes.

7- Now whisk the eggs, add them to the soup little by little , always stirring the soup while the egg is pouring.

and there you have it.

It is a tasty dish, comforting in winter and very easy to cook.

You can see the elaboration on my youtube channel:

Burgos

Moqueca de Peixe

                                                                               Receta en Español

Moqueca is a very popular dish in Brazil, especially in Salvador de Bahía.

The main ingredient are prawns or ,most of the times, fish (peixe in portuguese).

Other important ingredients are coconut milk and Palm oil , the mix provides a wonderful taste. There is no problem to use palm oil , the bad palm oil is the refined one, the palm oil used for cooking is not too much refined furthermore, it has some health benefits.

Ingredients (4 people):

-  4 fish fillets.Cod or sea bass.
-  3 chopped garlic cloves.
-  3 tablespoons olive oil.
-  2 large chopped onions.
-  Half a Onion cut into slices.
-  3 tablespoons Palm oil.
-  200 ml coconut milk.
-  360 ml water.
-  1 green pepper into slices.
-  1 red pepper into slices.
-  2 sliced tomatoes.
-  1/2 bunch of chopped chives.
-  1/2 bunch of chopped fresh coriander.
-  Salt.
-  White rice to accompany.
-  Juice of one lemon.

Method:

1- Wash fish fillets, marinate them with salt,garlic and lemon juice. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2- Pour some oil in a pan, sautée chopped onion at medium heat. (Don't use sliced onion).

3- Add fish and cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

4- Add Palm oil and the sliced onion, cook for 2 minutes.

5- Add coconut milk, water and cook for 15 minutes.

6- Add peppers, tomatoes, coriander, chives,salt and cook for 15 more minutes.

7- Serve accompanied by white rice.

You can also see the VideoRecipe here:

                                                   https://youtu.be/nWJqzeYn4ks



My comments to the recipe

It is a tasty dish, the mixture of coconut milk and palm oil provides an especial taste and softness.
Don't fear using palm oil, it is not bad and provides the typical taste of this dish.
If you have leftovers of the coriander or chives, you can freeze it.

Where to buy the ingredients

Coconut milk can be bought at every shop where they sell latin products.
Near Metro Lavapies , you can find the Miguel Servet Street where there are a lot of multicultural food stores selling this kind of oil, Palm oil.

Brazil