Restaurant Name: Everywhere
Fresh grilled squid (Lignje na zaru), golden and pink on the outside, tender white flesh and curly, little tentacles - five or six to a serve early in the season, four or five later when they were bigger - it was so delicious, we ate it at every opportunity - and there were plenty of those. This dish must be on just about every Croatian restaurant menu. Traditionally served with a side dish of braised Swiss chard and potatoes, it's at its absolute best when simply cooked and seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt.
You'll need to check to see if the squid has been cleaned or cooked whole - (this is not really for the squeamish) ie with the intestines and other organs still in place, not a good taste and I'd recommend they be removed before eating. You might also find the blade of cartilage still in the hood - it's easy enough to take it out.
It was always good, but the standout was in Hvar's Palaca Paladini - more expensive than most but soooo good and served in the courtyard of a Renaissance palace to boot - but it doesn't need to be served in a palace to be good - there were plenty of little places in squares and by harbours, and even a konoba on the top of a mountain (Vdova Gora on Brac), who served it really well.
Favorite Dish: You may not be able find such perfect little squid at home, but green vegetables and potato are universal and this recipe is as much a part of a Croatian holiday as the seafood it traditionally accompanies.
Quantities are a case of what you have - and how many you're cooking for
Ingredients:
Swiss Chard (aka silver beet, mangold or perpetual spinach - green leafy part only, not the white stalks)
Potatoes
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Remove the stalks and the central rib of the chard and any damaged leaves . Rinse well.
2. Peel the potatoes, and cut them into medium sized pieces. Parboil in salted water until half-cooked.
3. Add chard to the potatoes, and cook until both vegetables are soft.
4. Whilst the potatoes and chard are cooking, peel the garlic and chop finely.
5. Drain the vegetables well.
6. Heat some olive oil in a pan gently and add garlic to it. Fry for a minute or two but be careful not to let it burn - it will be bitter if you do. Add the chard and potatoes to the oil and garlic.
7. Cook the vegetables gently (you're braising, not frying) until any liquid given off by the chard has evaporated and the flavour of garlic and olive oil has permeated the chard and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
8. You can break the potatoes up a bit with the back of a spoon if you like - this will make the dish creamier.
Simple and delicious.
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on Aug 27, 2009
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