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“So many of the recipes in this book are dishes that I grew up
eating. If there’s something I would like you to take
away from this book, it’s thefeeling of honesty and warmth.”M
y love and appreciation for food and wine runs deep – my maternal
ancestors were one of the largest wine-merchant families throughout the
18th and 19th centuries in coastal Croatia.
I was born and raised in Split, Dalmatia’s largest city, probably best known for
the 4th-century Roman emperor Diocletian’s palace, which forms much of the city
centre. I spent my childhood years living between the old family home in Split and
our holiday house on the nearby island of Šolta.
Some of my most profound childhood memories are of wine-making and
olive-picking in my family’s vineyards and olive groves. My father’s ancestors were
proud Croatian farmers, working the dry Dalmatian land, which consists mainly of
rock and only a little soil. They weren’t able to produce much, but what the harvest
lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality and flavour.
So many of the recipes in this book are dishes that I grew up eating and
watching being prepared by my family, especially my grandmother Tomica
and her sister Ljube. I’ve tried to stay as true as possible to them and if there’s
something I would like you to take away from this book, it’s the feeling of honesty
and warmth – and of course the importance of using produce of the highest
available quality, which has always been the backbone of my cooking.
I hope you enjoy this journey through Dalmatia’s cuisine and some of my own
personal culinary memories.Scampi in garlic, white wine
and tomato
Škampi na buzaru
“This is one of the most-loved dishes in Croatia,” says
Ino Kuvačić. “It’s a typical fisherman’s recipe – simple
but delicious. If I have a special dinner party guest
I want to impress, škampi na buzaru is definitely on
the menu. Once you try it, you’ll realise what all the
fuss is about. Scampi from the Adriatic Sea are of
exceptional quality. There’s a whole culture around
eating scampi. Use your fingers to take them from the
shell and then take your time eating them – they’re so
full of flavour and every single bit is delicious. Soak up
the juices with crusty bread.”
Serves 4
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 kg scampi (about 12)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
125 ml (½ cup) tomato passata
1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread (optional), to serve1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over high
heat, being careful not to let it start smoking.
Add the scampi and sauté them on each side
for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and
cook for few seconds (be careful not to let the
garlic brown – it will make the dish taste bitter).
Add the white wine, passata and breadcrumbs
and season to taste with sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid
and cook for another 15 minutes, shaking the
pan frequently so the scampi don’t stick to the
bottom and burn. If the sauce is too thick add
a touch of water.
2 Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the
crusty bread. Provide finger bowls of water and
lemon for your diners – this dish can get messy.
NoteScampi may need to be ordered ahead from
your fishmonger.>