Croatian Kale Stew Kelj Cuspajz Recipes

Steps:

• Wash the leek very thoroughly (there might be some mud between the leaves) and cut them in 1 inch pieces (also the green parts, at least nice looking one).
• Preheat the water and when it boils put the leek in it and leave it boil for one minute.
• During this operation prepare this: put lard in a pot, heat it and brown flour in lard (but not too brown).
• Add grounded paprika and just few drops of cold water to make "zafrig" (a kind of "sauce veloutè").
• Take out leek with hollow spoon, add sliced potato in small cubes and water you have cooked leek in it.
• Season with salt and pepper and cook until potato is soft (10-20 minutes).
• Serve as a side dish to steaks, sausages, dried smoked ham etc.

Steps:

• In 4-quart or larger slow cooker, mix sausage, potatoes, onion, tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add water. Top mixture with chopped kale.
• Cover; cook on High heat setting 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours.
• If needed, season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to medium bowl. To potatoes, add milk and butter; mash until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, and more milk if needed.
• Serve stew with mashed potatoes on top.

Steps:

• Wash the savoy cabbage and cut it in 1 inch pieces.
• Preheat the water and when it boils put the savoy cabbage in it and leave it boil for one minute.
• During this operation prepare this: put lard in a pot, heat it and add finely sliced garlic and bacon (pancetta), brown flour in lard (but not too brown).
• Add ground paprika and just few drops of cold water to make "zafrig" (a kind of "sauce veloutè").
• Take out savoy cabbage with hollow spoon, add sliced potato in small cubes and water you have cooked kale in it.
• Season with salt and pepper and cook until potato is soft (10-20 minutes).
• Serve as a side dish to steaks, sausages, dried smoked ham etc.

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage to narrow strips approximately 5mm wide and 2-5 cm long.
• Heat water with vinegar and when it boils put cabbage in it.
• Cook for 3 minutes.
• During this put sliced bacon (in small cubes) on fat until transparent, add flour and brown it.
• Add cold water, tomato juice.
• Take out cabbage with hollow spoon, and throw the water out.
• Add caraway seeds, season with salt and pepper.
• Cook about 30 minutes or until cabbage softens.
• Serve as a side dish to sausages, pork chops, and similar meat and mashed potato.

Steps:

• Peel kohlrabi like you peel apples. Remove leaves (don't throw away baby leaves, you can slice them and put into stew later) and cut kohlrabi like you cut potato for French fry potato, but just little bit thicker.
• Melt lard (or butter) in a pot, add flour and sauté it 1 minute. Add water and make creamy liquid. Add sliced kohlrabi and add water to cover the vegetable. Add salt and pepper and baby leaves if you want.
• Cook about 30 minutes or until kohlrabi softens.
• At the end add sour cream, stir well and serve.

Steps:

• Cut butternut squash into stripes like thick spaghetti (we buy it usually already cut on the market).
• Salt it and add vinegar and leave it stay for 60 minutes. It must start to leave juices.
• Melt lard and add finely minced onion. Sauté onions until translucent, add flour, stir it until brownish; add cold water and make creamy liquid.
• Add red paprika and some more water.
• Squeeze squash with hands to remove water from it and than add into a pot. Stir it and add some fresh water to cover it.
• Cook gently (it can easily burn) until butternut squash is soft. Before serving add minced dill and sour cream. Serve with pork schnitzels and potato.

Steps:

• Peel the cucumbers and cut them as for salad. Salt it and put aside for 10 minutes.
• Melt lard and add finely minced garlic and flour and sauté it until flour become brownish. Add paprika and stir well. Add cold water and make creamy liquid.
• Squeeze cucumbers with hand to extract bitter liquid and add cucumbers into the pot. Add vinegar, salt and pepper and cover with water.
• Cook not more than 30 minutes. Before serving add sour cream and stir.