Montenegrin cuisine
Montenegrin cuisine is a result of Montenegro's geographic position and its long history.
Review
The traditional dishes of Montenegro's heartland and its Adriatic coast have a distinctively Italian flavour which shows in the bread-making style, the way meat is cured and dried, cheese making, wine and spirits, the soup and stew (čorba) making style, palenta, stuffed peppers, meatballs, priganice, raštan etc. The second large influence came from the Levant and Turkey, largely via Serbia: sarma, musaka, pilav, pita, gibanica, burek, ćevapi, and Turkish sweets like baklava and tulumba etc. Hungarian dishes goulash, satarash, djuvech are also very common. Last, continental Europe made its mark mostly in the desserts department. Crêpes, doughnuts, jams, myriad types of biscuits and cakes, all make a contribution to the average Montenegrin's waist-line. Vienna-style bread is the most prevalent type of bread in the shops.
Montenegrin cuisine also varies geographically; the cuisine in the coastal area differs from the one in the northern highland region. The coastal area is traditionally a representative of Mediterranean cuisine, with seafood being a common dish.
Common dishes
Bread (Hljeb)
Homemade bread style prepared in Montenegro is closest to what is known in Italy as Pane di Casa. It is served with every meal.
Breakfast
Soups
Montenegrin language distinguishes between a clear soup (supa, pronounced [ˈsupə]), a thick soup or stew (čorba [ˈtʃɔrbə], and a porridge-style dish (kaša [ˈkəʃə]). Soups are usually served as the first course of dinner at mid-day:
- Kokošija Supa (Chicken Broth)
- Goveđa/Juneća/Teleća Supa (Beef/Calf Broth)
- Jagnjeća Supa (Lamb Broth)
Traditionally, after the broth is made, a handful of rice is added to the pot to make the soup more substantial. Nowadays, pasta took over as the preferred addition.
- Čorba od koprive (Nettle chowder)
- Čorba od koprive sa sirom (Nettle chowder with cheese)
- Čobanska krem supa od vrganja (Shepherd cream soup with mushrooms (Boletus))
- Otkos čorba (Otkos (cut hay) chowder)
- Čorba od crnjaka (Black onion chowder)
- Ječmena kaša sa pečurkama (Barley porridge with mushrooms)
- Kaša sa pečurkama (Mushroom porridge)
- Kaša od rezanaca (Noodle porridge)
Main course
- Kuvani Brav (Boiled Lamb), akin to the Irish stew.
- Brav u Mlijeku (Lamb cooked in Milk), a national dish of Albanians from Montenegro.
- Kačamak (Palenta) - buttered potato and corn meal in Skorup (fresh salted cream), served with cold milk, buttermilk or jogurt.
- Kuvana Krtola (boiled potato halves), served with cold jogurt, cheese or fresh cream.
- Ukljeva (Smoked and dried bleak)
- Krap (Smoked and fresh carp, from Skadar lake (Skadarsko jezero)).
- Pastrva (Fresh water trout)
- Raštan - a slightly bitter, sturdy dark-green vegetable from the Cabbage family, similar to Italian cavolo nero, it has been grown in the region for over 2000 years. It is deliciously cooked into a stew with smoked pork ribs or Ham hocks.
- Zelje u kokote na kastradinu - Cooked headed cabbage with smoked and dried mutton
- Japraci - Dolma made with Raštan leaves, served with Mashed potato.
- Čorbast Pasulj - Bean stew with smoked ribs and various types of salami and sausages. The style is quite similar to French Cassoulet, Fabada and Feijoada from the Iberian cuisine.
- Maune (Green Bean Stew).
- Grašak (Peas and beef stew).
- Balšića tava - Fried veal with an assortment of vegetables and dairy products.
- Paštrovski makaruli - A type of homemade macaroni with olive oil and cheese from brine.
Seafood dishes
Salads
The most common salads served in Montenegrin homes:
- Pamidora Salata (Tomato Salad) - similar to Bruschetta topping: tomato, onion, olive oils and rock sea salt.
- Zelena Salata (Green Salad) - spring lettuce and spring onion combination, with olive oil, salt and vinegar dressing
- Ajvar (fried or roasted Capsicum relish)
- Kisjelo Zelje (Sauerkraut)
- Barske masline - "Bar's" homemade olives
Dessert
A piece of seasonal fruit is the most common way to end the meal. The proper sweets are usually served on their own, around tea-time or at any time coffee is served.
Dairy products
Cheeses
- Njeguški sir - special cheese, kept in oil.
- Skorup - salted cottage cheese.
- Pivski Kajmak - a type of salted cottage cheese from the Piva region.
- Cijeli Sir- whole cheese, made from un-boiled milk.
- Prljo - cheese made from skimmed milk.
- Žetica - cheese made from un-boiled milk.
- Buča - a kind of cheese made from un-boiled milk.
Pitas
- Sukača (gužvara) a pastry or pie made through the process of "crowding")
- Koturača (wheel-like)(exclusively made from domestic wheat)
- Pita izljevuša (Brkanica) a pastry made by the process of "casting")
- Zeljanica (a pastry made with green herbs)
- Heljdija
Other dishes
Breakfast
- Burek - the most popular fast food in the country.
Main course
Dessert
Grill based dishes (Roštilj)
Affordable fast food:
Beverages
Non-alcoholic
Most common non-alcoholic drink in Montenegrin homes is the famed Pomegranate syrup. Turkish coffee is also almost unavoidable in any but the most brief meeting or a visit.
See also
External links
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