#otoklopud

[thenhomad]

Buzaru: a savory seafood dish of Croatia (and recipe!) Obala (Otok Lopud, Croatia)

The mysterious seaside gem of Eastern Europe has always been on my list, but I never thought I’d get there. To my pleasant surprise, I got to spend a week in beautiful Croatia swimming, kayaking, hiking and eating my way through Dubrovnik, Lopud Island and Cavtat. What an unforgettable trip and equally unforgettable cuisine.

The cuisine is seafood heavy and the taste is shockingly rich due to the salt content and cleanliness of the Adriatic Sea. They have the most fantastic wood-fired pizza and homemade pasta (Fusi) perhaps because it’s right across the pond from Italy. The meat (which I did not have) also seems splendid and highlighted traditionally in the form of stews (Pasticada) with beef and lamb. Perhaps the best meal I had in Croatia was a traditional seafood buzaru. Buzaru actually means stew and can also take the form of buzara, buzzara and bouzzara. Yes, it’s confusing but it boils down to a simple fact: it’s freaking delicious. For anyone who truly loves cioppino, this is for you- Dalmatian style.

Traditionally, buzaru is made with what Croatians call skampi which are like massive prawns but bigger, better and sweeter (longostines would be the closest) or dagnje (mussels). The dish I had was at a fine restaurant called Obala on the main “road” in Otok Lopud. For 360 kuna (approximately $54 USD), I received a piping hot stockpot (literally a stockpot) full of lobster, mussels, scampi, prawns, oysters and mussels simmered in a very rich tomato, wine, garlic and cognac sauce. This may very well have been in the top 3 dishes of my lifetime thus far...

Below is a recipe from Saveur. You can use longoustines which will be the closest to scampi; you can also do a variety of shellfish to your liking. In any event, you’re sure to enjoy it- just don’t forget a nice wine and some crusty bread. If you de-shell the seafood, I won’t forgive you, ever.

Ingredients              

1⁄3 cup olive oil            

1⁄4 cup bread crumbs           

8 cloves garlic, minced           

1⁄2  small yellow onion, minced          

 3 tbsp. cognac or brandy            

3⁄4 cup dry white wine           

2 tbsp. tomato paste           

1  (15-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, puréed             

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste           

1 1⁄2 lb. raw, unpeeled langoustines or shrimp, heads on           

1 tbsp. minced parsley           

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice             

Country bread, for serving        

Instructions             

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Cook bread crumbs until golden, 2–3 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Wipe skillet clean; heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and onion until golden, 5–7 minutes. Slide pan off heat, add cognac, and, using a match, carefully ignite; return to heat and cook until flames die, 1–2 minutes. Add wine, paste, tomatoes, salt, and pepper; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add langoustines. Cook, covered, until pink, 4–5 minutes. Stir in reserved bread crumbs, the parsley, and lemon juice; serve with bread.