North Croatian Beans Soup Recipes

NORTH CROATIAN FRENCH BEANS STEW ("CUSPAJZ OD MAHUNA")

Steps:

• Clean the French beans and cut into 5 cm long pieces.
• Boil the water and put French beans into boiling water and cook not more than 10 minutes. Drain the beans and put aside.
• During this melt lard and saute finely minced onion, than add flour and fry flour (not too much) with finely minced garlic. Add cold water and stir until you get creamy mixture, add paprika, salt pepper and vinegar. Add some more water, heat it and add French beans.
• Cover with water and cook until beans are soft or 30 minutes. At the end add sour cream, stir and serve.

NORTH CROATIAN BEANS AND PEAR BARLEY STEW (RICHET)

Steps:

• Day before soak beans in cold water.
• On D-day change the water and cook beans until almost done.
• Finely slice garlic and bacon and put it in a pot. Melt lard and fry flour until brownish together with garlic and bacon.
• Add paprika and cold water to make creamy mixture.
• Wash barley and add into the pot together with drained beans.
• Add bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 30 more minutes or until beans and buckwheat are soft.
• This meal must be almost like thick soup and not too hot.