North Croatian Butternut Squash Stew Buce Cuspajz Recipes

NORTH CROATIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW (BUCE CUSPAJZ)

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.

NORTH CROATIAN CUCUMBER STEW ("CUSPAJZ OD KRASTAVACA")

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.

NORTH CROATIAN KOHLRABI STEW (KOLORABA CUSPAJZ)

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.

NORTH CROATIAN GREEN PEAS STEW ("GRASAK CUSPAJZ")

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot and add flour. Fry it until becoming brownish than add water and make creamy liquid.
• Add some water and when boils add all green peas, parsley leaves, salt, and thyme.
• Add water just to cover peas and cook abut 30 minutes or peas become soft.

CROATIAN SPINACH STEW ( SPINAT CUSPAJZ")

Steps:

• Clean the spinach leaves and put them in boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Drain the leaves and using large knife (or multi-practic machine): cut them to mash.
• Take a pot, melt butter, add flour and garlic, and add cold water to make a kind of "sauce veloutè".
• Add mashed spinach pour milk (or cream) season with salt and pepper.
• Nutmeg is optional.
• Cook for 10 minutes.

KHORESH KADOO HALVAII (BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bring 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan or kettle, or using the microwave, then let stand for 2 minutes to allow the temperature to drop slightly while you grind the saffron. Using a mortar and pestle (or small bowl and the handle of a wooden spoon), grind the saffron with a pinch of sugar to a fine powder (scant 1/4 teaspoon), add the hot water, gently stir, cover and let steep until ready to use.
• Place the butternut squash in a mound in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt, and season with pepper. Toss to combine. Scatter the squash across the baking sheet in an even layer, and roast for 10 minutes. Flip the squash and roast until golden and almost tender, about 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium-high, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle the onion with a little salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, season well with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With the back of a wooden spoon, crush a few chickpeas to release their starches. Taste the chickpeas and make sure they're seasoned to your liking.
• Push the chickpeas to the sides and make a little space in the middle of the pot; if the pot is dry, drizzle in a little more oil. Add the tomato paste to the oil to cook off its raw taste, stirring continuously and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute. Mix the tomato paste with the chickpeas, add 2 cups water and bring to a gentle boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the prunes and half of the saffron water. Stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the roasted squash, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and the remaining saffron water. Gently stir to combine, cover and simmer over low heat until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. The stew should be saucy but not soupy: add more water if the stew is too thick, or simmer uncovered if it's too loose. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice or a little more sugar if needed to balance all the flavors. Serve over rice with herbs, scallions and a dollop of plain yogurt.

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.

CROATIAN KALE (SAVOY CABBAGE) STEW (KELJ CUSPAJZ)

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.

SOUTH AMERICAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

Steps:

• Peel squash using a potato peeler.
• Cut squash in half; remove seeds and reserve to roast.
• Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium heat.
• Add sausage; cook breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon, until sausage is brown on allsides, about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
• Stir in squash, tomatoes, broth, jalapeo, oregano, and smoked paprika.
• Partially cover pot; reduce heat to medium low.
• Cook stew, stirring occasionally, until squash is almost tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add beans and corn.
• Partially cover pot, cook 10 minutes longer.
• Stir in cilantro.
• Season stew with salt & pepper. (Serve hot sauce on the side).
• TO ROAST SQUASH SEEDS:.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Line a baking sheer with parchment paper.
• Rinse reserved seeds to remove any fibrous strands.
• Dry seeds with paper towels.
• Toss seeds with1 T extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Roast seeds on prepared baking sheet for 15 minutes.
• GARNISH:.
• Crumbled feta cheese or Cotija cheese.
• Roasted squash seeds.