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Food Safari delves into the delicious world of Croatian food and Maeve enlists her friend Dennis Valcich, chef, author and passionate promoter of the food from his homeland to run through the key ingredients used in the cuisine. He demonstrates a simple and delicious recipe from his home on the Dalmatian coast – artichoke cooked simply with potatoes and broad beans.
Also from Dalmatia, Melbourne chef Ino Kuvacic from Dalmatino Restaurant, who makes the dish beloved of all - a brodet - fish stew served on polenta. As well as the coastline, the inland of Croatia is represented with a range of smallgoods made by long time king of Croatian smallgoods Ivan Spehar, who brought the famous skinless sausage cevapcici to many Australians.
Homecook and matriarch, Branka Roncevic makes the famous cabbage rolls which are served with creamy mashed potato. Her son Frank continues a family tradition of the big Sunday cookout using a bell-shaped Croatian outdoor oven called a peka, which transforms anything cooked in it into a masterpiece. Also using meat and flame, well known restaurateur Tonci Farac from Wildfire Restaurant on Sydney's Circular Quay cooks a magnificent rack of lamb on the barbecue using salt and rosemary to add simple flavours. Prodigious sweets maker Mira Valcich whips up simple biscuits with a plum jam filling to finish.
Featured Businesses
Balkan Continental Restaurant
209 Oxford St
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
02 9360 4970
Dalmatino
280 Bay St
Port Melbourne Vic 3207
(03) 9645 6584
De Costi Seafoods
Sydney Fish Market
Gipps St
Pyrmont NSW 2009
(02) 9692 9188
Ivan's Butchery
141 Waldron Rd
Chester Hill NSW 2162
(02) 9645 5099
Jadran Hajduk Croatian Club
130 Edensor Rd
St. Johns Park NSW 2176
(02) 9610 1189
Melbourne Wholesale Fish Market
440-468 Footscray Rd
West Melbourne VIC 3003
1800 353723
Trim's Fresh
Shop 79, Stockland Mall
Polding St
Wetherill Park NSW 2164
(02) 9609 7179
Wildfire Restaurant
Overseas Passenger Terminal
Circular Quay West
The Rocks NSW 2000
(02) 8273 1222
Zenja
Shop 1, 5 George St
North Strathfield NSW 2137
(02) 9746 9334
Featured Food & Recipes
Hot Tips
Alternatives to herring
While fresh European herring is a popular ingredient in Polish cuisine, it is not available in Australia. Alternatives include imported pickled herring or Australian Herring, which, while unrelated to European herring, is a suitable alternative.
Glossary
Maraschino
A type of sweetened cherry or an Italian cherry cordial.
