North Croatian Beef Cutlet Recipes

NORTH CROATIAN BEEF CUTLET

Steps:

• Put grounded beef and pork into large glass bowl. Soak bread in cold water and after few minutes squeeze bread with hand to extract water; than put bread into meat.
• Add egg, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce.
• Cut leek into very thin pieces up to green parts (before it become full green) and add into meat.
• Very finely mince garlic and put into meat. Now, mix really well to make a smooth meat pile.
• Make cutlets with a tablespoon (approx. 100 to 150 g each) and shape them with hands, put into breadcrumbs to cover the cutlet. Now they are ready to fry. You can also make smaller meat balls and do what ever you want to do.

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.

THINLY SLICED BEEF CUTLETS WITH BISTRO GRAVY

Steps:

• Pop the steak into the freezer for 10-15 minutes: you want it cold and firm but not frozen.
• Slice the semi-frozen tenderloin steak into 8 thin discs about a quarter inch thick so it's the thickness of scaloppine.
• Set up three shallow dishes for breading: place 2 cups of flour in one, mix the breadcrumbs and parsley in another, then beat the eggs with some water in the last one.
• Season the tenderloin cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides then turn lightly into the flour.
• Next, coat the cutlets in egg mixture then into the breadcrumb-parsley mixture.
• Repeat for all 8 cutlets.
• Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil.
• Cook the beef cutlets in a single layer, in 2 batches if necessary, about 2-3 minutes on each side, until cutlets are is evenly browned.
• Remove the cutlets to a platter and tent with some foil to keep warm.
• Give the skillet a quick wipe with a paper towel, place it back over the heat and melt the butter.
• Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and smoked paprika, cook for a minute, then add remaining tablespoon flour and cook for another minute.
• Whisk in the beef stock and season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, stir in capers and remaining parsley, and reserve.
• To serve, place a beef cutlet onto a platter and top with the bistro gravy and remaining chopped parsley.

NORTH CROATIAN GREEN PEAS SOUP

Steps:

• Clean the green peas and put it into hot water for 5 minutes. Grate of slice carrot and sauté on butter; after a while, mince onion and sauté both on butter until onion is translucent.
• Add finely sliced pancetta and sauté not more than 5 minutes. Add flour and fry about 2 minutes, than add cold water and make creamy liquid (like sauce veloute).
• Cut green parts of spring onion, mince parsley and celery leaves and add into pot. Add green pea and about 1 liter of beef stock. Add salt and pepper.
• Cook until green peas are soft. When soft, remove green pea and blend it into puree (leave 1/6 of peas untouched). You can blend it with stick blender so you do not have to remove geen pea. Add thyme and cook 15 minutes.
• At the end add sour cream and minced chive. Serve with croutons.

BEEF CUTLETS

Steps:

• Mix all upto the egg ingredients well.
• (You can blend them together too to a coarse paste for a variation) Form into 16-18 cutlets that are of a diameter of around 2 inches when flattened or make them 3 inches across so get around 11-12.
• Coat with the bread crumbs or semolina (I prefer the semolina).
• Heat a little oil in a pan (maybe a tblsp per round) to a medium high and shallow fry on low for around 5-6 minutes on each side (as many as the pan can take per round) or till they are cooked to the level you like.
• Add a little more oil if you require.
• I normally use non-stick pans and so need a minimum of oil.
• (1 litre lasts over a month and a half in my household).

NORTH CROATIAN DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauté finely minced onion on butter and when transparent add flour. Sauté for 2 more minutes and add water and make creamy sauce.
• Mince dill and add into sauce. Season it with salt and pepper. Add some water and cook 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix yolk, lemon juice and sour cream. Before serving cool sauce to 70°C and add sour cream mixture. Stir and serve.

NORTH CROATIAN CREAMY VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Finely mince onion and sauté it on butter until translucent.
• In the meantime, cut and mince all vegetables into small pieces and put into sautéed onion.
• Add all beef stock, season with salt and pepper and cook 40 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
• Blend all vegetables with blender or stick blender into creamy liquid. Add thyme and nutmeg and cook 10-15 minutes.
• Add sour cream before serving. Serve hot with croutons.

CROATIAN BEEF SOUP

Steps:

• Put cold water in a pot (appropriate large pot). If you want better soup put beef in cold water, if you want better beef meat put it in hot water.
• Rind carrots, onion, parsley, celery and put all other ingredients into water. Boil and after it boils reduce heat and cook for 3 to 4 hours.
• Filter the soup.
• If you want, put into strained soup carrots, and add noodles or whatever you like in soup, sprinkle with freshly minced parsley leafs and serve.

CRISP FRIED BEEF CUTLETS

Steps:

• Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
• Dip each cutlet in beaten eggs, and then dip in crumb mixture. Make sure they are evenly coated.
• Heat oil over medium heat.
• Add butter and, when melted, increase heat to medium-high.
• When oil-butter mixture is almost smoking, place cutlets in skillet, and fry until crisp and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Drain them on paper towels and fry remaining cutlets in same manner.
• You can keep them warm in the oven as you cook the rest.