Cuisine of Montenegro
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cuisine_of_Montenegro".

Montenegrin cuisine is a result of Montenegro's geographic position and its long history.

The traditional dishes of Montenegro's heartland and its Adriatic coast have a distinctively Italian flavour which shows in the bread-making style, the way meat is cured and dried, cheesemaking, wine and spirits, the soup and stew making style, polenta, stuffed capsicums, meatballs, priganice, Raštan, etc..

The second large influence came from the Levant and Turkey, lately largely via Serbia: sarma, musaka, pilav, pita, burek, Ćevapi, kebab and Turkish sweets like baklava and tulumba etc.

Hungarian dishes goulash, satarash, djuvech are also very common.

Last but not least, continental Europe made its mark mostly in the desserts department. crêpes, doughnuts, jams, myriad types of biscuits and cakes, all make a contribution to the average Montenegrin's waist-line. Vienna-style bread is the most prevalent type of bread in the shops.

Montenegrin cuisine also varies geographically; the cuisine in the coastal area differs from the one in the northern highland region. The coastal area is traditionally a representative of Mediterranean cuisine, with seafood being a common dish.

Classic Montenegrin Dishes

Cold Antipasto (a.k.a Meza)

It is usually the welcoming guesture offered to any respected guest. Classic style Meza platter includes:

• Njeguška pršuta - local type of Prosciutto.
• thinly sliced Cacciatore-style smoked Salami.
• Kastradina (smoked and dried mutton).
• Njeguški cheese and
• Pljevaljski cheese.

As a side, it is accompanied with pickles (green tomatoes or gherkins) and green olives marinated in olive-oil and garlic. Roasted capsicums marinated in olive oil with garlic are also very common offering.

Inevitably, a glass of Loza will follow, accompanied with a glass of water. It should be sipped slowly, completely the opposite of the way it is drunk elsewhere i.e. bottoms-up. It is there to be slowly enjoyed and appreciated.

Bread (Hljeb or Ljeb)

Homemade bread style prepared in Montenegro is closest to what is known in Italy as Panne di Casa. It is served with every meal.

• Ječmeni (Barley Bread)
• Ražani (Rye Bread)
• Pšenični (Wheat Bread)
• Rumetinov (Corn Bread)

Breakfast

• Cicvara - stewed corn meal in Skorup (salted and then compressed fresh cream).
• Pita with Kiśelo mlijeko (buttermilk or yoghurt).
• Popara
• Bread with Skorup

Soups

Montenegrin language distinguishes between a clear soup (Supa, pronounced as soop-uh), thick soup-stew (Čorba, pronounced as chore-buh) and porridge-style dish( Kaša, pronounced as kuh-shuh). Soups are usually served as the first course of Lunch, the largest meal of the day:

• Kokošija Supa (Chicken Broth)
• Goveđa/Juneca/Teleca Supa (Beef/Calf Broth)
• Jagnjeća Supa (Lamb Broth)

Traditionally, after the broth is made, a handful of rice is added to the pot to make the soup more substantial. Nowadays, pasta took over as the preferred addition.

• Čorba od koprive (Nettle chowder)
• Čorba od kopriva sa sirom (Nettle chowder with cheese)
• Čobanska krem supa od vrganja (Shepherd cream soup with mushrooms (Boletus))
• Otkos čorba (Otkos (cut hay) chowder)
• Čorba od crnjaka (Black onion chowder)
• Ječmena kaša sa pečurkama (Barley porridge with mushrooms)
• Kaša sa pečurkama (Mushroom porridge)
• Kaša od rezanaca (Noodle porridge)

Main Course

• Kuvani Brav (Boiled Lamb), akin to the Irish stew.
• Brav u Mlijeku (Lamb cooked in Milk), a national dish of Albanians from Montenegro.
• Kačamak (Polenta) - buttered potato and corn meal in Skorup (fresh salted cream), served with cold milk, buttermilk or yoghurt.
• Kuvana Krtola (boiled potato halves), served with cold Yoghurt, cheese or fresh cream.
• Ukljeva (Smoked and dried bleak)
• Krap (Smoked and fresh carp, from Skadar lake (Skadarsko Jezero)).
• Pastrva (Fresh water trout)
• Raštan (pronounced ruh-shtun) - a slightly bitter, sturdy dark-green vegetable from the Cabbage family, similar to Italian cavolo nero, it has been grown in the region for over 2000 years. It is deliciously cooked into a stew with smoked pork ribs or Ham hocks.
• Zelje u kokote na kastradinu - Cooked headed cabbage with smoked and dried mutton
• Japraci - Dolma made with Raštan leaves, served with Mashed potato.
• Čorbast Pasulj - Bean stew with smoked ribs and various types of salami and sausages. The style is quite similar to French Cassoulet, Fabada and Feijoada from the Iberian cuisine.
• Maune (Green Bean Stew).
• Grašak (Peas and beef stew).
• Balšića tava - Fried veal with an assortment of vegetables and dairy products.
• Paštrovski makaruli - A type of homemade macaroni with olive oil and cheese from brine.

Seafood Dishes

• Lignje (Squid)
• Salata od hobotnice (Octopus)
• Tunj (Tuna)
• Škampi (Shrimps)
• Mušle (Common mussels)
• Prstaci

Salads

The most common salads served in Montenegrin homes:

• Pamidora Salata (Tomato Salad) - similar to Bruschetta topping: tomato, onion, olive oils and rock sea salt.
• Zelena Salata (Green Salad) - spring lettuce and spring onion combination, with olive oil, salt and vinegar dressing
• Ajvar (fried or roasted Capsicum relish)
• Kiśelo Zelje (Sauerkraut)
• Barske masline - "Bar's" homemade olives

Dessert

A piece of seasonal fruit is the most common way to end the meal, again typical of Mediterranean cuisine. The proper sweets are usually served on their own, around tea-time or at any time coffee is served.

• Malisorske Priganice (Fritters - flat Doughnuts) served with honey, cheese, jam etc.
• Sun dried figs with walnuts and honey.
• Oris na vareniku - (Rice Pudding)
• Slatko od Dunja - Quince relish.
• Džem od Šljiva - Plum Jam.
• Sok od Šipka (Pomegranate Syrup) - Homemade syrup made from wild Pomegranate, that grows just about everywhere in the southern half of Montenegro, can be found in almost every home.

Dairy Products

• Kiśelo mlijeko - Buttermilk.
• Jogurt - slightly thicker version of Buttermilk.
• Povlaka - homemade Sour Cream.
• Maslo - homemade butter.

Cheeses

• Njeguški sir - special cheese, kept in oil
• Skorup - a.k.a Kajmak , salted Cottage cheese
  • Pivski Kajmak - a type of salted Cottage cheese from the Piva region.
• Cijeli Sir- whole cheese, made from un-boiled milk
• Prljo - cheese made from skimmed milk.
• Žetica - chesse made from un-boiled milk.
• Buča - a kind of cheese made from un-boiled milk.

Pitas

• Sukača (gužvara) a pastry or pie made through the process of "crowding")
• Koturača (wheel-like)(exclusively made from domestic wheat)
• Pita izljevuša (Brkanica) a pastry made by the process of "casting")
• Zeljanica (a pastry made with green herbs)
• Heljdija

Other Common Dishes

Breakfast

• Burek - the most popular fast food in the country.

Main course

• Punjene paprike - stuffed Capsicum
• Ćufte - Meatballs
• Đuveč (cooked vegetables, similar to Ratatouille)
• Musaka od Krtola (Potato Moussaka with minced meat)
• Sarma - Sauerkraut rolls filed with minced pork meat and rice, served with Mashed potato.
• Pilav
• Gulaš (stew), served with Mashed potato.
• Sataraš (minced and roasted vegetables)
• Risotto
• Roasted meat - most commonly pork or lamb

Dessert

• Padobranci
• Baklava - Montenegrin version often has raisins and finelly chopped walnuts.
• Tulumba, same as Churro in shape, soaked in sweet syrup like Baklava.
• Krempita, similar to Vanilla slice
• Šampita
• Domaca Torta - homemade Torte
• Španski Vjetar
• Čupava Kata
• Lenja Pita
• Keks Torta (Biscuit Torte)
• Štrudla - Apple Strudel
• Palačinke - Crepe
• Krofne (Doughnuts) served with jam in the middle

Grill based dishes (Roštilj)

Affordable fast food:

• Ćevapi
• Pljeskavica, served in a local form of hamburger
• Ražnjići

Beverages

Non-alcoholic

Most common non-alcoholic drink in Montenegrin homes is the famed Pomegranate syrup. Turkish coffee is also almost unavoidable in any but the most brief meeting or a visit.

Mineral water Rada is produced in Bijelo Polje, in North-Eastern highland district of the country.

• Kiśela voda (Mineral water)
• Sok od Drenjina i Drenjinava Voda - Homemade Cornelian Cherry Juice and Syrup
• Turkish coffee (Turkish coffee)
• Espresso
• Sok od Šipka (Pomegranate syrup)
• Sok od Grožđa (Grape syrup)
• Boza
• Mezgra (Beech cream)

Spirits

Montenegrin alcoholic products are some of the best kept secrets of former Yugoslavia. After its breakup, it didn't take long before Stella Artois bought the Nikšić brewery. Thankfully, it continued to produce "Nikšićko" beer, otherwise, it would possibly have risked another revolution on the streets.

The continental and mountainous region of Montenegro, full of apple and plum orchards, is a heartland of aromatic fruit flavoured rakija (a generic name for brandy/spirits). Plum brandy - Šljiva and the apple brandy are the most common.

In the vinegrowing region, grape brandy Loza is the favoured one over Šljiva.

Plantaže's Grape brandies "Montenegrin Loza", "Prvijenac", "Kruna" or home made grape brandy (Lozova rakija, Lozovaca, Loza) is a must-try.

Wines

Montenegrin wines, made in perfect conditions in a country aboundant with the sun and red soil, are good old-fashion dry and earthy reds rich in tannin.

Vranac, a wine from the grape sort with the same name that is cultivated only in the southern Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia, similar in aroma to Italian Chianti, is a class act and highly recommended.

The best known Montenegrin wines are the ones produced by "Plantaže": premium "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krstač", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and the locally-famous home made Crmničko red wine.

Beers

"Nikšićko Beer" is the most popular and most consumed beer in Montenegro. It is served as a draught beer, or bottled, in both "Nik Gold" and lighter "Nik Cool" variant. Dark variant, "Nik tamno", is praised among beer lovers.

See also

• Montenegro
• List of recipes

External links

• Traditional Cuisine of Durmitor Mountain in Montenegro.
• Montenegro Food and Drink
• Some traditional recipes with photos.
• Old Traditional Montenegrin Foods