North Croatian French Beans Stew Cuspajz Od Mahuna 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 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.