Prutići od tikvica pečene u pećnici - Oven baked courgette's sticks- Bastoncini di zucchine cotti nel forno

Znam neke trikove koji mi uvijek olakšaju život, pogotovo kad sam u žurbi ili kad baš nemam neku eksplozivnu ideju za večer ili mi se uopće ne kuha (da i to se ponekad dogodi!).

Ovo je lažna fritura (za one koji ne znaju, prijevod na književni hrvatski jezik riječi fritura je ”prženje”), jer prava se fritura radi u puno vrelog ulja. Pravilno bi bilo pržiti u vrelom dubokom ulju ali ulje nikako ne treba dimiti, jer ako se ulje dimi, onda ono gori i proizvodi toksine….a kad imate malo vremena, to je sve tako komplicirano i za to vam trebe jedna prava nedjelja u sred radnog tjedna! Onda se treba snaći na bilo koji način i iako me svi krivo gledaju kad spomenem lažnu frituru, mislim da nisu svi tako odani pravoj frituri da nikad ne posegnu za nekim trikom i da si olakšaju posao.

Mlaka krompir salata sa začinskim travama - Lukewarm potato salate with aromatic herbs - Insalata tiepida di patate con erbe aromatiche

Kad vani zakuha onda svi maštamo o totalnoj svježini, vanjskoj i unutarnjoj, pa bi onda i hrana trebala biti hladna da se iznutra ne bismo pretjerano zagrijali. Mislite? . . . Zapravo bi trebala biti mlaka, da termički šok ne napravi suprotan efekat i prouzroči znojenje, ali ne zbog vanjske visoke temperature nego zbog prehladne tvari koje unosimo u organizam. Hrana treba biti lagana, vrlo lagana, tek toliko puna i teška da nas zasiti, jer prepun želudac i žega nisu dobar par!

Iz istog raznoga u pustinji nomadi piju topli čaj pod suncem koji peče i suši sve oko sebe i odbija se od kvarcnih zrnaca kako bi još jače svjetlilo. Eto, umjesto da pretjerujemo s razno raznim hladnim i prehladnim obrocima i razgolićeni šetamo pod suncem i riskiramo ne samo da nas opali toplotni udar nego i da zadobijemo opake opekline i još ozbiljnije posljedice opaljene kože, trebali bi češće pametno kopirati one čiji su primjeri korisni, jer sunce ne oprašta, koliko nam godi u minimalnim dozama, toliko nam loše čini ako se ne zaštitimo.

I to nam pustinjski nomadi lijepo poručuju dok pomno zamotani u njihova tamno plava ruha posmatraju jantar žuti čaj svojim plavim očima obrubljenim crnilom.

Šparoge s jajima na oko - Asparagus with fried eggs - Asparagi con uova fritte

Svako jutro jedno jaje, organizmu snagu daje, jel’ se sjećate? Tako je nekad i bilo, kad sam ja još bila mala i kad smo jaja smatrali zdravom i nutritivno vrijednom hranom, a i spasom ženskoj radnoj snazi u nedostatku vremena i ideja. I kad se pojelo to jedno zdravo jaje (ili više njih!), meko ili tvrdo kuhano ili kajgana ili fritaja ili jaje na oko po mogućnosti s pomfijem….obrok je bio na brzake riješen i želudac pun i zadovoljan. A tek kad bi jaja bilo obogaćeno nekim drugim povrćem, na primjer šparogama, i to onim debelim, pitomim šparogama, onda taj obrok postane prava gozba. A sad je cik sezone šparoga, divljih, uzgojenih, zelenih, ljubičastih, bijelih….pa sam i ja, bez puno razmišljanja pripremila proljetni brzinski obrok i zadovoljila gladna usta.

Obje namirnice pripadaju kategoriji “super hrane”, tako da vam ništa više ne treba, samo uživati u obroku…možda će vam trebati zera kruha da umočite u tekući žumanjak, jer ako mene pitate žumanjak mora obavezno ostati tekuć, a bjelanjak potpuno kuhan, tj. pečen! A kad je u pitanju jaje na oko, što je bjelanjak pečeniji, to ga ja više volim, najbolji je kad onako dobije reš prženu, smeđkastu koricu!

Salata od komorača s narančom i maslinama – Fennel salad with oranges and olives – Insalata di finocchi con arance e olive

Zanimljivo je to zimsko povrće, tvrdo je i čvrsto sklupčano, ili je potpuno glatko ili kao da je premazano uljanom bojom, pa odbija sa sebe tekućinu. I hrskavo je i sočno, a skuha se za tren oka, ma i brže...zapravo treba jako paziti da se ne prekuha, a još ga je bolje jesti sirovog tako da se očuvaju svi vitamini i minerali kojeg u zimskom povrću ima u izobilju! Tako čvrsto zatvorene glavice, gomolji i cvjetovi naizgled nemaju nikakav miris. Valjda mi to asociramo sa smrznutim zimskim tlom, pa dok po njemu ne počnete kopati i rovati i tako ga malo zagrijete, on ne ispušta nikakav miris. I zimske glavice, gomolji i cvjetovi su takve naravi. Ljubomorno čuvaju svoje arome i mirise i dok se malo ne zagriju i sklope s nama prijateljski odnos, ne ispuštaju iz sebe ni trunak kemije! A onda ta njihova kemija eksplodira u bezbroj okusa i eteričnih ulja koja draže nosnice i otvaraju apetit.

Krem varivo od poriluka i krompira – Cream soup with leek and potatoes - Crema di porri e patate

Ja nisam baš obožavala poriluk, pogotovo nisam rado jela varivo od poriluka i neznam što bih bila dala da sam mogla preskočiti ručak kad je bilo na redu varivo od poriluka.

Nije me privlačila niti boja, niti miris, niti okus, a pogotovo mi tekstura tog variva nije baš išla. A poriluka je zimi uvijek bilo, puno ga je bilo i varivo se često spremalo, prečesto ako mene pitate. Tj. da ste me to pitali onda kad ga nisam obožavala.

A onda je mama izmislila neka druga zanimljiva i privlačnija jela s porilukom koja su imala i boju i miris i okus, a pogotovo teksturu koja je bila za prste polizat!

Maneštra od povrća s artičokama i graškom- Vegetable minestrone with artichokes and peas - Minestrone di verdure con carciofi e piselli

Danas su klimatske prilike idealne za jednu kućnu aktivnost koju (kao i svi) često odgađam, jer nekad je pretoplo u stanu, a nekada i vani. Ponekad nije pravi trenutak, jer su ladice i košare prepune i nikako da ih ispraznim, a često se zna desiti da nabavim neke nove namirnice i to u većoj količini, pa ih treba neko vrijeme i uskladištiti. A onda je bolje i njih prije potrošiti, pa tek onda planirati tu kućnu aktivnost koju (kao i svi) često odgađam.

A danas pada snijeg, gusti snijeg, onako sitan i suh, a i temperatura je niska, možda čak niža od nule. Kuhinjski balkon je jutros osvanuo prekriven s dobrih 5 cm snijega, a vaze su nosile čiste, bijele kapice, one fine kapice kao da su ispletene debelim iglama od mekane moher vune, one dlakave vune koja se ispreplete tako da vam nije jasno koja je vunena nit, a koja je njezina duga i kovrčava dlaka.

Meksički krastavac pečen na gril tavi - Grilled Mexican cucumber - Cetriolo Messicano grigliato

“Is this a vegetable or a fruit?”

This was my first question after observing for a while this tubby form.

Its intense light green collour is shiny and its surface is spiny.

The taste is very neutral and aqueous! I'm not sure if it has some nutritious value, for sure the visual effect is certain. Imagine a kind of big horse-chestnut with very tense and thin peel. This is its outlook!

When I first saw it, I thought that it was another growing experiment donated to my parents by a farmer-friend and arrived from who knows where. In that garden - my parent's garden, you can find any kind of vegetable-wonders. Edible, or not, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that it grows, sometime it even surprises us with its bloom, but most of the time it produces some kind of food. Food means vegetables or fruits. Until the unknown "food" doesn't show its products, we never know if it should be called fruits or vegetables. Well, we know how to call it, of course, but it is the product that has never been experimented in my family and no matter if, botanicaly speaking, it has been classified as fruits, or as vegetables, the moment it get tasted is the crucial one for us to decide how to specify the new grown baby!

Sataraš - Sautéed mixed vegetables - Verdura mista saltata

I could tell you that I spend every holiday at home in Croatia, but you know this already...

And you also know how much inspiration I find in my parent's garden with the splendid sea-view...

Do you know what are emigrants craving for while they are abroad...their traditional food (parents excluded, of course)!

To make me feel longer at home, I pack our car with all possible home-made and home-grown stuff and despite the initial debate with the "car driver" about the best way to arrange stuff in the car, at the end of the story, every single vegetable and preserve arrive safe and intact to Italy. When we arrived to our destination, even the car driver was happy that we brought all that goodness from home, but only at the end and only after we unloaded our car, because then I took full responsibility of my vegetables and preserves. And then my activity in the kitchen started again...

Boiled artichokes with lemon drizzle and olive oil - Carciofi sbollentati con una spruzzata di succo di limone e olio di oliva - Kahane artičoke poškropljene limunovim sokom i maslinovim uljem

I'm more able to express my thoughts with images then with words. There is a plenty of things I would like to say, there are many stories to tell, sometimes I even start writing and suddenly I stop, I interrupt words creating the sentence and I go backwards cancelling letter by letter the whole text. Then I open my photo catalogue and I start thinking about the story. The story that I'll tell with the pictures more then with words. Simple story with the simple recipe. Like the one I have prepared now.

I always try to find compromise and to put myself behind my wishes and needs only to fullfil all possible and impossible expectations...crazy me! Trust me, it's insane, I hate myself being like that, but I can change my nature. The spiny one, like these beautiful artichokes.

Cream soup with green peas and spring onion - Vellutata di piselli e cipollotti - Krem juha od graška i mladog luka

Who doesn’t like the surprise?! It’s something mysterious and fresh, something that touch our curiosity! Like a thick pod of green peas. You never know how many peas are hidden in it. Will the peas be big and solid, or small and flat…how many questions about a vegetable? Nevertheless I love shelling peas and hunting some fast and cheeky peas all around the kitchen table. When the green peas appear in the market, it’s time to put definitively away dark, winter coats. The nature is already fully awake and multicoloured. Except some rainy days, the spring is shining and green branches full of leafs are moving slowly following the rhythm of the air. It’s called light breeze and I find it adorable.

Didn’t you noticed so many green peas soup recipes all over the blogosphere? I did and I couldn’t resist from cooking this dense and creamy soup that warms us a bit in these cool and humid spring days.

Asparagus frittata in gluten-free crust - Frittata di asparagi in crosta senza glutine - Fritaja sa šparogama u bez glutenskoj kori

My kitchen is not big and my kitchen shelves are full, but so, so full that I’m building skyscrapers with my dishes and pots to optimize the space. Every single piece has its precise position and all is neatly fitted in the shelves. Nothing get lost in my kitchen, there is only small risk to brake some ceramic bowl or glass cover when I need a pot that is not in the very first skyscraper!
Nevertheless I always need some new pots, or dishes, or…and then starts this bizarre game of seduction. Each time I notice an new kitchen attraction, the culinary center of my brain start to pulse and get enchanted by the novelty. And I start to observe it first and start to think about its utility. If it won’t be useful in the kitchen, for sure it will be useful for the photo session, or maybe not…
The clever voice is whispering: “Run away from it, there is no space for it at home, neither in the closed on the balcony!”
And I must obey, because that’s true. If I buy it, something else will have to leave…for the garbage dump.
Each time I look at the shop window and I see my desired kitchen tool waiting for me, I must at least take it in my hands and admire it for a while…waiting for the right moment to…buy it or to leave it to someone else who desire it more then me!

Pumpkin dumplings with ricotta cheese - Polpette di zucca con ricotta - Okruglice od buče sa ricotta sirom

I've stored one green kabocha pumpkin in the pantry on my balcony for few months and I even forgot about it until last week when I decided that it was time to use it, because the season is definitively changing and I need more space for new and fresh vegetables! The fact is that I always have the pantry full of fruits and vegetables and not too much time to cook all these stuff so quickly! When I see nice vegetables I immediately start thinking about some new dishes and I hardly resist from buying them all...This happened with my pumpkin too, I wanted to bake something months ago and I finished to cook it only last weekend. Fortunately pumpkin can be stored for long time and it will remain fresh and tasty. I still have some more baked pumpkin in my deep-freezer and I think I will have to prepare a good and creamy risotto in next days...or maybe a cake...