Montenegro Guide - Food & Drink

The legacy of Venetian occupation and the fusion of Serb, Austrian and Ottoman influences has left Montenegro with a very rich and varied cuisine. This variety is reflected regionally with Northern, Continental and Mediterranean specialities. Montenegrin food, like its landscape and culture has a surprise to delight every taste. Go to recipes for detailed descriptions and the chance to sample Montenegrin cooking for yourself.

Culinary Highlights:

 

Meat: Montenegrins will tell you that meat dishes are their speciality. Njegoseva, a locally smoked prosciutto style ham is found everywhere and makes a delicious starter with olives and cheese. These days, some of the pork is imported from Holland to meet demand but the traditional curing process is unchanged. Njegusi, the village below Mount Lovcen, is the centre of production and visits can be arranged to see the process and sample the finished product. Lamb cooked in milk, Durmitor lamb, Durmitor steak, Japraci, mutton smoked ham, stewed sauerkraut, sausages flavoured with wild herbs, cabbage stuffed with minced meat and local venison dishes are highly recommended.

Salad and vegetables: In the farmers' markets found in every town all produce is homegrown. The combination of warm sunshine and high winter rainfall is perfect for most crops. Olives, peppers, grapes, oranges, pomegranates, apples, leeks, wild mushrooms, watermelons, kiwis and tomatoes (to name but a few) are all in their element here. It is even possible to grow banana along the coast. Aubergine salad, peppers in kajmak and kacamak are all delicious dishes for vegetarians (kajmak is a fermented cheese). Salads have a distinctive Mediterranean flavour with olives, tomatoes, chicory, fennel, asparagus, and nettles all being used.

Fish: Skadar Lake and the mountain streams provide carp, trout, salmon and eel. Mediterranean catches regularly include gilthead bream, amberjack, squid, dentex, grey mullet, st. Pierre, among others. The fish is always fresh with fishing boats delivering directly to seafront restaurants especially in the Bay of Kotor. Boka fish stew, mussels, brodet and roast squid are all delicious. Crna risotto (squid ink risotto) is a popular and tasty starter.

Desserts: The Eastern European style predominates with a Turkish flavour. Rich sugary pastries and cream combined with wild berries, strawberries, raspberries and fresh fruit are very popular. Portions are usually large, it is surprising that Montenegrins are so slim! We highly recommend the Crnogorski pancakes either as a dessert or with coffee/herbal tea as a snack!! Rustule and Patispanj should also be sampled, perhaps after a long walk or energetic swim. A favourite is Sveti Onore, pastry filled with custard, cream and topped with caramelised sugar.

Cheeses/Yoghurt: All are excellent and widely used in cooking. Cheese from (olive) oil is a favourite starter and highly recommended.

 

Wines and Spirits: Both red and white wines are produced locally. Vranac is an excellent value red wine (a personal favourite) and suits most palattes. The local Merlot compares favourably with many medium priced European varieties. Perhaps the best whites are the Krstac (dry) and the Sauvignon. Rakija is the local loza/grappa and drunk everywhere in toasts and universally offered to guests and visitors upon arrival. It can be quite fiery and should be sipped, (as your host will continually fill up your glass). Best drunk chilled as an aperitif with smoked ham and cheese. The smoothest variety is Kruna distilled with vine twigs.

For recipes and advice/help with obtaining ingredients go to recipes.

Eating Out

Prices are very reasonable in comparison to England and Western Europe. Expect to pay around EUR 6 for a main course in a good restaurant, and around EUR 8 for a bottle of quality local wine. Even more remarkable are the standards. Montenegrins are rightly proud of their hospitality, this is evident in the levels of service, the size of the portions and the high standard of hygiene in even the smallest cafes and unassuming roadside restaurants. English is spoken widely and English and Russian translations in menus are common.

 

Recommendations: Stari Mlini and Catovica Mlini in the Boka Kotorska are both highly recommended, as much for their locations as their food. Delightful seaside restaurants abound, many in the Bay of Kotor are best reached by boat and have their own landing stages. The fishermen also tie up here so ask for the catch of the day, although the fish is always fresh. In general the standard is so good in most restaurants that you do not need to spend a lot of money or go to a prestigious restaurant in order to enjoy excellent food and wine.

–: Recipes :–

Japraci

• 1kg of rastan (vegetable with hard green leaves, or vine leaves)

• 400 grams of lean chopped veal

• 2dl of virgin olive oil

• 150 grams of chopped onion

• 80 grams of rice

• 200 grams of Ngesova, (sliced smoked ham)

  Seasoning: a little salt, ground pepper and freshly chopped parsley.

Parboil the rastan leaves, remove the stalks then store in cold water to preserve the colour. Fry onions until soft, add veal and fry until brown, add uncooked rice and stir. Season with salt, ground pepper and parsley. After the mixture has cooled, roll into rastan leaves to form small parcels, place a little smoked ham in each parcel. Place the parcels in cold water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for two hours. Serve with yoghurt. Tip: to stop the parcels from unravelling during cooking, they can be tied with the rastan stalks or held together with a cocktail stick.

Lamb cooked in milk

• 1.5kg of lamb (filleted loin or shoulder joint)

• 1 litre milk

• ½ litre of water

• 1kg of potatoes

• 3 carrots/parsnips

• 2 bay leaves

Seasoning: a little salt, 5-6 black peppercorns, freshly chopped parsley.

Wash the lamb, place in a large saucepan and pour over the diluted milk, add one carrot, bay leaves, pepper and salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for two hours until tender. Boil peeled potatoes (for 20 minutes) and remaining vegetables separately. Place the lamb and vegetables together in a larger pot and pour over the strained milk, garnish with parsley and serve. Tip: some recipes suggest using only milk to boil the lamb, we have found that it is easier to prevent the lamb boiling over or boiling dry if water is used as well.

Cheese Burek (Minced meat can be substituted for the cheese)

• 500g plain flour

• 3 table spoon olive oil

• ½ tea spoon salt

• 400g feta cheese

• 4 eggs

• 200g butter

• 200ml cream milk

 

Mix flour with salt and olive oil. Add 300-400ml warm water to the mixture. Beat until dough (c10min). Cut in equal halves. Spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the top of each halves. Cover and leave it for 1 hour to settle. Roll out dough to approximately 5mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Beat eggs, add grated butter and cheese and stir with milk. Spread the mixture over pastry. Carefully fold pastry and put in lightly oiled oven dish. Bake at 180°C for 50min or until risen and golden. To serve cut into pieces. Serve hot or cold.

Serbian rice with meat - Serves 4

• 500g beef (traditionally veal)

• 10g ham

• 1 big onion

• 1 clove of garlic

• 250g green paprika (peppers)

• 250g carrots

• 375g tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 375 ml bouillon

• red pepper

• 175g parboiled rice

• 1 bunch of parsley

Seasoning: Salt, Pepper.

Cut the meat into cubes. Finely chop the onions and garlic. Slice paprika, carrots and tomatoes. Roast meat and chopped ham with oil in a pan and season with salt. Roast onions, garlic and paprika. Cook the carrots in the bouillon for 10 minutes, add tomatoes, meat, ham, rice and the other vegetables, season with salt, red pepper and pepper. Cook in preheated oven at 200 C for 50 minutes. Decorate with fine chopped parsley.

–: Dessert Recipes :–

Rustule

Mix three eggs, one spoonful of butter, three spoonfuls of sugar, one spoonful of brandy, the grated rind of one lemon and enough flour to form a dough. Roll the dough out until it is about 3mm thick. Cut into strips about 2 x 10 cms and fry in hot oil. Sprinkle with icing sugar and vanilla.

Patispanj

Mix 12 yolks in a bowl with 12 spoons of sugar. Add egg whites slowly to the mixture. Whisk and then slowly fold in 12 spoonfuls of flour, baking powder, lemon and orange peel. Pour mixture into a non-stick baking tray and bake at a high temperature for 10 mins and then reduce heat fort the remaining 35 mins. Do not open the oven until the time is up.