Meals along
the Dalmatian coast are
heavily influenced by their Italian ancestry which is why the coastal
resorts tend to fill up with Italians in summer. Often the meals
begins with a nice plate of pasta; black
risotto or spaghetti in squid ink sauce is especially
popular.
Dalmatian cuisine relies
heavily on the fresh fish and seafood that are caught (or farmed) offshore.Look
for sea bass, grouper, scorpion fish, pilchards, mackerel, squid and
sea bream. Fish is usually grilled with local olive oil, garlic and
lemon.
Meat isn't forgotten either. Thin slices
of smoked Dalmatian ham are often on the appetizer
list.Lamb is popular either boiled or baked. Dalmatian pasticada is
a meat stew (beef stuffed with lard and roasted in wine and spices)
often served with gnocchi.
Dalmatian desserts are
usually a simple matter, often involving dried figs and raisins, almonds,
honey and eggs.
Look for the following on nearly every
restaurant menu:
Brudet (brodetto)
This fish stewed in tomato sauce is often served with polenta
Manestra This thick soup of vegetables and meat is typical Dalmatian
winter fare. It's very similar to Istrian
Manestra.
Rizot(risotto)
Risotto with seafoodis on nearly every coastal
menu; try "black risotto"
made from squid and its ink.