Serves 4

Ingredients:

Half a of kilo of fresh sardines or large anchovies
4-5 cloves of garlic
A dozen green olives, pitted
Half a spoon of pickled capers
Half glass of olive oil
A glass of dry white wine
2-3 spoons of desert wine or a teaspoon of honey
A spoon of vinegar (ideally balsamic)
Salt and pepper

How to prepare:

Clean the sardines and remove the heads and intestines. Remove the scales by rubbing each fish with paper towels from tail to head, under water. Put the fish in cold, salted water, ideally in a deep pan or wok. When the water boils remove the fish and put them on a deep plate. Add salt and pepper, then add a few drops of olive oil. Use the rest of the oil to fry the onion, together with the minced olives and capers. When the onion turns yellow, add the wine. Add the desert wine or honey, and the vinegar. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Cover the sardines with warm sauce, and eat it right away, or later cold.

Recipe courtesy of Zlatko Gall.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 kg of mussels
2 large onions
2 carrots
8 cloves of garlic
2 cans of brown beans (half a kilo)
1 teaspoon of curcuma or ginger
A glass of white wine
Salt and Pepper
2 small cups of rice

How to prepare:

In a wok or big pot, cook the mussels on a medium heat, stirring until opened. Remove the mussels from their shells and put aside. In the meantime slice the onion, carrot and garlic into small pieces. Fry them using olive oil, and after 4-5 minutes add the wine and a glass of water. When the liquid is reduced by half, add rice, curcuma, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is al dente. Add the mussels and beans, season with some more olive oil and serve warm. Can be sprinkled with some grated mature cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Zlatko Gall.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, creamed
3 cups ground tea biscuits (Arrowroot type)
3 cups ground walnuts
3 squares (100 grams) semisweet chocolate, grated
3 squares (100 grams) semisweet chocolate, ungrated
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)

How to prepare:

In a medium-size pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the sugar, simmering until thickened slightly.
Then add the butter, tea biscuits and ground walnuts. Mix all the ingredients well, until dough forms. Remove from heat and divide into 2 equal halves. Knead the grated chocolate and rum extract if desired, into one of the halves of dough.
Press the chocolate dough into a greased 11x 13" baking dish Sprinkle some water on your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them. Spread the lighter batter on top of the chocolate, press evenly covering the chocolate.

Glaze:

In a small saucepan on the stovetop, heat the milk, sugar and butter. When the butter has melted, add the ungrated chocolate squares. When the glaze is smooth; pour over top of the dough in the baking dish. Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over top (if desired). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into small thin bars.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 kg calamari, whole
1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut in round slices
100 ml (1 /2 cup) olive oil
salt, black pepper

How to prepare:

Preheat the oven to 165 C (330 F). Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Arrange 2/3 of the potatoes in a greased casserole dish. Cover with whole calamari. Top with the remaining potato slices. Pour olive oil over it. Cover and bake over a low heat for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender. Serve hot from the oven

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 kg assorted fish (e.g. cod, haddock, flounder)
2-3 onions
2 dl olive oil
2-3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 dl wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
rosemary (optional)
2 cups red wine
1 tsp black pepper
salt

How to prepare:

Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft. Add the tomatoes. Place the fish on top of the broth. Add vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaf and rosemary. Add wine until the fish is covered. Do NOT add water. Simmer gently over low heat for 1-2 hours. Do NOT cover or stir; just shake frying pan occasionally. Serve with polenta.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

800 g (1.75 lb) cornmeal
3 l (3 qt) water
salt

How to prepare:

Bring water and salt to a boil. Pour the cornmeal in a slow stream into the hot water while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.