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Make It At Home! Traditional Dagnje na Buzaru – Recipe
One of the most exciting things about traveling abroad is trying all the different dishes that are popular with the local people. One of the most famous dishes found along the Croatian coastline is Buzara mussels, also known as Dagnje na Buzaru.
Buzara mussels is a delicious seafood dish consisting of freshly caught mussels in a rich sauce of local ingredients. ‘Buzara’ in Croatian means ‘stew,’ but Buzara-style is also a form of cooking. Traditionally, mussels Buzara style are cooked in a broth of garlic, white wine, parsley and breadcrumbs.
This tasty seafood dish is popular with locals and can be found at just about any Croatian seaside location. Seafood in particular is prevalent on the Dalmatian Coast due to the Italian influence on food in this area and the vast food source on its doorstep in the form of The Adriatic Sea.
Mussels Buzara-style is a healthy, hearty dish that will have you asking for seconds every single time. Luckily for you, we have put together a traditional Dagnje na Buzaru recipe so you can try and make this dish at home. A comforting throwback to your culinary experiences when on vacation in Croatia!
This Buzara mussels recipe should take around 30-40 minutes, including the time needed to prep, cook and have it ready on the table to serve!
Never leave your favorite foods from Croatia behind! Bring the flavors of Croatian cuisine to your home with our easy-to-follow Buzara mussels recipe:
Traditional Dagnje na Buzaru Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Lemon
- 1.5 KG Mussels
- 5 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley
- 5 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Teaspoon White pepper
- 200 ML White wine
- 1 Teaspoon Breadcrumbs
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- The first step to any good Buzara Mussels dish is ensuring you use good, quality fresh mussels. These are mussels that are tightly closed. Please dispose of any open or cracked mussels, as these cannot be used in the dish.
- Next, thoroughly clean and debeard the mussels before cooking. Rinse with cold water and set aside for later.
- Pour the olive oil into a large, wide pot over high heat. Crush the garlic and fry this in the pot for around 1-2 minutes, or until it begins releasing its delicious fragrant aromas.
- Now add the parsley and white pepper to the garlic. Let this fry for a bit, and be careful to not let it burn, whilst you prepare the mussels.
- Add the mussels and a few lemon rings to the pot. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10 minutes. The mussels should naturally release their flavors during this time.
- Once the mussels have opened, add the white wine and breadcrumbs to the pot. Let this simmer for a few more minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. For extra flavor, you can also add stock or tomato concentrate at this point. This will give the broth an extra touch of flavor and give it a rich red color.
- Continue cooking until all the mussels have completely opened. Before serving, give the mussels a final toss to properly mix the flavors around the pot, courting them in a layer of that flavorful broth. Add chopped parsley on top once the Dagnje na Buzaru is dished up.
- Best served with a crusty baguette that can soak up the cooking broth and a glass of Grk Bijeli, a Croatian white wine that goes well with shellfish on the side.
For more Croatian recipes, check out our other blog posts. If you would like to try a traditional Dagnje na Buzaru on your trip to Croatia, contact our travel experts today! They can help you create a customized tour tailored to your needs.
We also have pre-planned tours with tasting sessions included in their itineraries. For food lovers, we highly recommend our Wine & Culinary Delights Tour which will take you on a 14-day trip around Croatia, trying some of the best local food and wine the country has to offer!
