sunday lunch

Not bad, right? It was raining yesterday — but Aki was intent on grilling up some swordfish steaks and making a Dalmatian meal (his region of Croatia, that is – not the spotted dog). :) And who was I to get in the way of a man on a mission?! Aki and I may be very different people…but OH, we come together to eat.Dalmatian Cuisine, CroatiaThree minutes on each side, a brush of olive oil, lemon and herbs — VOILA! At Aki’s first bite he pronounced “I feel like I’m home in Dalmatia.” And then he started sharing memories of his grandfather grilling fresh fish all the time for the family. It was something he hadn’t thought about for a long, long time…

Food does that. And when you can’t travel….EAT. ;)

The pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato) was a little throw back to my days living in Barcelona. Rubbing a fresh tomato on bread with a little salt and olive oil is a very typical way to eat bread in the Catalonian region of Spain. So simple, so good. (And in this case, we needed a little bit of RED on the plate, ha). I think that’s a Korean thing. My mother (who is Korean) wouldn’t say, “I think we’re missing salt in this dish.” She’d say, “I think we’re missing some red.” :) A meal isn’t complete unless it’s colorful!

Blitva is the most typical side dish on any menu in Dalmatia, Croatia. It’s boiled potatoes and swiss chard with olive oil and garlic. I’m not typically a big fan of boiled vegetables, but oh man, Blitva is so good. Actually, come to think of it, Koreans make a boiled spinach dish with sesame oil and garlic which is DELISH. There are exceptions to every rule, aren’t there.

Last weekend Aki made Mussels Buzarra, another typical dish from his region of Dalmatia (with white wine, garlic, parsley, and olive oil). he’s been feeling a little sentimental for home after spending so much time in Croatia this summer.my toddler likes to eat :)We are happy to help alleviate the homesickness any way we can — especially if that means eating mussels and grilled fish every weekend! ;)

Aki calls it “gradelama kontra nostalgije” which means “grilling as a remedy for nostalgia.” I like it. That’s a cause I can get behind.


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12 Thoughts on “sunday lunch

  1. I love this! Looks delicious. :)

    • …and now I’m wishing there were leftovers! :)

  2. Tell Aki to get homesick the next time we’re over. ;-)

    • ha, let’s make that happen! nothing cures nostalgia for home like sharing! :)

  3. Dean:

    I’ve been following your blog for some time now and I think I have a family “crush” on you guys! The three of you are absolutely beautiful! & beautiful together! … Anyway, I can absolutely relate to this post. I’m from the Philippines, currently living in a small English village by the ocean & every time I miss home – I cook my comfort food (Filipino food of course) & it instantly transports me back home along with lovely memories. All the best, Dean.

    • Hey Dean! Aw, hey…thanks for letting me know you are on the other end. It’s fun. And oooh your life sounds so utterly interesting. Really, I’m glad you let me know you’re reading because I’m so curious to hear about the lovely English countryside and gorgeous Philippines too! You know, when my mother first moved to the US she said she used to DREAM about Korean food. We can adjust to utterly different lifestyles but there really is something about the comfort of the food we know! So I’m curious, you have to tell me some of your favorite Filipino foods! :)

      • Dean:

        I’ve got loads of faves! But must mention “pancit palabok” – it’s a noodle dish with sea-food. Yum! =)

        • You both are so right. When my brother was an exchange student in England way back when, he learned to make his own kimchi so that he could have a taste of home with him while at university. I think we need to get Aki and Dean to have a cookoff. But in the meantime, perhaps Dean could share some recipes (chicken adobo and lumpia are two of my faves. Hint. HInt.)

        • Okay, you totally have me pegged. You had me at “noodle dish” but then you add the sea food. I definitely need to try this dish! :)

  4. Looks sooo delicious — now I am hungry. We’re big fans of mussels as well.

    • They’re the best, aren’t they…especially when you get a good sauce going! We always need a whole loaf of bread to soak it all up. :) Next we’re going to try the Croatian recipe for mussels (same as above) but that uses bread crumbs and fresh tomato in the sauce as well. mmmm.

  5. I can’t believe your little man eats mussels. That’s awesome! I don’t go near mussels but that grilled swordfish looks to die for.

    Maria xx
    http://www.cheekypinktulip.blogspot.com

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