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G A S T R O N O M I C K V A R N E R
15
BRODET, PRIMORJE STYLE
Brodet, as we have said, is an art. There are many
recipes. Every locality has its own recipe and every
cook has his or her own “little secret.” Rab, Lošinj
and Krk have different recipes. We shall present
the basic recipe used in Primorje.
It is necessary to use several different types of fish,
some with white flesh and others with dark flesh.
The best fish for brodet are oily and bony, such as eel, conger eel, red
grouper, surmullet and angler. You will not make a mistake by using
other fish, whatever you have available. Squid is also a possibility, and
lagostines are added in Kvarner. Clean the fish, cut them into large pieces,
season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, fry in olive oil, and then remove to a
plate. In the same oil, fry a sliced onion to which you add sliced tomatoes, chopped
garlic, celery leaves, bay leaves, a little rosemary, salt and pepper. Add a little water
and allow everything to simmer briefly. To this sauce, add the fried
fish, cleaned squid, lagostines and enough water to
cover. Simmer over medium heat. As it
simmers, add white wine, not water, to
keep the fish covered. Shake the
pot from time to time but do
not stir. When the brodet
is ready, sprinkle with
chopped parsley. Brodet
simmers for a long time.
To prevent the fish
from falling apart, some
people add a spoonful
tablespoon of wine vinegar.
Serve with polenta.