Croatian cuisine is built around the fantastic local produce that is so abundant in the hills, countryside and Adriatic coastline of the country. When on a charter in Croatia you can put together a delicious meal in the galley using simple ingredients such as fresh fish, Istrian truffles and extra virgin olive oil. Serve it up with a glass of local wine and you won’t need to venture ashore every night in search of somewhere to eat. Here is our guide to the top meals to cook while on a sailing holiday in Croatia.
Freshly caught Bonito with herbs and potatoes
Bonito, locally known as Palamida in Croatia, is a large fish belonging to the mackerel family, and as such, makes the perfect catch for a delicious night’s dinner. Abundant in the Sibenik, Dubrovnik and Split areas, all of which are popular with sailors, these fish have no scales so are an easy meal to prepare while on board and are paired beautifully with herbs and potatoes.
Here’s a mouthwatering recipe for you try:
Ingredients
Feeds 4-6
- 1 freshly caught bonito
- 120ml of olive oil
- 5-6 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- Tbsp of sea salt
- Tbsp of freshly ground black pepper
- Tbsp of oregano
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1kg of new or baby potatoes
- 300ml of water
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Fillet the bonito and remove head
- Cutting along the back, carefully slice the fish lengthways into two halves
- Sprinkle over half of the salt, pepper, and oregano
- Spoon ¾ of the garlic into the meatiest parts of the fish making sure all of it meat is covered
- Wash the potatoes and cut into equal size wedge-shaped pieces
- Sprinkle with the remaining salt, pepper, and oregano
- Place fish in a large roasting pan and surround with potatoes
- Sprinkle remaining garlic over the potatoes
- Whisk together the oil and lemon juice and pour over the fish and potatoes and add the water
- Cook in the oven on board at 180°C for 1.5 hours while you enjoy a cold beer on deck under the sun
Search Split yacht charters
Brodetto
Full of Italian influence, this delicious fish stew is easy to make and perfect for supper on board after a long day on the water, either sailing along the coastline of Dubrovnik or snorkelling the azure seas of the Kornati Islands. The best bit about this recipe is that it can be cooked in one pan on the stove, with all of the ingredients thrown together to make a delicious meal for all on board.
Ingredients
Feeds 6
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped with skin
- 1 celery stalk, topped and tailed and chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 50g chopped fresh parsley
- Chilli flakes to taste
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 freshly caught local fish, i.e. red snapper or John Dory, cut into inch thick pieces
- 120ml white wine
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 700ml fish stock
- 500g clams in shell, scrubbed
- 250g medium prawns, with shells
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, parsley, bay leaves and chilli. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes
- Add in the tomatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat
- Add in the fish and the white wine. Cook for about 10-minites until the liquid has almost evaporated,
- Pour in the fish stock. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10-minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add in the clams and cook until they have all opened (about 2-3 minutes). Remove and discard any that do not open
- Stir in the prawns and cook for around 2-3 minutes until they turn pink
- Serve with fresh bread
Pršut i sir platter
Sailing in Pula will give you the chance to sample some of the region’s most tasty flavours! The beauty of this simple northern Croatia dish, is that, unlike southern cured meats, Istrian cured ham is air dried by the famous Bura winds, so is a perfect match for those looking for a light meal while sailing. Traditional Istrian pršut is salted and rubbed with pepper and garlic, and is sometimes further flavoured with bay leaves and rosemary. You can buy it pretty much anywhere in northern Croatia, so make sure you pop it on your Croatian provisioning list before you embark, with our preferred suppliers, Jam Yacht Supplies.
Ingredients
Feeds 6
- 1 large packet of Istrian pršut, sliced
- 1 waxed truckle of local Istrian truffle cheese
- 1 truckle of local Istrian cheese in walnut leaves
- Freshly baked bread or par baked baguette
- Olive oil for dipping
Method
- Cut the bread and cheeses into desired size chunks
- Arrange with the Istrian ham on a platter
More blogs about sailing in Croatia
- Sailing in Croatia – The top places to visit on a Croatian yacht charter holiday
- Discover the lesser know gems of the Croatian coastline
- A sailor’s guide to deciding between Greece or Croatia charters
- Your complete guide to marinas in Split
- Our cost saving guide to bareboat charters in Croatia
Search Croatia yacht charters
Get in touch
If you want to know more about sailing in Croatia, speak to one of our experts who will be happy to share their knowledge with you. Use our price comparison tool to search for charters by date or destination, request a quote or contact our team on 01227 479 900.
