Pickled to Last
Back in the day when there were no refrigerators and no supermarkets where you could find any fruit or vegetable from any corner of the world in any time of year, our ancestors needed to be crafty and think of a way to preserve food for harsh winter months. They would take fresh seasonal vegetables, let them ferment, preserve them in vinegar or brine, add some herbs or spices. The Croatian word for this whole category of food is zimnica, which is pretty self-explanatory, knowing that zima means winter. You're safe when you have a pantry full of valuable jars to keep until the next spring.
“Gherkins are a must-have nibble, always on stand-by in the fridge.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about pickled food are probably gherkins, tiny pickled cucumbers. It's a must-have item in a typical Croatian home, sitting in the back of your fridge all year long. You take it out when preparing a plate of cold starters for guests or simply when you crave something sour in your mouth. As many locals will confirm, a typical children's birthday party in the old days would always include bite-size sandwiches with a halved gherkin on top. You'll often see dill or mustard seeds in a jar of gherkins. They are used primarily because of their antimicrobial powers. The second most often pickled item is beetroot. It's one of the most popular winter salads – slices of pickled beetroot, spiced up with some horseradish or cumin seeds.
“Beetroot salad will accompany many, many winter lunches.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
In the season of bell peppers, late summer and early autumn, a lot of them will end up as condiments, like ajvar, or simply grilled. Still, some will be left for pickling with vinegar, possibly also a bit of garlic and pepper. To make things more interesting, you can stuff them with shredded cabbage. Chili peppers, known as feferoni here, are also widely pickled. Most of us encounter them on a spicy pizza or served as accompaniment to Balkan-style grilled meat. There are both hot and mild varieties, so be sure to put the right label on the jar. Other fresh veggies like carrots, cauliflower, shallots or even some mushrooms can be preserved as pickles, even though not that often anymore.
“Winter is all about pickled veggies and jars.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
Now we come to the king of winter food, the most famous pickled vegetable – sauerkraut, or kiselo zelje. A number of places in continental Croatia have a long tradition of preparing top-quality sauerkraut and take pride in their recipe. Sauerkraut from Varaždin and Ogulin has recently been added to the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications at the EU level. The process of finely cutting and fermenting cabbage used to be a normal household activity, even in the cities, but now you simply buy it at a grocery, because it's really affordable and wide-spread. Not to mention the long shelf life and health benefits. Sautéed sauerkraut is regularly served with sausages or wintertime meat dishes like buncek (smoked pork hock), or as part of a thick bean stew known as grah sa zeljem. Popular Central and East European specialties like sarma (sour cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat and rice) or Szekely goulash would not be possible without sauerkraut. Sour turnip is similar to sauerkraut in terms of usage and combinations, maybe just less known and not so widely used. Still, many people, yours truly included, prefer it in a hearty bean stew.
“Sausages or smoked meats are best enjoyed in the company of sauerkraut.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
After the abundance of produce that summer and autumn brings to us, winter pickles may appear like a poor substitute, but it doesn't have to be that way. Nutritionists agree they are not that inferior to the fresh stuff when it comes to nutrients. Pickled foods have been here for centuries, making our winter menu bearable, so let's view them as prolonged version of the nature's fruits from the harvest season and give them the respect they deserve.
“Pickled turnip is not so widely used, but it really upgrades a winter bean stew.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
Header Image credit: Taste of Croatia
Author: Morana Zibar / Taste of Croatia