A dish that many guests associate with Montenegrin cuisine is rashtan with dried meat. Raštan is a variety of wild kale (cabbage) cooked with carrots, onions, herbs and, most importantly, various types of meat, such as cured meats, bacon, sausages, ribs. On the other hand, guests from Russia and Ukraine recognize the predecessor of borscht and cabbage soup (šči), their favorite dishes, in which local varieties of cabbage play a major role. In fact, in Ukraine and Russia, beets and tomatoes have started to be added to cabbage dishes, but cabbage remains the main ingredient in these dishes. In Montenegro, a type of wild kale is used instead. And as you understand, in a naturally grown plant where God and nature made it possible, there is something uniquely valuable for human.
Raštan is a joy for human health
Raštan has wide leaves, it is convenient to pluck and cook or just satisfy hunger by making a salad. And this very plant, so available for consumption, contains enormous benefits for human health. In these leaves you will find plenty of calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium, manganese, beta-carotene, vitamins B, C, A, dietary fibre, and what are now called anti-cancer substances such as diindolylmethane, sulforaphane. When you chew raštan or chop it finely in a salad, this is what activates anti-cancer substances, research has shown.
Now think about how people have been eating cabbage since ancient times, primarily wild leafy cabbage, which is still eaten in Montenegro today. Later, in search of a harvest, people got cabbage, which gives a thick and heavy head. But when you are in Montenegro, enjoy this luxury - to eat what God and nature gave from the very beginning to strengthen the immune system, muscles and bones of human - a wild original plant variety.
In fact, many dishes are now prepared from raštan. This is not only the classic Montenegrin Raštan with dried meat, but also Raštan in oil by Bokeški, Raštan "on tabak", Raštan with sausages, Cooked Raštan, Raštan in the Bokeš way, Raštan (raštika) with homemade sausages, Lenten Sarmice with raštan, Green menestra with raštan, Japraci and sarmice from raštan, Dalmatian Menestra, Ribs from the oven with raštan. All these dishes are wonderful and convenient because the leaves of raštan are easy to process, they are tasty and healthy.
Here we will talk about the classic - Montenegrin raštan with dried meat or sausages. And we will tell you why this dish is classic and how it can be changed depending on the situation.
Therefore,
For 1 kilogram of raštan leaves, you will need
About 600 grams of dry meat or homemade sausages or smoked ribs
2-3 carrots
3-4 potatoes
If desired and the situation, you can supplement the composition with chard leaves, celery - about 300 grams, and leeks. As well as greens in the form of parsley, spring onions, who likes - basil, dill, rosemary, bay leaves. Some people add paprika.
Add salt and pepper to taste
You will need about 30 grams of olive or sunflower oil or a tablespoon of lard.
To soften the raštan and remove some of the bitterness, place it on a metal sieve as if frying it in a pot of boiling water. It is enough to keep it for one or two minutes, take it out of the water and leave it to cool. After that, the raštan should be cut into squares or strips, removing the thick stems.
In the meantime, take a deep pan or a pan with a thick bottom.
Put oil or fat on the bottom of the heated pan. Place the raštan, leek rings, carrot and celery circles or cubes on the oil, then paprika and herbs - bay leaves and rosemary. The last layer is meat. Salt and pepper. Be careful because the dry meat is already salty. Pour water over so that the water covers it all, no more is needed. The meat and raštan are stewed for about 40–45 minutes until they are soft. If you add the potatoes right away, they will be very soft, almost puréed. In this case, soft potatoes serve as a thickener for the dish. But not everyone likes it. Therefore, the potato slices can be added when the raštan and meat are half cooked. Just before the end of cooking, green onions, basil, parsley and other delicate herbs can be added. Also, garlic can be finely chopped and added at the very end.
Do not stir the dish in the process, this way it will retain its beauty.
Some people like to add cubes of cheese in the middle of the process, then the hard cheese will melt slightly but not lose its shape. If soft cheese is added, on the other hand, it will melt and add richness and thickness. Other people like to add beets and tomatoes along with carrots. You can add sour cream to the plate into the finished dish.
In any case, the classic basis of the dish gives room for creative imagination and can bring joy to guests with different preferences in different situations.