Antique Podded Broad Beans in Lamb at Restaurant Kornat in Zadar

An Exclusive Status of  Beans

The first ancient traces of the pea (biža) were found in colder parts of Europe, such as southern Russia and Switzerland because it likes a harsher and more humid climate. Unlike its close relative, the broad bean is a typical Mediterranean plant spread throughout the Mediterranean during antiquity, embarking on a campaign somewhere from North Africa or the Middle East. Peas, which spread throughout Europe in the early Middle Ages, are sown somewhat less frequently in small Mediterranean gardens, and we will find them more in larger fields. Broad beans are still their older brother in the Mediterranean, but biži  in popularity, who knows why, have become even more popular in both Dalmatia and Zadar than the ancient bob. That is why in these parts, bob has an exclusive status with real gourmets. Basically, both beans and peas in their early stages are true stars of spring, more popular than the beans that became common here more than a millennium later, after arriving from the American continents. 

Somehow at the same time when young broad beans first arrive and are followed by peas, the young Dalmatian lamb has already reached a somewhat more fragrant and mature phase, as the lambs have already eaten the newly sprouted aromatic Mediterranean herbs. Then all three foods are combined in a pot, so a specific Dalmatian goulash is created - lamb with broad beans and peas. It is even questionable whether the name "gulaš" fits this dish at all because this dish is prepared slightly differently from ordinary goulash - pieces of young lamb are first fried in oil and taken out. Only then is the onion (kapula) sautéed, and little by little, the other ingredients and spices are added. In some parts of Dalmatia, this dish is also called žgvacet, and this name is common in Istria for a similar dish cooked - with chicken.

Most people prepare this Dalmatian goulash only with peas, which is actually a path of least resistance - real chefs will always cook broad beans and peas, new potatoes, and spring garlic with lamb… All the typical spring foods unavailable in other parts of the year (except in frozen state).

Broad Beans in Janjeća toćada at “Kornat“ Restaurant

Inspired by this mighty Dalmatian dish, the food of serious lovers of marenda, which is a cult Dalmatian early meal, the Zadar " Kornat" Restaurant chef  Damir Stoiljković Pjerino has created one of his new, different dishes. He prepares it in fine dining sequences as an independent meal. This dish deserves to be presented because it has kept the soul of that old-fashioned Dalmatian goulash with biži and beans.

"Kornat" is one of the oldest restaurants in Zadar, first opened back in 1939 under a different name, and for 20 years now, it has been owned by the famous Zadar family Petričić. The restaurant is run by Sandra Petričić, who has replaced her successful career as a journalist and television producer with hospitality. The restaurant is located at the far northeastern point of the old part of Zadar, on the Peninsula, at the very entrance to the city port. Thus, guests witness the port  šušur (the hustle and bustle), the entry and departure of passenger, fishing and tourist boats.

The restaurant on the "punta od tramuntana" (tramuntana is a fresh northwest wind, a bit unpleasant in winter, refreshing in summer) is decorated in an original and inventive way, with a lot of charm and elegance. There is a vast glass nautical chart of the Kornati archipelago on the ceiling, after which the restaurant is named. The ambience is decorated with a discreetly placed fairly large bookshelf. Behind the glass wall in a prominent place, there is a wine shop with an impressive selection of wines from Zadar, other parts of Croatia and the world.

Chef Pjerino and host Sandra designed a menu inspired by Dalmatian, Mediterranean and Italian gastronomic heritage. This is not unusual because Pjerino worked and studied in restaurants in Italy for years. All pasta used in the restaurant is handmade and wholemeal bread with pumpkin seeds served with meals. 

Pjerino combined young broad beans and lamb in a dish he called Janjeća Toćada, a modernized and new author's performance of traditional lamb with beans and biži. Pjerino first marinated the lamb in rosemary, garlic, and olive oil in a bag for the souse vide cooking so that all this vacuumed could be cooked an hour and a half.

During that time, our chef made ravioli, which he filled with cream from another spring gourmet pearl - artičok. How he made the cream remains a secret, but it is no secret that later, on a plate, ravioli with that cream perfectly rounded off the dish. 

Pjerino made toć (sauce) in a seemingly simple way. Our main star, broad podded beans, he threw into a frying pan with olive oil together with carrots and leek. When everything was fried for a while, he drizzled it with a previously prepared lamb demi glace sauce, which had been oozing from lamb bones for about 10 hours. So he finished the perfect side dish for the already cooked lamb, which he briefly roasted over on the grill before serving, and finally rolled in granella made of coarsely chopped pistachios. He drizzled the meat a little more with the remaining demi glace sauce and the toćada with the beans with an extra bit of olive oil and - that was it.

Young soft lamb, even softer broad beans and hidden artičok on the same plate are an enticing gourmet experience that should definitely be enjoyed in the spring. In Zadar, of course, on the "punta od tramuntana", in "Kornat".