It was when I went to the Fish Market to pick up fresh whole squid for a recipe that I spotted these little critters. Scampi. Impossibly fresh, neatly nestled in crushed ice and colourfully inviting. I love these things.

They may not have much going on in the meat department, but what they do deliver is some beautifully sweet flesh that requires next to no cooking. Anyone that’s had scampi sushi knows what I’m talking about.

When I saw the scampi at the market I immediately thought of a classic Croatian dish that can be found on many-a-menu along the Adriatic. The “na buzaru” means to stew – referring to a few oceanic creatures – prawns, mussels or any shellfish you desire. It’s messy finger-food fun.

The basic sauce is a composition of oil, a lot of garlic, white wine, sometimes tomato and breadcrumbs as a thickening agent. Some fresh lemon and chopped parsley and it’s an exercise of transforming your shirt into a “Jackson Pollock” of stains.

And don’t forget the bread to mop up that sexy sauce!

Print Recipe

Škampi na buzaru - Croatian stewed scampi

Try this incredible skewed scampi dish from Croatia's coastline.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Croatian

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup coarse breadcrumbs
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic finely grated
• 4 tbsp brandy
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 g tomatoes puréed
• 1 tsp Vegeta or to taste (or use salt)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 650 g scampi rinsed & left whole
• ⅓ cup Parsley chopped
• Fresh lemon to garnish
• Crusty bread to serve

Course Main Dish Cuisine Croatian Servings servings Ingredients ⅓ cup virgin olive oil ⅓ cup coarse breadcrumbs 1 small onion finely chopped 6 cloves garlic finely grated 4 tbsp brandy ¾ cup dry white wine 2 tbsp tomato paste 400 g tomatoes puréed 1 tsp Vegeta or to taste (or use salt) 1 tsp black pepper 650 g scampi rinsed & left whole ⅓ cup Parsley chopped Fresh lemon to garnish Crusty bread to serve

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over medium flame, add the bread crumbs and stir for a couple of minutes until golden. Scrape the crumbs into a bowl and set aside.
2. Wipe out the pan and put it back onto the heat. Pour in the remaining oil and sauté the onion for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes until soft. Add the brandy and ignite by tipping the pan so the flame catches it. Alternatively use a match or lighter. Once the flame has gone add the wine, tomato paste and purée, Vegeta and pepper.
3. Bring to the boil then lay the scampi in the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, tuning over once to cook evenly.
4. Gently stir through the bread crumbs and parsley, turn off heat and serve. Squeeze over fresh lemon juice, add more parsley and use bread to mop up the sauce.

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