My dad is from a little island on the Dalmatian coast and the food they eat in those parts is very simple and yet superbly delicious. Mostly the locals eat grilled meats and fish accompanied with bread, salad and a dish they call blitva. Blitva is a vegetable usually made with silver beet or swiss chard and potato, but it can be made with anything from broad beans or zucchini or as I like to use, broccoli and sometimes green beans.
I use broccoli in my blitva because the flavour is mild and better for the kids…chard and silver beet can taste very strong and earthy and spinach can be hard to work with because of the fibrous leaves. My mum likes to add whatever greens she’s got in the crisper to hers, often throwing in a zucchini or green beans into the broccoli. The key to good blitva is not to drain too much of the water out, and not to over cook the potato. It might take you a few tries to get it perfect but even when it’s not perfect it’s still pretty good. This is a perfect side dish for meat or fish. It has the combination of carbohydrate, greens, olive oil and garlic – all terrific foods that can be enjoyed all the time and excellent for your health.
Blitva Recipe
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli (or swiss chard, beans of any kind)
1 or 2 potatoes peeled and chopped into pieces.
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
Method:
Put the potato into water and boil.
If you cut the potato small, then boil up the broccoli at the same time. They will be ready at the same time.
If you have larger pieces of potato, then just throw the broccoli and garlic in once the potatoes are almost cooked.
Drain – but leave a little water in or it will be too dry.
Cut it all together with a knife inside the pot.
Season generously with salt and plenty of olive oil.
