Top 5 Dishes of Montenegro

Montenegro is a country whose name literally means "Black Mountain" and was first mentioned in historical sources as early as 1296. Montenegro is located on the Adriatic Sea coast and attracts thousands of tourists every year. In addition to beach vacations, you can find unique natural reserves, impressive architectural ensembles, and friendly people here.

In addition to beach holidays, you can find unique nature reserves, impressive architectural ensembles and friendly people.

Montenegro is also renowned for its national cuisine, which is a unique blend of Balkan culinary traditions and distinctive features specific to the dishes of the "Black Mountain" people.

Brav u Mlijeku

Photo: Brav u Mlijeku, Source: https://www.internationalcuisine.com/

Brav u Mlijeku translates to "lamb in milk." This traditional Montenegrin dish is often prepared in the northern regions of the country. According to an ancient recipe, lamb is combined with potatoes, a mix of spices and herbs, soaked in milk, and stewed in a special bag. Typically, Brav u Mlijeku is cooked over charcoal, but sometimes a Dutch oven is used, where the lamb is stewed until it becomes "melt-in-the-mouth" tender. The dish is usually served in a traditional clay pot.

Cicvara

Photo: Cicvara, Source: https://www.tasteatlas.com/

Cicvara originates from Montenegro and is a traditional peasant dish. It's usually a mixture of corn flour, fresh homemade cheese, milk, water, salt, and aged kajmak - the Montenegrin version of clotted cream. The cheese is dissolved in water and milk. After adding the flour, the mixture is vigorously stirred until fully dissolved. Practically every family in Montenegro has its own version of the Cicvara recipe. The dish is easy to prepare and nourishing. Typically, Cicvara is garnished with herbs, bits of fatback, sour cream, or honey before serving.

Priganice

Photo: Priganice, Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Priganice are fried dough balls, similar to flavorful donuts. Mostly, it's plain fried dough seasoned with homemade cheese, kajmak, smoked meat, prosciutto, or sautéed vegetables. The traditional recipe for this dish can be sampled in the highland villages, where local chefs proudly showcase their experience and offer top-notch accompaniments like artisanal cheeses and meat appetizers with Priganice. Priganice are usually enjoyed as a great breakfast option or a light daytime snack.

Burek

Photo: Burek, Source: https://www.recipesfromeurope.com/

Burek is an ancient Balkan delicacy with roots dating back to the times of the Ottoman Empire. The name comes from the Turkish word meaning "to twist." To prepare Burek, the dough must be carefully kneaded to achieve its characteristic plasticity and proper texture. Burek is considered an ideal dish for breakfast and is sold in almost every Montenegrin bakery. Traditionally, bureks are baked with basic fillings such as cheese, minced meat, or spinach.

Cevapi

Photo: Сevapi, Source: https://www.chasingthedonkey.com/

Cevapi, also known as chevaps, are small sausages made from a mixture of pork and beef, combined with plenty of onions and spices. They are usually grilled, although they can also be cooked at home on a skillet. Interestingly, the taste of cevapi varies in each Montenegrin establishment, as everyone has their unique recipe. Cevapi pair perfectly with beer or dunja - a strong alcoholic beverage made from quince. During dinner at a restaurant or café, cevapi are served with kajmak, ajvar, urnebes, or simply fried onions. As a side dish for cevapi, baked potatoes, French fries, grilled vegetables, or any vegetable salad are typically offered.