"Šugo" in the old, quarnerian way

music: Kvarneriana by Vivien Galetta and Voljen Grbac on MIK festival 2009 

When the clouds close up the sky above the mountain Učka and the sea rises up all foamy and white, when lightnings and thunders, together with heavy raindrops melt together in one the sea and the sky - that's our true quarnerian storm "nevera s Kvarnera"!
What else can you do than take a bowl, and cook slowly, in oldfashion way, our fine "šugo" with polenta.
And when this strong but short summer storm vanishes, there's nothing more beautiful than the look on the Bay of Quarner right beside a full plate of tasteful homemade dish...

mountain Učka in Quarner, just after the quarnerian storm

In the past there were lots of herds of goats and sheep on the sloaps of mountain Učka. Therefore, the meat of those animals was the most usual ingredient for lots of dishes. For this particular dish it would be good to have a goatling meat, but if not, beef would do just fine.

Ingredients

50 dag nice lowfat beef or goatling meat
1 dl of olive oil
1 large onion
1-2 carrots
slice of celery root
15 dag of bacon
5 dl of red wine
1 teaspoon of ground sweet pepper (paprika)
3 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp quarnerian herbs - parsley, celery, rosemary, lavender, basil, bay leaf
 water to add during cooking
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Cut the meat into cubes.
Cut onions and bacon in small pieces, wash and grate carrots and celery, chop finely garlic and herbs .
In a bowl (with lid) heat the olive oil. Fry onions on it briefly. Add meat and fry it short. Add some salt to help the meat to soften. Cover bowl and reduce heat so meat will release its juice.
Then add the carrots, celery, garlic, paprika and bacon, pour good wine, stir and cover again.
The heat must be completely reduceed to stew very slowly. Occasionally add some water and stir every time. The right home šugo "šufiga" quite a long time until all ingredients pervade at least 1.5 to 2 hours.
Toward the end, add herbs, pepper and if necessary some salt. Again add some water. Cover and cook for another ten minutes to thicken the meal.

Serving

Along with this "šugo" - version of goulash from croatian quarnerian coast (or maybe vice versa) - it is best to serve polenta, either common or baked, or polenta "kompirica" (polenta with potato) that in Quarner and Grobnik is usually cooked, and homemade pasta will also fit perfectly.

My original recipe in croatian is on Coolinarika - "Šugo po starinsku z Kvarnera"