Culinary Discoveries: Explore the sea in the middle of Europe

Close your eyes and imagine yourself at the beach, enjoying the sun or listening to the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. But wait! Something is missing: The taste and smell of local Mediterranean cuisine!

Explore the sea in the middle of Europe

The Czech Republic has no sea, a situation for which the Czechs blame Praotec Čech, the legendary “forefather” of the Czech nation. According to a 14th century legend, Čech climbed Mount Říp near today’s Prague, looked upon the landscape, and told his followers that they had reached the promised land: a country where there are enough of beasts, birds, fish and bees so that their tables will be always full, and where they could defend themselves against enemies. So he settled in the area with a tribe and the land was named after him: Čechy = Czech lands. But IF he had stopped a few kilometres further south, we could have had the sea at our front door :). Thankfully, Vienna House Diplomat Prague has prepared a new concept at its CD Restaurant that is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine – but is not only for the lovers of the sea – so that you can taste the sea in the middle of Europe!

What is Mediterranean cuisine?

When you think of Mediterranean food, you probably imagine pizza, pasta, gyros and lots of white bread. The countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea lie in Europe (Greece, Italy and Spain), North Africa (e.g. Algeria, Libya and Morocco) and the Middle East (e.g. Lebanon, Syria and Turkey) and the cuisine is extremely diverse with meals that are rich in a wide variety of ingredients and spices. You can choose from a variety of healthy and fresh options, e.g. seafood, lamb, salads or fruits that are suitable for a spring diet or detox. How does “lamb with pea-mint purée and salsa verde potatoes”, “baked spring chicken with herb stuffing and young vegetables” or “goat cheese soufflé with baby spinach and spring shoots salad” sound to you?

Have you heard that Mediterranean cuisine works wonders?

What’s more, the Mediterranean diet is actually considered to be the healthiest in the world. Study after study has shown that not just the stress-free Mediterranean lifestyle but mainly the local food can prevent such illnesses as heart disease, cancer or strokes and that it can increase life expectancy. So don’t forget to eat lots of fish, shrimps, vegetables and salads with olive oil. And a glass of good white wine per day is also allowed!

Try the following recipe at home:

Tiger Shrimps Salad with Avocado and Citrus Segments from the Vienna House Diplomat Prague chef de cuisine

 

Ingredients:

• Tiger shrimps
• Mixed green salad leaves
• Sakura mix
• Orange and grapefruit pieces
• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Juice of lemon, orange and grapefruit
• Sugar, salt, pepper

Start with the dressing: Mix together the citrus juices, add salt, sugar, fresh ground pepper and mix with olive oil. Then prepare an avocado mayonnaise: In the blender, mix together an egg yolk and slowly add olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and avocado. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the shrimps quickly on both sides. Then set aside. In a bowl, mix the different kinds of salad leaves, add the dressing and mix well. If necessary, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the salad on a plate, decorate with the fillets of orange and grapefruit, add the avocado pieces and the shrimps. Then put more dressing on the top. To serve, decorate with the sakura mix and drops of avocado mayonnaise on the plate.

Not enough time to do it yourself or not sure if you can prepare it correctly? Visit Vienna House Diplomat Prague and taste real Mediterranean cuisine in the heart of Prague… guaranteed stress-free:).