Ten European dishes that chefs think everyone should try

Although the EU has drawn together much of Europe into a common market, the food remains more diverse, with each country and even regions within countries having their signature dishes, styles and ingredients. The Guardian (UK) recently asked a dozen chefs (some Michelin-starred and several of the World’s 50 Best) to tell them about local dishes on the European continent that they think we should try.

It is interesting to see which dishes from countries where the food culture is well known by outsiders, and even more fascinating for the dishes in areas you might not have discovered yet. For Italy, chef Anthony Genovese honed in on the Calabrian region and chose stockfish pasta. Stockfish are dried cod, and for this dish you soak the cod in water for several days, then slice it and add flavorings like olive oil and lemon.

I was intrigued by the Slovenian dish called Frika. According to chef Ana Ros, this is a traditional dish that consists of potatoes and cheese cooked in pork fat. It is usually served with mountain herbs. Another that caught my eye was the Polish dish called zur, which is made from “so-called white borsch: whole-rye bread and crusts placed in a jar and left in a warm place for two days to ferment.” Have you tried any of these dishes?

Photo of Sour rye soup with tongue, potatoes, dill and horseradish (zur) from Great British Chefs – Chef Recipes by Kuba Winkowski