ĆEVAPI

Ćevapi or ćevapčići (ћевапчићи) is a grilled dish of minced meat, a type of kebab, found traditionally in the countries of southeastern Europe. They are considered a national dish in the republics of the former Yugoslavia. We used to eat them all the time over there.

When I took my family to Stuttgart, we found ćevap's in the local market, and of course we often had them with the Balkan Platter, at the Croatian restaurant in Böblingen, near where we lived.

Bosnian ćevapi are made from two types of minced beef meat, hand mixed and formed with a funnel, while formed ćevapi are grilled. Serb ćevapčići are made of either beef, lamb or pork or mixed. Macedonian, Croatian, Bulgarian and Romanian varieties are often made of both pork and beef.

Here's how I make these little rascals:

Basic ingredients: 1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage (I use the spiciest variety), 1 lb ground beef, oregano and garlic powder. That's it.

At the start of the process of combining the two meats, dust them pretty well with the garlic powder and the oregano.

However you do it, making sausage is not a pretty sight." - Otto von Bismark, paraphrased.

Ćevapis are usually served of 5–10 pieces on a plate or in a flatbread (lepinje or somun), often with chopped onions, minced red pepper, and salt.

"If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned silly thing in the Balkans." - Otto Von Bismark

Sex, Drugs and Ćevapčići - graffiti, spray painted on a bullet-scarred wall in Mostar, Bosnia i Herzegovina.

- STORMBRINGER SENDS