Hajj Ćevap, or mushroom and veal sauce (hadžijski ćevap), is a mouthwatering, traditional Bosnian dish. It involves simmering veal (or beef) alongside vegetables, followed by baking it in a water bath. Shall we?
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Background
Although ćevap usually stands for famous grilled sausages, it's also the name of several veal sauces. They usually have an adjective in front of the name, so you'll easily recognize them. (Remember sitni (miniature) ćevap?)
Another example is today's hajj ćevap (hadžijski ćevap), we jokingly translated as the "boss sauce." This traditional Bosnian dish consists of a veal sauce (beef works too!) with a delicious veggie combo, simmered and then baked in a water bath.
If you were wondering, hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca that financially able Muslims are required to make. However, hajj was out of the question for most Bosnian Muslims back in the day. The trip was expensive and far away.
Completing the hajj, and becoming a 'hadžija,' was synonymous with being wealthy. Furthermore, over time the term became slang for boss in the Balkans.
The definition moved across borders. So, someone from Serbia who visited Jesus' grave in Jerusalem back in the day was also called hadžija, as they too had to be well-off to complete the pilgrimage.
Our hajj ćevap is quite the boss sauce in its own right. For example, it's made from expensive ingredients like veal. The process to make it is unique. And when it comes out of the oven, in individual bags, it's as if you're opening a gift.
And that's pretty boss, if you ask us!
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this veal and mushroom sauce (hajj ćevap, hadžijski ćevap):
- Veal: although veal is the preferred meat for this dish, you can also use top round, sirloin, or beef chuck. Dice it as small as possible.
- Butter: no substitutes.
- Oil: sunflower, vegetable, avocado, or coconut. Avoid olive oil.
- Onion: yellow or white onion. Avoid red onion.
- Peppers: bell peppers, Italian sweet peppers, or Balkan roga and babura peppers.
- Mushrooms: portobello or cremini. (If you test it with other ones, let us know!)
- Tomatoes: Roma, or tomatoes on the vine. Avoid cherry tomatoes as you'll have to skin them.
- Seasonings: black pepper, sugar, salt, or stock powder.
- Heavy Cream: regular heavy cream, no substitutes.
Instructions
Below are the easy steps for making
Step 1. Simmer ingredients (butter, onion, meat, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, seasonings), by adding them to the pan with a few minutes in between each.
Step 2. Make "bags" with sauce by placing sauce and heavy cream in parchment paper pieces, and wrapping them up with twine. Finally, place them in a pan with hot water for a water bath, and bake.
Handling
- Serve: serve by placing a 'bag' with the sauce in a bowl or a plate. Preferably serve with, or over, a side such as mashed potatoes, polenta or porridge, rice, quinoa, etc.
- Store: open all the remaining bags, and then combine the sauce in an airtight container (discard the bags), and transfer the sauce to the fridge for up to 24 hours. (Don't keep it past that time as you have dairy in the form of heavy cream.)
- Reheat: reheat using your preferred method.
Other Recipes
Here are some more delicious recipes from Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Thoughts?
If you make today's Bosnian boss sauce: mushroom and veal sauce (hadžijski ćevap) and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
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Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Hajj Ćevap, Mushroom and Veal Sauce
Equipment
- 6 pieces (12x12 inches, or 30x30 cm) baking paper or foil
- 6 pieces of twine, each approximately 25-inches (60cm)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil vegetable, sunflower, canola, or avocado
- 1-2 yellow onion(s) large, diced or grated
- 16-20 ounces veal (or beef) diced into smaller squares; if beef, use sirloin, top round, or beef chuck
- 2-3 bell peppers diced, yellow or red; or sweet Italian peppers, roga peppers, or babura peppers
- 10-12 ounces portabello mushrooms diced, or cremini
- 1-2 tomatoes peeled and diced, with juice, or canned
- ground pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons stock powder or Vegeta, or bouillon
- 6-8 ounces heavy cream
- (Optional) parsley and paprika
Instructions
Simmer Vegetables and Meat
- Heat oil and butter in a larger pan over medium. Add onion and stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add veal. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the meat has slightly browned. Add bell pepper and stir. After a few more minutes add mushrooms, tomatoes and spices. Mix well, and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Heat oven to 450°F (220°C).
Make Sauce "Bags"
- While the meat and veggies are simmering, take baking (parchment) paper (or foil) and cut out 6 squares that are approximately 12x12 inches (30x30cm) in length. Then take some twine and cut out 6 pieces that are approximately 25 inches (60cm) in length.
- Transfer veggies and meat to your working area. Take one piece of parchment paper and transfer ⅙ of the sauce in the middle of it. (Approximately 1-2 ladles of sauce.) Follow with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Create a 'bag' or a 'sack' (or a "Hershey kiss") by taking the opposite ends of the parchment paper and lifting them up until they meet, and any remaining sides until the sauce is in the bottom of the sack. Squeeze the sides so none of the sauce can come out. Take the twine and tightly wrap it around the 'bag' making a bow.
Bake in Water Bath
- Place the bags into a deep baking pan. Fill it up with hot water about half the height of the bags. (You're essentially making a water bath.) Bake for 30 minutes.
- Lower temperature to 390°F (200°C). And bake an additional 40 minutes. Keep the level of water by adding more hot water if necessary. Turn the pan around at least once during the baking.
- At this time you can make a side of mashed potatoes, polenta, rice or other.
Serve
- Serve by placing a 'bag' with the sauce in a bowl or a plate. Each person should unwrap their bag on their own. Store by opening all the remaining bags and combine the sauce in an airtight container (discard the bags), and transferring the sauce to the fridge for up to 24 hours. (Don't keep it past that time as you have dairy in the form of the heavy cream.) Reheat using your preferred method.
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