Three Istrian-style shellfish dishes

Adriatic shellfish are among the cleanest in the world, which of course affects their flavour as well. And we think you'll agree that flavour is a priority for all gourmets. You can eat some of these shellfish raw, while others come to their fullest flavour in buzara or grilled, in pastas or risottos, with vegetables or boiled with garlic and parsley in the delicious wines of northwestern Istria. You'll be in good hands here in northwestern Istria, because our freshly-caught shellfish is a first-class seafood delicacy.

Novigrad's scallops, known locally as kapešante, are quite possibly the most delicious shellfish in the world. Their specific flavour comes through best when they are prepared as simply as possible – on the barbecue.

All the ingredients you need are scallops, Malvasia, olive oil, a bit of pepper, minced garlic and parsley. Oil the cleaned scallops in the shell and put them on a hot grill. While they're grilling, add a mixture of Malvasia, olive oil and garlic. The scallops are done when the meat turns white. As soon as you take them off the heat, sprinkle them with parsley, pepper, and a few extra drops of olive oil.

We know that true love lasts forever, and this is the kind of love between buzara and fresh mussels caught near the mouth of the river Mirna. They're excellent in risottos or with home-made pastas as well, but mussels buzara lets the fullness of the meat and the rich flavour of this brilliant shellfish really shine. Great ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, white wine, a few cloves of garlic, a bunch of fresh minced parsley and bread crumbs are in the background, serving only to emphasise the quality and flavour of the local mussels.

Warty venus clams with pasta is a delicious, juicy, refreshing dish, especially when served alongside a great local Malvasia. We won't recommend a type of pasta to use in this dish, because every home-made Istrian style of pasta will work like a charm with these clams and their sauce.