One of the staples of traditional Turkish cuisine, sarma consists of a filling that is snugly surrounded by leaves or leafy vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish but the mixture typically combines ingredients such as minced meat, rice or bulgur, various herbs, seasonings, red pepper, paprika, ground sumac, or tomato sauce, while the typical wrapping usually includes vine, cabbage, or sauerkraut leaves, or a variety of leafy vegetables such as collard greens and swiss chard.

Having its roots in the Ottoman Empire, sarma is also traditionally consumed in the Balkans, the countries of Central Europe, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East. Although it is commonly enjoyed as a filling lunch or dinner (typically during the winter season), sarma is often prepared on special occasions and holidays. 

Kotlovina is a traditional dish made by cooking various types of meat, sausages, and vegetables in a large, shallow plate that is placed over an open fire. The dish is typically prepared outdoors, often in gardens or courtyards. There are numerous recipes for kotlovina, but the meat is usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and oil.

It is recommended to serve the dish with roasted potatoes or a fresh salad on the side.

Dalmatinska pašticada is a traditional Dalmatian dish consisting of beef (the traditional cut used being frikando, the toughest part of beef round) that is marinated in vinegar and spices for up to a couple of days, after which it’s stewed in red wine or prošek with bacon, tomatoes, a few dried prunes or figs, and root vegetables.

Once cooked, the sauce is puréed and additionally seasoned with a selection of various spices. Traditionally, the dish is served at weddings with a side of gnocchi or homemade pasta. It is recommended to serve pašticada with some grated cheese on top. 

Janjetina ispod peke is a traditional lamb specialty that calls for preparing the meat under a metal, bell-like dome or lid called peka in Dalmatia or čripnja in Istria. The meat is usually combined with potatoes and vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, and zucchinis, and the whole thing is then commonly drizzled with olive oil.

White wine or beer may occasionally be added to the concoction to speed up the cooking process, while the dish is often flavored with aromatic herbs and spices such as rosemary, bay leaves, mint, paprika, and black pepper. Traditionally, the baking tray or pot containing the food is topped with the peka lid, placed in a fireplace, and the lid is then covered with hot embers on top. 

Čobanac is a traditional meat stew originating from Slavonia and Baranja, located in the eastern part of Croatia. The dish is traditionally prepared by slowly cooking all of the ingredients for several hours in a large copper pot that is strung over an open fire.

Typically, it consists of a few different types of meat, from veal and pork to wild game meat, along with large quantities of onions, and a special blend of sweet and hot ground paprika which gives the stew its characteristical rich and vivid color. 

Punjena paprika is a ground meat dish that's prepared in many variations across the Balkans, in countries such as Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Hungary, among others. The dish consists of bell peppers that are stuffed with a mixture of ground meat (veal, pork, or both), rice, and spices.

Punjene paprike are a quintessential summer dish in Croatia – sarma is reserved for winter, while punjena paprika is a summer staple. The meat and rice mixture is typically seasoned with onions, salt, pepper, and paprika powder. Once stuffed, the bell peppers (usually green bell peppers) are cooked in tomato sauce with a bit of flour and garlic, and they are then served with mashed potatoes on the side.

This festive Croatian dish consists of a whole roasted turkey, paired with an authentic Croatian side dish known as mlinci. The dish has its origins in the Zagorje region, where turkey has been brought over from Italy by the Pauline Fathers in the 15th century.

Specific breeding and growing conditions have led to the creation of an autochthonous Zagorje Turkey breed that is praised for its exceptional quality of meat. Mlinci, on the other hand, are best described as a cross between pasta and crispy, unleavened flatbread. 

Odojak na ražnju is a popular Croatian dish made by roasting a whole suckling pig on a rotating spit. It is roasted over an open fire until the skin becomes crispy and golden-brown in color. Before it's roasted, the suckling pig is traditionally seasoned only with salt.

The cooking time is somewhere between 3,5 hours and 5,5 hours, depending on the size of the pig. Once the white steam starts to form and the fat stops dripping, the suckling pig is properly roasted. This dish is often prepared for special occasions and important guests, and it's usually served with bread and roasted potatoes.