Utopenci

Make the marinade: in a saucepan combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf, black peppercorns and allspice berries. Bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for 2–3 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Peel the thin casing off the smoked sausages, pierce each one in several places with a toothpick, and make a lengthwise slit about 2/3 of the way through, without cutting all the way.

Spoon a little grainy mustard into the slit of each sausage and rub it in lightly.

Slice the onion into half-rings, cut the garlic into thin slices, and halve the chili peppers lengthwise, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavor.

Layer some of the onion, garlic and chili on the bottom of a clean, dry jar, then pack the sausages tightly on top, alternating them with the rest of the vegetables.

Pour the cooled marinade over the contents of the jar so that it completely covers the sausages, then seal the lid tightly.

Put the jar in the fridge for at least 7 days, and ideally 10–14 days, to let the utopenci marinate properly; turn or gently shake the jar once a day.

Serve the utopenci chilled, cut into pieces, together with the pickled onion from the jar — a classic appetizer to go with cold beer.