Healthy Mediterranean Cuisine includes the cuisines of all the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.
Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.
French and Italian foods are so well known in America, it’s almost like we don’t think of them as Mediterranean anymore, even though they are, especially Italy, which as a peninsula is virtually surrounded by the Mediterranean. Though French and Italian foods and to a lesser extent Greek foods have carved out distinct niches of Mediterranean cuisines, Tunisian, Turkish, Lebanese, Morrocan, Egyptian, Spanish cuisine is all Mediterranean cuisine.
At one point the Turkish based Ottoman Empire ruled all the Mediterranean South and East of Greece, that left a common cultural influence. And Spain for about 700 years, was ruled by the Moors, a name for peoples of North Africa and the Middle East.
When we think of Mediterranean we think of these ingredients:
DAIRY
Feta – Though it’s a fresh cheese, like mozzarella, blocks of the white cheese are brined, giving it a characteristic tanginess–just like lemons, sumac, and pomegranate molasses. Depending on the country, feta can be made from sheep’s, goat’s, or cow’s milk, or a combination. (Blog.BlueApron.com)
Yogurt
VEGETABLES
Grape Leaves
Olives
Lemon
Parsley
Pepperoncinis
Garbanzo Beans
GRAINS
Rice
Bulgur – Dried Cracked Whole Wheat
Couscous – a North African dish of Semolina (Granules of Durum Wheat) that are cooked by steaming. (Wikipedia/Couscous)
SPICES
Thyme
Dill weed
Cumin
Za’atar is sometimes considered Thyme, other times Oregano, or it can be a blend of spices: reddened with sumac, fragrant with thyme and oregano, bulked up with sesame seeds, and finished off with other dried herbs. (SeriousEats.com 2015/06)
Oregano
Sumac
Mint
Cinnamon
BEANS & SEEDS
Chickpeas
Fava Beans
Sesame Seeds
Hummous – Made from ground Chickpeas and ground Sesame Seeds (Tahini)
MEATS
Lamb
Goat
FRUIT
Pomegranate
