1,Sumac
If you have never tried cooking with Sumac, a decorative bush that grows
wild throughout the Middle East and parts of Italy, you should seek it out and
give it a try. I must admit that I love it and the dark purple-red berries are
sold dried or ground and have a fruity, astringent taste. Sumac is used in the
cooking of Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Ground sumac is rubbed into meats
for grilling and is good with potatoes, beetroot, and in mixed bean salads. It
can also be added to marinades, salad dressings, sauces and yogurt.
2, za’atar is another
incredibly versatile middle eastern spice blend and a fantastic ingredient to
have kicking around your kitchen. It is made by grinding hyssop leaves to a
coarse, aromatic, brownish green powder then mixing the powder with olive oil,
toasted sesame
seeds and sumac. If you can't get hyssop, substitute with thyme
or oregano. I find za'atar a welcome counterpoint to the sweetness of deeply
roasted pumpkin and its ideal sprinkled generously over salads, omelettes and
other egg dishes.
3, Burrata
Super creamy and utterly delicious, Burrata cheese is one of our
favourite ingredients. Burrata takes the mozzarella one step further — it's a
type of mozzarella that's formed into a pouch and then filled with soft,
stringy curd and cream. It’s the perfect foil for the classic Caponata salad.
Just drizzle with virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt!
4, PRESERVED LEMONS
Preserving lemons is very easy to do, although it does take at least
three to four weeks before the lemons are ready to use. On the other hand, they
keep practically forever. So if you can just make up your mind one afternoon to
spend the 20 minutes it takes to cut, salt and jar them, afterwards you can
pretty much forget about them for as long as you like, or until you happen to
pick up a middle eastern cookery book and get inspired to cook a tagine!
Start by sterilising a 500ml glass jar and once the jar is cool enough
to handle, or on its way there, wash and dry the fruit, remove any stems, and
slice the lemons almost in separate quarters lengthwise, stopping just short of
the stem end. The aim is to leave four pieces that are still joined over a
centimetre or two. Rub the lemons in course salt and pack then tightly in to
the Jar. Bring to the boil the 500ml of water mixed with 300g of salt and
remove from the heat.. Pour salt water over the lemons and leave chill. Cover
with a tight fitting lid. Once you’ve made your preserved lemons, put the jar
somewhere cool and dark for at least three weeks, upending it occasionally to
redistribute the loose salt, and topping up the juice if the lemons become
exposed. Once your peel is soft and ready to use, move the jar to the fridge,
where the contents can be keep for around a year or more.
Once they are in your fridge, don’t just forget them. Chop them finely to flavour anything
from chickpeas to quinoa, bulgur and couscous. Add them to salad dressings,
sauces and dips. A really simple pasta dish with good olive oil, some garlic,
and slices of preserved lemons is a beautiful thing and any time you'd normally
add some lemon zest or a squeeze of juice, just swap it for preserved lemons to
really give your recipes a twist.
Kalamata olives
Kalamata is a region in Greece, famous for its production of olives and
olive oils. Kalamata olives can be eaten plain or chopped up to be used in a
dish. Kalamata olives are also marinated in olive oil or vinegar and are widely
available in grocery stores. While Kalamata olives are high in sodium, they are
also rich in healthy fats and contain a natural antioxidant. They also have a
wonderful texture and taste.
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