Due to the healthful nature of most Mediterranean ingredients, they can be purchased in many health food and organic markets as well as Mediterranean and Italian markets, and are increasingly available in most major supermarkets. In areas where there are large concentrations of people from countries in the region, Middle Eastern or European aisles can be found in supermarkets. If you need to substitute or omit an ingredient, don’t feel bad! That’s the way many delicious recipes have adapted over the centuries.
Aleppo Pepper: A traditional Turkish and Syrian burgundy colored variety of pepper named after the Syrian city on the Silk Road. The cuisine of the city of Aleppo, known as Halaby in Arabic, is considered to be one of the major cuisines of the Middle East. Substitute another mildly hot red pepper in recipes, if needed.
Baby Squid: Call your local market to make sure they have the smaller, tender squid in stock before making a trip.
Bulgur: Groats from various wheat species are parboiled, dried, and cracked into bits. Bulgur is available in fine, medium, and coarse varieties and is used in everything from sweets to snacks, salads, and main courses in Middle Eastern cuisine. Tabbouleh, kibbeh, and other items are made from it. Fine bulgur does not need to be cooked. It is simply covered in water and allowed to set for a few minutes until absorbed.
Candied Citron: Grown on a small, shrub-like tree, the large, yellow, oblong fruit with greenish pulp is found in Corsica, southern Italy, and the Greek islands. It is a popular addition to panettone, panforte, sweet breads, and cannoli filling. Although different, citrus zest is sometimes substituted.
Cavatelli: Little, cave-shaped pasta popular in the southern Italian regions of Basilicata, Calabria, and Puglia, where they are still made by hand. They are appreciated for their ability to absorb liquid.
Couscous: Eaten predominately in North Africa, Sicily, and the eastern Mediterranean, couscous is a tiny, round pasta made of semolina and coarsely ground durum wheat flour. The name originates from the Berber word k’seksu. Traditionally hand rolled, manufactured couscous is available in instant varieties in supermarkets. Israeli couscous, known as moghrabieh in Arabic, consists of larger, pearl-like pasta beads, and is a popular base for stews in the Levant.
Dried dates: Since fresh dates are not available in many places outside of North Africa and the Middle East, what the rest of the world refers to as a date, is actually a dried date. There are hundreds of varieties in the Middle East, but the ones that are consistently sweet, tender, and easy to find abroad are the Medjool. If the only dates you can find are extremely dry, soak them in citrus juice or water for a few hours until they plump up.
Dried figs: Popular throughout the region, Greece, the Italian region of Calabria, and Turkey export their high-quality products around the globe. Available in white and black varieties, it is the white that works best in the recipes in this book. As with dates, if the only figs you can find are extremely dry, soak them in citrus juice or water for a few hours until they plump up.
Dried sultanas (golden raisins): Golden raisins are a great addition to pilafs, cookies, breads, and puddings.
Expeller pressed canola oil: Whenever cooking with oils other than olive, search for “expeller pressed” on the label, which means that the oil was extracted without chemicals.
Feta cheese: A white, brine-cured cheese made in most Mediterranean countries. Its name is derived from the Greek word for “slice” and current EU regulations require that only feta produced in Greece uses its proper name. Feta from other countries is often sold as “white cheese.” It is worth seeking out fresh, authentic varieties from Mediterranean markets, because their taste and temperature is very different from that found in supermarkets. Feta can be made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; it is sometimes made of a combination.
First cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil: Extracted from the first pressing of the olives, which denotes better quality and flavor. True extra-virgin olive oils are all first cold-pressed. Since many international consumers are not aware of this, many extra-virgin olive oils sold outside of “the Mediterranean” region will have both “Extra-Virgin” and the First Cold-Pressed marked on them.
Flax: A great source of omega-3, fiber, and lignans, flax was traditionally used for both medicinal and nutritive reasons. Nowadays, however, it is mostly health-conscious westerners who buy it to incorporate into smoothies, juices, baked goods, and shakes.
Greek yogurt: Greek and Greek-style yogurt is thicker, richer, and contains more protein than regular yogurt. I prefer the sheep/goat milk Greek yogurt that is sold in Mediterranean markets. Many other eastern Mediterranean countries also make delicious Greek-style yogurt. The Fage brand that is available in most supermarkets is made from cow’s milk, and works well in all of the recipes in this book.
Green cardamom pods: Native to India, and considered to be India’s favorite spice, cardamom is also the world’s second most expensive spice. It is featured in everything from drinks to savory recipes and sweet desserts in the North African and Middle Eastern portions of the region. Cardamom can be bought whole in its pods, which need to be opened to remove its teeny black seeds, and ground or crushed in a mortar and pestle. Because the oils found in the seeds are extremely volatile, cardamom begins to lose its intoxicating aroma once ground.
Halloumi cheese: Made from cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk, or a combination of them, Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened brined cheese from Cyprus, where it has been made using the same artisanal methods for millennia.
Harissa sauce: A fiery North African pepper paste that can be stirred into recipes or used as a condiment.
Maccheroni: A type of pasta ranging in shapes from those similar to rigatoni or the slightly more elongated casareccio style, often served with hearty tomato and meat sauces. This was traditionally a homemade shape that was synonymous to all pastas. The name is the origin for the English term macaroni.
Manchego: A Spanish hard, sheep’s milk cheese made from milk of local Manchega breed of La Mancha sheep. Fresh Manchego is aged for only 2 weeks. “Cured” is typically aged for a minimum of 3 months and up to 6 months, while “aged” is aged for 1 year.
Medium-grain rice: Look for Calrose rice in organic stores or “Egyptian” rice in Mediterranean stores they contain quite a bit of starch and produce creamy recipes.
Medium-grain Spanish rice: La Bomba or Calasparra varieties are known for their ability to absorb liquid while retaining a slightly firm to the bite texture. They are often used in Paella recipes.
Orange blossom water: Water made from orange blossom oils and and is used as a flavoring for syrups and sweets.
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Aged cow’s milk cheese from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Italian law mandates that only Parmigiano-Reggiano made in specific areas can be called by its proper name. Look for “DOP” (protected designation of origin) varieties for the best quality.
Pecorino Romano: Aged sheep’s milk cheese from the Lazio region of Italy around Rome. Pecorino denotes “coming from sheep,” and many Italian locations have their own version. Pecorino Crotonese, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino di Moliterno, and many others have their own distinct flavors and are worth sampling if you can find them.
Peeled fava beans: Used extensively in southern Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East, fava were one of the world’s oldest crops. The peeled variety are dry, white, and require soaking before using.
Pickling salt: Similar to table salt, without the iodine, which causes vegetables to change color during the pickling process. It is often sold with canning materials.
Pomegranate molasses: Molasses made from pomegranate juice in the eastern Mediterranean. Used in dips, sauces, and as a garnish.
Preserved vine (grape) leaves: Since fresh vine leaves are only available for a short time, those preserved in brine are substituted when making stuffed vine leaves, or for wrapping and grilling fish and cheese.
Pure cinnamon: In the Mediterranean region, “pure” cinnamon is used. It has a more mellow flavor than the American variety which by law can be mixed with 20 percent Cassia. Look for true cinnamon, sometimes also called Sri Lankan cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon.
Queso Cabrales: Northern Spanish semi-hard cheese made from pure, unpasteurized milk of cows, sheeps, or goats in the Asturias region. It is delicious on its own or blended into sauces.
Ras el Hanout: A Moroccan spice blend of up to twenty-seven spices that is increasingly available from major Western spice companies.
Red currants: Member of the gooseberry family native to Northern Europe, Spain, Italy, and Portugal. For recipes in this book, cranberries, raisins, or pomegranate seeds may be substituted.
Saffron: The world’s most expensive spice is cultivated from the stigmas of the crocus flower in the autumn. Its English name is derived from the plural form of the feminine form of the Arabic word for yellow, saffra. Saffron provides a bright yellow pigment and unique flavor to drinks, savories, and sweets. Medicinally, saffron is said to increase energy, suppress coughs, have diuretic properties, rejuvenate the heart, and ease labor pains.
Tahini: A sesame seed paste referred to as tahina in Arabic that is used in baked goods, made into sweet halva, or used in a sauce for dipping pita, falafel, and crudités. This paste is also the base for hummus (whose real name is Hummus bil Tahini or Hummus with Tahini) and Baba Ghanoush.
Unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil: Refers to unfiltered olive oil that contains small particles of olive flesh, which reduces shelf life of the oil. Many people, myself included, feel that unfiltered olive oil has greater taste because the olive particles continue to flavor it. It can sometimes be found in chain supermarkets during holiday time.
Unrefined sea salt: This is my go-to salt. It is relatively inexpensive and has not been processed or been exposed to harsh chemicals. It contains a wide variety of minerals and elements necessary for optimal health, native to the area it comes from. It does not have added iodine, as does most commercial brands of table salt. Kosher salt, table salt, or other sea salts may be substituted in the recipes in this book.
White sesame: The attractive flowers of the tropical sesame plant produce sesame seeds as they dry up. They yield about 1 tablespoon (8 g) per pod. The seeds are also used to make culinary oils and paste.
Za’atar: A variety of thyme native to the Middle East. It can be used in breads, meat, poultry, soups, and stews. There is also a spice mix that includes wild thyme, which is referred to as za’atar in Arabic as well.