Recipes for Simple and Delicious Meals
Mediterranean cuisine guide for beginners
The Mediterranean style cuisine is based on the culinary traditions of countries located near the Mediterranean Sea. The emphasis is on fresh products, the simplicity of preparation, and the pronounced flavors. This little guide will allow you to familiarize yourself with the main ingredients, to take advantage of tips for preparation and cooking, and to discover authentic and delicious recipes that everyone can master at home.
Main ingredients
- Fruits and vegetables: Among the most popular are tomatoes, eggplants, artichokes, spinach, onions, mushrooms, olives, and okra. And there’s always a salad on the menu.
- Other vegetable ingredients: beans, nuts, legumes, and whole grains are part of the staple foods.
- Olive oil: an essential ingredient for cooking. It is also used in salad dressings and sprinkles several dishes.
- Fish and seafood: we like white fish with a sweet flavor, like tilapia, as much as the strong taste of shrimps and sardines.
- Meats and cheeses: Lamb, pork, and chicken are part of the Mediterranean cuisine, but portions limited. Recipes often require small amounts of tasty cheeses, such as feta or ricotta.
- Herbs: basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mint, for example, enhance the taste of foods. Used as a seasoning, herbs often replace salt, sugar and added fat.
Preparation tips
Cook
Lemon juice is often added to marinades to soften fish and meat.
Grilling foods is a very popular method of cooking. To avoid that they stick to the grill, make sure it is well oiled and really hot before dropping off.
Dense vegetables, such as root vegetables, have to cook longer and at a warmer temperature than water-dense vegetables, such as eggplant and mushrooms.
Pasta is always cooked al dente, which means it must be tender but firm under the tooth.
Seasoning
Wrapping the vegetables in olive oil before roasting them helps accentuate the robust flavors.
Some herbs are particularly well suited to certain fish and meats. Rosemary and mint enhance the flavor of lamb and pork. Thyme, cilantro, and basil perfectly chicken and shellfish, while Dill comes to balance the taste of the fish.
Dried herbs tolerate heat well and are often used in soups, stews, and sauces.
To add depth to almost any dish, sprinkle with a little feta.
A little olive oil and fresh garlic mix well the flavors of mixed vegetables with those of meat, fish, and cheese.
Rice? Nothing could be simpler! A staple food around the world, there are as many ways to cook or prepare it as there are varieties. Here are three useful ways to cook rice. Creole, pilaf or risotto, here’s to you hearty little dishes full of comfort.
Cook Rice Creole Way: The Most Classic
Similar to cooking pasta, cooking rice with Creole involves plunging a quantity of rice into a pot of boiling salted water. Ideal for white, brown, or scented rice, this cooking is the simplest. The key is to rinse the rice thoroughly before immersing it in water to remove as much starch as possible. Result: after 10 min of cooking, rice that does not stick, perfect to accompany dishes with rich sauces.
Cooking the Rice Method Pilaf: A Max of Taste
A base of onions, olive oil or butter in a deep casserole begins the recipe. Once the onions are reduced, add the rice (preferably long grains), and coat the grains well with the fat until they are translucent. Then count two doses of boiling salted water for one dose of rice, and pour it over the rice. Cover tightly on low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let the grains finish absorbing the liquid for 5 minutes. Scrape the rice with a fork, and you can eat the exotic dishes.
Cook Rice Risotto Version: Italian Inspired
For gourmet dishes to be tested according to your taste, the risotto requires precise cooking to succeed. Arborio rice, a round grain loaded with starch, is necessary for the execution of risotto of true Italian tradition. Melt butter in a saucepan, add finely chopped onions and rice. Stir until grains are transparent. Add a dose of broth and one dose of white wine for one dose of rice. Cover and cook over low heat until the liquid is completely absorbed. Add parmesan, and tie to the liquid cream. Ready to impress all your guests? Your turn!
Thanks to its nutritional qualities, rice helps us to fill up with energy to start the school year in style. Cantonese rice, paella, sushi, risotto. What specialty will you fall for from all over the world?