2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Mediterranean cuisine is extremely popular, and the nutrition of people from these areas, known as the Mediterranean diet, is among the most preferred and followed worldwide. This is due to the fact that the food consumed in the Mediterranean region works very well on the body and the peoples who eat this way are known as the longest-lived.
Mediterranean cuisine is based on fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and seafood, cereals, dairy products and fresh meat, as well as olive oil. Olive oil is the fat used in food processing, it is the main ingredient of all Mediterranean cuisine, it is seasoned with any salad. Cold pressed olive oil is the most widely used because of its unique qualities and valuable taste.
However, the unique taste of Mediterranean cuisine is created by spices. They play an important role in creating the ultimate taste qualities of these specialties. Spices in Mediterranean cuisine both fresh and dried are used. We will look at the most popular of them.
Saffron
Saffron is known as the most expensive spice in the world due to the extremely difficult and slow manual collection and processing of the raw material. It is prepared from the stigma of the flower of a species of crocus, known as Crocus sativus.
It is picked at sunrise, then the red lollipop is removed by hand from the stamen, dried and then the aroma of the spice is released. The smell of saffron is sweet, the taste is slightly bitter and stimulates the appetite. The spice gives a golden hue to white foods such as rice.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a spice and herb known since ancient times. It is used both fresh and dried. It is a popular spice in Mediterranean cuisine because it has a very wide application - in soups, sandwiches, in various sauces, it is added to cheese, and in combination with other spices it finds a place in an incredible number of recipes. It has huge health benefits and is one of the reasons for being a healthy Mediterranean diet.
Ginger
Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family along with cardamom and turmeric. Consume the underground part of the plant, root or rhizome, fresh, dried to a powder, such as oil or juice. It can be used practically as a spice for any type of food and although it is not the first spice you think of when talking about Mediterranean cuisine, she loves him very much and he is often present in her. It is also drunk as tea. It has many health benefits.
Basil
Photo: Albena Assenova
A spice with a strong aroma that gives great taste and smell to food. Basil leaves are used in cooking - fresh, dried or frozen. Dried basil has a completely different aroma than fresh. It is used in salads, sauces, as a spice for vegetables, in drinks such as Chartreuse liqueur and others. It is also used in jams and jellies.
Regan
Oregano leaves, which are used in Mediterranean cuisine, are more fragrant when dried than fresh, but the fresh version offers fresh accents to the food that tastes good. They are lost in the dried spice.
This one Mediterranean spice is widely used by Italians in pizzas, for marinades of olives and grilled vegetables. In tomato sauces and meat, its presence is most noticeable. The Greeks put oregano on every dish. Olives, roast meat and cheese are always sprinkled with dried oregano.
Mint, thyme, sage, parsley are other spices typical of Mediterranean cuisine that give a unique taste to food from this region.
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