Mediterranean Inspirations

FLAVOR RETENTION, DISH REINVENTION

Chain restaurants can benefit by analyzing the components of complex Mediterranean dishes and reshaping them into mainstream-friendly dishes. For example, Burak Epir, chef-owner, Pilita Grill, an authentic Turkish restaurant in San Carlos, CA, features a grilled and dehydrated eggplant roll stuffed with feta cheese, fresh tomato, basil and spicy tomato sauce. This can be simplified by layering thin slices of grilled eggplant with cheese and tomato to create a healthy, vegetarian, Mediterranean-style lasagna, or by serving deep-fried rounds of eggplant with whipped feta cheese or tomato-basil dipping sauce.

In Spain and Greece, the rich flavor and thickening power of almonds result in the nut-based sauces picada, romesco and skordalia. Joyce Goldstein, Mediterranean cookbook author and consultant, suggests combining romesco with mayonnaise to create

Photo: Vernon Lee

a more customer-friendly aioli-style dipping sauce that can be served with deep-fried potatoes or vegetables. Add some vinegar to the aioli, and it becomes a rich salad dressing.

Often a dish will be readily accepted when described to a customer in a more-familiar way. At the 2008 Worlds of Flavor conference, the Mushroom Council, San Jose, CA, featured portabella and mushroom cap sliders filled with a tomato “harissa jam” and marinated in chermoula.

Prepared Mediterranean flavors, such as those from Morocco like harissa and chermoula, can maximize the “culinary degrees of freedom” available to foodservice operators. Jason Dumo, director of marketing, Griffith Laboratories, Alsip, IL, describes “culinary degrees of freedom” as “the amount of creative license available to the target consumer within a given food space.” For example, he notes some restaurant chain customers will be more accepting of the word “chermoula” as a flavor descriptor on a menu, while other chain customers might respond better to “hot and spicy.” In both cases, the same seasoning blend can be used.