“There are a handful that may be a little harder to come by that I can’t live without,” she told me. Most are homemade blends made from spices I used regularly for a variety of cuisines, such as cumin, paprika, cinnamon and turmeric.
I was happy to realize early on that I wouldn’t have to conduct a wide search for the distinctive seasoning blends that characterize much of her cooking. I developed a deep appreciation for these nuances while working with Karadsheh through the pandemic and after as her writing collaborator on “ The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat,” her best-selling cookbook based on the blog of the same name. Sumac can bring out the natural flavors of food much like salt does. Serve up hummus in a spread made from chickpeas and seasoned with sumac and oil. But it’s the spices, condiments and other pantry staples that make those simple foods taste of certain places within that vast, diverse region that stretches from southern Europe to North Africa and the Middle East. The Mediterranean style of eating has won heaps of international praise in recent years not only for its health benefits but also for its broad appeal and flexibility.Įxtra-virgin olive oil, yogurt and feta cheese are dietary mainstays, along with seasonal produce, legumes, whole grains and lean proteins. But it was the tart, earthy, tingly, subtly sweet notes provided by the sumac and Aleppo pepper that made such a lasting impression. I detected the warm hints of coriander, cinnamon and allspice prevalent in so much of Middle Eastern cuisine. What connected her modern creation to the traditional recipe was the marinade those conveniently packaged poultry parts were bathed in: pureed onions and garlic, citrus, olive oil and myriad spices. Her speedier chargrilled rendition subbed quick-pickled onions for the caramelized ones, with the bread served on the side.
The inspiration, she explained, was a dish called musakhan that her Palestinian friends made during the olive oil season in which chicken was slow-roasted and heaped with caramelized onions over olive oil-drenched flatbread. The highlight was a platter of boldly seasoned, rosy-hued drumsticks hot off the grill, unlike any other barbecued chicken I’d ever tasted. Caitlin Bensel/The Mediterranean Dish Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2022) Garlicky spinach and chickpea soup with lemon and pecorino romano.
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