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Mediterranean influences in
Canadian cuisine
By Laura McGuire
September 30, 2011
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Top 10 Mediterranean ingredients in Canadian entrées
Mediterranean cuisine encompasses foods and ingredients commonly found in cultures around the Mediterranean Sea. These include, but are not limited to Spanish, southern French, Italian, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese and Moroccan cuisines. Ingredients native to the Mediterranean, such as capers and leeks, are often incorporated into Canadian menu items.
Although it’s used in many cuisines, dill tops the list as the most frequently featured Mediterranean ingredient on entrées in Canadian restaurants, according to MenuMonitor data. Appearing in 152 featured items, this ingredient is typically associated with sandwiches and fish dishes. Carole’s Cheesecake Café offers a smoked salmon open-faced sandwich with cream cheese, cucumber, capers, onion, lemon and a sprig of dill. Casey’s Grill and Bar serves its Crispy Cod sandwich featuring tempura-battered cod, tomatoes, lettuce, slaw and dill aïoli on a toasted bun.
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Capers, the flower buds of a bush native to the Mediterranean, rank second on the list. The small, pungent buds add sharpness to many sauces and condiments, and are featured as a garnish for meat and vegetable dishes. Capers are often paired with fish, appearing in a variety of dishes including pizzas, pastas, salads and sandwiches. Presse Café highlights the flavours of both seafood and capers in its Smoked Salmon & Capers sandwich. Le Four Restaurants offers its Le Four pizza featuring tomato sauce, anchovies, black olives, Parmesan cheese and capers. Joso’s Restaurant, of Toronto, serves Spaghettini Alla Leonardo, featuring a fresh lemon sauté of diced octopus, shrimp, garlic, white wine and capers.
Leeks appear in 51 entrées on Canadian menus. A milder relative of garlic and onion, leek is available year-round in most regions. Leek is often utilized as |
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a flavourful accent to fish and shellfish dishes. Toronto’s Beer Bistro creates a Mediterraanean-inspired Mexican dish with its Lobster Quesadilla, featuring sweet peppers, corn, smoked cheddar cheese, basil, cilantro, avocado salsa, sour cream and leeks.
Saffron, a pungent and aromatic spice used in many cuisines to flavour and tint food, also appears in 51 menu entrées. Although it’s the world’s most expensive spice, saffron is utilized in a variety of dishes including seafood, pasta and rice. In Toronto, Casa Barcelona offers a number of dishes with saffron rice, including Paella Seafood with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, squid and vegetables. In addition, many risotto dishes feature saffron; at Toronto’s Adega Restaurante, the Seafood Saffron Risotto features mussels, shrimp, squid and fresh fish.
Hummus is a thick sauce made from mashed chickpeas and tahini (sesame paste) seasoned with lemon juice, garlic and olive or sesame oil. It’s often served as a dip with pita or as a spread on sandwiches or wraps. Appearing in 44 menu items, hummus is often featured with traditional Mediterranean offerings such as falafel, shawarma and shish kebob. Villa Madina, a quick-service concept featuring traditional Mediterranean cuisine, offers hummus with a number of its dishes including the shish taouk, beef shawarma and falafel. The growth in popularity of hummus coincides with the healthy eating trend; hummus appeals to diners as a healthy option that doesn’t compromise on flavour. Pitas and wraps are also very popular right now, serving as a natural foil for hummus.
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