Flavors of the Mediterranean

To speak of "Mediterranean Cooking" in describing the couscous and dried fruit of Morocco, an Egyptian breakfast of ful, cool yogurt soup from Syria, Greek octopus salads, Italian prosciuttos, Niçoise pissaladières, and Catalan seafood stews – is almost laughable. However, the various countries around the sea share more than a beach. From a western perspective, control of the world began with control of the Mediterranean, and thus it has been the seat of empires for millennia. The many powers that have ruled over large parts of the Mediterranean range from the Phoenicians to Alexander; the Romans to the Arabs; the Turks to the Venetians. This long history of imperial colonization, not to mention that of international trade, has rendered a deeply shared culture and agriculture among the Mediterranean countries.

The Mediterranean can be crudely divided into three culinary regions: North African (especially Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern European (Italy, France, Spain). Wine and herbs are central to Southern European cuisine, while spices intricately and boldly flavor North African foods.

The climate and terrain are constant throughout the region. Dry, hot summers give way to lovely, cool winters. The soil is dry, the light clear and white. Even the plants wear a protective dusting of white which gives much of the landscape a softened outline of pastel green, limned only by the severe blue sky from above and the bright blue water below.

Food is integral to the effusive hospitality which is imperative everywhere in the region and has been since ancient days when Abraham ran to slaughter a calf for the Lord, and Odysseus embarked on his famous house-tour of the Mediterranean. Flavors are robust and clear, unfettered by complicated sauces and heavy dollops of cream and butter. Home cooking is dominant as hautes cuisines bow before the traditional genius of the home and hearth.

The land's bounty, nurtured by the gentle climate, is reflected in the primary role vegetables play in dishes throughout the region. Onions, garlic, and tomatoes, surrounded by olive oil, begin many dishes. Eggplants abound, as do squashes, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, artichokes, okra, and various greens and lettuces. Legumes too are ubiquitous: lentils, chickpeas, fava beans in Egypt, green beans in France, white kidney beans in Tuscany. Fresh herbs include rosemary, basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, dill, fennel, and oregano.

All manner of shellfish erupt magnificently from soups, stews, and pastas. Anchovies, fresh and cured, are widely eaten, as are various white-fleshed fish like sole, flounder, and grouper. Other fish served in the region include swordfish, monkfish, eel, cuttlefish, squid, and octopus. Smaller animals, like lamb, goats, sheep, pork, rabbit, and fowl, provide most of the meat. Sheep and goats give forth dairy for rich yogurts and cheeses. Beef, however, is rare in Mediterranean cuisine, for the land cannot support large herds.

• Clams in Green Sauce: Steamed clams in olive oil, garlic, red onion, fresh herbs and white wine
• Crab Cakes with Romesco Sauce: Crab cakes sautéed served with a sauce of almonds, olive oil, piquillo peppers
• Gambas al Ajillo: A house favorite of seared shrimp in olive oil with garlic, Madiera wine, lime juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper
• Gigandes Plaki: A Greek dish of roma tomatoes, Italian white northern beans in olive oil
• Hot Roasted Red Bell Peppers: Sautéed piquillo peppers with almonds, honey and Spanish sherry
• Calinguine Bolognese: Thinly sliced calamri with fresh bolonese sauce and Mediterranean spices
• Marinated Manzanilla Olives: Spanish olives tossed with orange juice, olive oil, piquillo peppers, fresh herb
• Fried Calamari: Sliced calamari tossed in spiced flour then pan fried

• Field Greens Salad: Fresh spring mix tossed with your choice of vinaigrette and roma tomatoes
• Caesar Salad: Chopped romaine lettuce with croutons and Chef Brian’s Caesar dressing
• Seared Beef Carpaccio Salad: Beef tenderloin rolled in fennel, lavender, black pepper then seared in olive oil and thinly sliced on top of tossed mesculin mix in balsamic vinaigrette and grated cheese
• Warm Gigandes Piquillo Salad: Gigande beans, piquillo peppers, romas, olives, garlic cooked in olive oil served with fresh field greens tossed with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette
• Mesculin Beet Salad: Diced beets marinated in Spanish balsamic vinegar combined with roma tomatoes, Olives, mesculin greens and goat cheese dressing
• Salmon Curry Bread Salad: Sautéed wild coho salmon on a bed of fresh greens, croutons, cucumbers, capers Romas, Spanish almonds and red wine vinaigrette

• Paellas of Spain: Chef Michael specialty dish of saffron rice, fava beans, garlic, sofrito, spices, fresh herbs with your choice of chicken, seafood, vegetarian, duck or lamb
• Crisp Chicken with Red Capsium Jam: Lightly dusted chicken breasts pan seared with a sweet jam of piquillo peppers, Garlic, diced tomatoes, sherry and brown sugar
• Duck Breast Seared with Apple-Onion Chutney: 6-ounce duck breastseared in olive oil topped with a chutney of yellow onions, apples, Butter, sugar and sherry wine
• Salsa de Chipolte with Grouper: Pan-fried seasoned grouper and a pure of peanut oil, white onions, garlic, romas, Oregano and chipotle peppers
• Mussels Ravigote: Steamed mussels in a broth of Chef Michael’s seafood stock, capers, parsley, tarragon, white onions, Dijon, olive oil and saffron threads with a white corn bell pepper confit
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Ancho Sauce: Local pork tenderloin roasted surrounded by a sauce reduction of bourbon, ancho Chilies, apple juice, brown sugar and red onions
• Beef Tenderloin: Seared roasted beef tenderloin with a Chatelaine sauce of pureed onion, red wine reduction, artichoke hearts,Spanish chestnuts, cream and a dash of Madiera wine
• Catalon Canneloni with Piquillo Pepper Coulis: A baked Spanish pasta with chorizo, shrimp, onions, carrots, garlic and spices covered with a sweet Spanish piquillo pepper, roma tomato, white wine
• Shrimp in Silky Sauce: Shrimp sautéed in olive oil and garlic presented on pasta de jour tossed with a rich Sauce of seafood stock, and enriching spices from the Mediterranean
• Lamb Loin with Tomato Chutney: Lamb loin sealed in olive oil with a chutney of roma tomatoes, raisins, garlic and an assortment of spices like fenugreek, fennel and dry mustard
• Wild Coho Salmon with a Tangy Cilantro Mojo: seared in Spanish olive oil topped by a sauce of cilantro, garlic, Serrano peppers, oregano and Chef Brian’s special seafood stock

• Andalusian Burger: ground beef with bread crumbs, garlic, white onion, fresh herbs and Spanish spices
• Pear Cabrales Salad: local pears, Cabrales cheese (Spanish Bleu Cheese), Spanish chestnuts, mixed greens and Rioja Balsamic vinaigrette
• BLT Wrap: bacon slices, greens, fresh aioli and sliced roma tomatoes wrapped in a herbed tortilla
• Paellas: Spanish saffron rice dish with piquillo peppers, garlic and your choice of fruit, chicken, assorted wild fish, duck or vegetarian
• Wild Salmon Burger: wild sockeye salmon, capers, bread crumbs, fresh herbs, aioli, sliced roma tomatoes and mesculin mix on whole wheat bun
• Dulce Apricot-Curry Chicken Salad: sauted rice, chicken, apricots and pineapple with Sesame dressing
• Mesculin Beet Salad: diced beets marinated in balsamic vinegar combined with roma tomatoes, sliced olives, mesculin greens and Goat Cheese dressing
• Pork Tenderloin and Sauerkraut Sandwich: sliced pork tenderloin pan fried spicy sauerkraut topping on whole wheat bun with aioli, roma tomato and greens
• Italian Gigande and Fava Beans: vegetarian dish of Northern Italian beans, fennel, celery, vegetable stock with green Picada Sauce
• Blackened Chicken Salad ( low carb): chicken breast seared with Cajun spices on spinach leaves, tomatoes and fresh Ranch Dressing
• Salmon Pecan Salad: pan fried wild Coho salmon on a bed of spring mix tossed with an Apple Vinaigrette, apple slices and pecans
• Spanish Chicken Salad: diced chicken, cucumbers, apples, saffron and mild spices in a tomato basil wrap