If you think about it, Mediterranean food has it all. It’s lauded for its health benefits, puts quality ingredients above all else and – most importantly – is bursting with flavour. With a combination of fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, pulses and grains to choose from, it tends to cater to all diets, and there are huge variations in flavour from dish to dish and region to region.
One thing that marries all the different flavours of the Mediterranean together is olive oil, which is used in abundance throughout the area, but it’s the way different countries use pastes, dips, sauces, condiments and marinades that really makes Mediterranean cooking exciting. Whether it’s a fiery North African paste, a fragrant aromatic Italian herb sauce, a Middle Eastern nut butter or a salty-sour preserve, these are the secret weapons Mediterranean cooks keep in their larders at all times.
Take a look at the most important and commonly used dips, sauces and condiments used across the Mediterranean and bring a little bit of sunshine into your own kitchen.