The sweet and sour flavors of Sicily—Living la vita agrodolce
At the tip of the boot of Italy, the tiny island of Sicily (the biggest in the Mediterranean) has absorbed some sizeable changes in its cooking over the centuries, as new conquerors brought in familiar flavors from home. The island’s central location and abundant natural resources made it a prime target for hostile takeover. Ancient Greeks and Romans, Arabs from North Africa, Normans from Northern Europe, and aristocrats of medieval Spain all left delicious traces in the pantries of the island’s cooks. Today, its flavors still stand apart from mainland Italy, especially in its combination of sweet and sour flavors, a taste known as agrodolce.
A quick inventory of the island’s iconic ingredients illustrates how sweet and sour flavors dominate the landscape.
Fennel
Sicilians harvest wild fennel in the spring and use every part, from the stalks and fronds to the seeds, even the pollen. The capital city of Palermo is famous for its pasta con le sarde, made of pasta, sardines, and wild fennel fronds.
Tomatoes
Introduced by Spaniards in the 1500s, tomatoes weren’t adapted as a staple food by Sicilians (or anyone else in Europe) before the 1800s. But once they got over their wariness, Sicilians put them in everything. One of our favorite preparations is conserva, tomato paste on steroids, made of fresh chopped tomatoes dried to an incredible richness and intensity on boards in the sun.
A farmer inspects his net during the Sicilian olive harvest.
Olives and Capers
On the southwest coast of Sicily, the olive trees are cut low and squat so that they can hold their own against strong Mediterranean winds. Below them, protected by their branches, caper bushes thrive. The bright green Castelveltrano olive is famous for its buttery sweetness; the capers grown in the province of Pantelleria are preserved with Sicily’s legendary Trapani salt.
An orange grove at the foot of Mount Etna, Sicily.
Citrus
Oranges, lemons, and citron were brought to Sicily during the 9th century from Asia by Arab conquerors. Sicily’s sunny days, cool evenings, and volcanic soil make its lemons exceptionally sweet. The sanguingo variety of blood orange grows throughout eastern Sicily and is used in desserts, drinks, and savory salads, such as insalata di arance, a mix of blood oranges, Sicilian mint, wild fennel, and vinegar—a classic agrodolce combination.
Bitter Greens
Wild asparagus, mountain cabbage, chicory, broccoli rabe, escarole, and countless other varieties of bitter greens are beloved by Sicilian cooks. Their sharp, rich flavors are often accented with lemon juice or vinegar, then garnished with the classic combination of currants and pinenuts. There is even a savory tart called Torta Veradura, filled with bitter greens.
Pignoli—Sicilian Almond-Pine Nut Cookies
Some of the best almonds and pine nuts in the world grow in Sicily’s famous volcanic soil. So it’s no surprise that the bakers there would come up with a cookie that features both so deliciously. Sun Basket pastry chef Paul Conte’s recipe for these tender, chewy, and gluten-free cookies known as pignoli (Italian for “pine nuts”) are his interpretation of the ones found in Italian bakeries all over America and are easy to make at home. They can go stale quickly, so enjoy them warm out of the oven, but we’ve never found that to be a problem.
Sicilian Pignoli Recipe
Makes about 15 cookies
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Shopping List
For the cookies:
1½ cups almond flour
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
Kosher salt
2 large egg whites
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
For the decoration:
1 egg white
2 tablespoons pine nuts
½ cup sliced blanched almonds
Tools
2 small bowls, 2 medium bowls, mixer, optional, sheet pan
1 Make the cookie dough
Heat the oven to 325ºF.
In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, ½ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt.
In another medium bowl using a whisk, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed, gradually adding the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, until soft peaks form (the egg whites should be the consistency of whipped cream).
Scrape the whipped egg white mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the almond extract and fold the egg whites and extract into the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough.
2 Shape and decorate the cookies
- Place the egg white in a small bowl.
- Place the pine nuts in another small bowl.
- Spread the almonds in an even layer on a plate.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
Using a teaspoon, scoop the dough into 1-inch rounds, then roll into balls with your hands. Working with 1 ball at a time, dip the balls in the egg white, turning to coat, then transfer the balls to the plate with the almonds. Press with a few of the pine nuts, then roll in the almonds. Transfer the prepared balls to the prepared sheet pan, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
3 Bake the cookies
Bake in the oven, rotating the sheet pan once halfway through, until lightly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan.
4 Serve
Transfer the cookies to a serving plate. Serve warm on their own, or with tea, coffee, or grappa.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 130, Protein: 4g (8% DV), Fiber: 2g (8% DV), Total Fat: 8g (12% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 40mg (2% DV), Carbohydrates: 12g (4% DV), Total Sugars: 9g, Added Sugars: 8g (16% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
From Saffron to Sumac, a Tasting Tour of Persia
North
From the Alborz Mountains down to the grassy steppes and on to the lush Caspian Sea basin, the geography of Northern Iran is very different from that of the rest of the country. The long coastline means fish are an important ingredient. They’re often stuffed with tart, savory ingredients like walnuts, barberries, and herbs, then baked and served with kateh, a short-grain sticky rice.
Saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world, is made from the dried stigma of the crocus flower. Iranian saffron is considered among the very best.
Tehran
The capital city is an ideal place to enjoy chelow kebab, skewered meat offered with with fresh herbs, flatbread, walnuts, cucumbers, yogurt, and grilled tomatoes, and rice seasoned with sumac. Ancient Persians realized how tangy flavors like sumac get digestive juices pumping. By matching them with probiotic rich fermented foods like yogurt, they developed a way of cooking that was both healthy and flavorful.Center
Each region of Iran boasts a traditional sweet. The baghlava pastry in the city of Yazd is scented with rosewater and stuffed with pistachios. In Shiraz, crisp rice flour cookies, called koloocheh, are filled with sweetened spiced walnuts and dates. More of a candy person? Travel to Qom for its namesake sohan-e Qom, an almond or pistachio brittle scented with saffron, or to Isfahan for the almond-pistachio-rose water nougat called gaz.South
Southern Iran’s landscape varies remarkably, from the subtropical coastal Hara Forests to the Zagros mountains, which slice diagonally from the northwest to the southeast. Although winter here is relatively mild, the summers are exceedingly hot, with spices to match. With its expanses of marshes and waterways, the region makes heavy use of fish, often in stews with rich seasonings that show the influence of nearby India, such as turmeric, cardamom, and tamarind. The southeast also boasts desert orchard groves growing dates, pomegranates, and pistachios. The fruits and nuts show up as often in rice pilafs (polos) as in desserts and in ajil, a kind of Persian trail mix.Doogh—Mint and Yogurt Drink Recipe
We think of this as Iran’s answer to a Brooklyn egg cream. Surprisingly refreshing and not too sweet, we could drink it all day. Well-chilled ingredients are a key to its appeal, so plan accordingly.
Doogh Recipe
Serves 4
Shopping List
3 cups sparkling water
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon dried mint, or 6 large fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish
Kosher salt
Ice
Tools
Whish, pitcher
1 Make the doogh
In a pitcher, combine the sparkling water, yogurt, and mint, and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with up to ½ teaspoon salt.
2 Serve
Fill 4 glasses with ice. Pour the yogurt mixture into the glasses, garnish with the mint sprigs, and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 40, Protein: 5 g, Total Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Carbohydrates: 2 g, Fiber: 0 g, Added Sugar: 0 g, Sodium: 110 mg
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
Persia: The Gourmet Ghetto of the Ancient World
Long before places like Berkeley, New York, and Copenhagen became famous for their celebrity chefs and farm-to-table menus, Persia had a cutting-edge food scene with quite the following. Fanboys like the Greek historian Herodotus heaped praise on the local cuisine as far back as the 5th century BCE. Persian line cooks from the 8th to the 13th centuries were the first choice of the Arab-Muslim dynasty when they needed to impress heads of state with a fancy meal. Even Alexander the Great, who took down the Persian Empire and turned up his nose at the food (he thought it was overly extravagant), raided the larder and rode out of town with his bags packed full of the country’s finest ingredients.
It wasn’t just the cooks who helped make Persia a destination for the food obsessed. Ancient engineers established a sophisticated road system, which allowed ingredients to be transported across the empire. Long before Airbnb rolled into Tehran, hoteliers there opened caravansaries—inns that offered travelers on the Silk Route a chance to sample the local fare. And then there were the tech geeks who designed qanats, pioneering underground aquifers that brought water from the perpetually snow-packed Alborz Mountains to the desert plains. Their innovation turned the arid parts of the country into a magnificent—if artificially fertile—region unlike any other in the Middle East. Thirsty crops like almonds, cherries, pistachios, and cucumbers, which are impossible to grow in most bordering countries, thrive in the Iranian desert. (Modern engineers might want to rethink that design as Iran’s once-lush farmlands are sinking and the soil beginning to crack due to dwindling water supplies.)
The country’s dizzying history of political upheaval has presented its share of problems, but turmoil has in many ways served the country’s kitchens very well. Over centuries, Iran has expanded and contracted its periphery many times, and with each redrawing of the border, its pantry has grown. (Hello, turmeric, rice, and tomatoes.) Persia has had its share of well-received exports as well, including ice cream, apricots, and kebabs.
Despite the changes, the food has in many ways remained the same for centuries. It’s very likely that the dishes that caught Herodotus’ attention are still prepared in Iranian kitchens today. Stone tablets dating to 515 BCE unearthed at the temple of Persepolis were etched with lists that included lamb, walnuts, and pomegranates, ingredients for fesenjan, a classic stew that’s still served at weddings and other special occasions.
By the book: Q&A with the author of The New Persian Kitchen, Louisa Shafia
The author of one of our favorite Iranian cookbooks, The New Persian Kitchen, Louisa Shafia is the American-born daughter of an Ashkenazi Jewish mother and an Iranian dad. She grew up celebrating the Persian New Year and enjoyed the cooking of her Iranian relatives on their visits to the U.S. She recently spoke with Sun Basket about Persian cooking and her discoveries on a recent trip to Iran.
What are some of the signature flavors of Persian cooking?
Tart flavors are elemental. There’s not one single meal you’re going to have in Iran that doesn’t include something sour, whether it’s lemon juice, sumac, tamarind, or pickle.
What are some of your favorites?
Barberries are really particular to Iranian cuisine and Iran. They’re used in rice, in desserts, in savory dishes if you want just a little sour touch. They’re a fun, iconic ingredient that you rarely find outside of Iran.
Sumac is interesting, too – it actually grows wild in the US; on the East Coast, you can find sumac berries, which look like little, bright red cones, growing on the side of the highway in late summer and early fall. Native Americans used them in their cuisine. Ground sumac is delicious, you can basically use it as a substitute for lemon juice, as a seasoning to brighten all kinds of dishes.
Tamarind is a fruit that originally comes from India, which obviously is not far from Iran. It’s used a lot in the south, not as much in the north. But when I visited the Persian Gulf in the south, they sold it in the markets in blocks. In Thai and Mexican cuisine, it’s usually paired with a lot of sugar. But in Iran, I found they didn’t use sugar to temper it. It’s valued for its sourness.
You’ve written how Persian food is loaded with spices but not spicy. Any theories why?
On my 2014 trip to Iran, I actually did find chiles in the south. It makes sense chiles didn’t get adapted in the rest of the country, which has a temperate climate. But in the south, just like other tropical regions around the world, chiles have a very strong presence. Especially near the Persian Gulf, near the border with Pakistan, the temperature regularly climbs over 100 degrees. But in the rest of the country, chiles are still a very alien thing.
In your writing you’ve described tahdig, the Persian rice dish, as “Iranian soul food.” We loved that. Can you say more?
Tahdig is just universally delicious. It’s crisp, salty, fatty, the most beloved dish on the table. The crust can only be as big as the bottom of the rice pot, so you’d better claim your piece early, or somebody else will eat it for you. It’s not hard to make, it just takes practice. It happens naturally when you cook rice, you get this crust on the bottom of the pan. If you cultivate that crust, it’s even better! The whole concept is so cool, you end up with two dishes in one pot: steamed rice, which you scoop off the top, and this crusted rice on the bottom.
And cooks can get pretty competitive over who makes the best one?
Oh god, yes. There’s a whole tradition of shutting the kitchen door when you cook it so nobody else can see your secrets. In fact, my Dad, who made Persian rice all through my childhood—and still makes it—has never showed anybody how he does it. I had to figure it out myself.
Red Chile-Coconut Chutney Recipe
In this vibrant, Kerala-style chutney, uncooked chana dal (dried, baby garbanzo beans) are puréed with aromatics, then infused with whole spices toasted in oil. It’s meant to be served with idli, the savory lentil and rice cakes often eaten for breakfast, but like any good condiment, it’s equally delicious with grilled vegetables and meats, or on rice. The dal, dried curry leaves, and tamarind paste can be found at many grocery stores, Indian markets, or online.
Red Chile-Coconut Chutney
Makes 1.5 cups
Shopping List
½ cup shaved unsweetened coconut
¼ cup chana dal
1 to 2 fresh red jalapeño chiles
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 to 3 dried curry leaves, crumbled
Neutral oil, kosher salt
Tools:
Blender, medium bowl, small frying pan
1. Make the chutney
In a blender, combine the coconut, chana dal, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, tamarind paste, and ¾ cup water. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Toast the spices
In a pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until the seeds start to pop, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry leaves and cook for a few seconds longer. Remove from the heat and transfer the toasted spices into the chutney. Stir to blend.
3. Serve
Serve the chutney right away, or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week; rewarm before serving.
Chef’s Tip
Fresh hot peppers such as jalapeños contain oils that can get onto your hands and cause irritation, especially to sensitive areas like your nose and eyes if you accidentally rub them while working. While handling them, wear rubber gloves if you have them, or wash your hands thoroughly with dish soap once you are done.
Nutrition per serving (2 tbsp): Calories: 50, Protein: 1 g, Total Fat: 3.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Fiber: 1 g, Added Sugar: 0 g, Sodium: 45 mg
Behind the recipe: Q&A with Chef Justine on Tandoori Chicken
Q: What do you like about tandoori?
A: I like that it’s fast and easy. I know that not every American household has a traditional Tandoori Clay oven, so in this week’s Globetrotter recipe, Tandoori-style Chicken with Coconut Okra and Cilantro Rice, I use Oaktown Spice Shop’s beet powder to recreate that ‘tandoori’ look. It’s a cool party trick to add the fun color that we associate with tandoori chicken naturally, without food coloring.
Q: Beet Powder?
A: Right? It’s such an unusual and unexpectedly versatile ingredient. It has a real earthiness in addition to its vibrant color. I love it in salad dressings, marinades, and smoothies. It’s also a great way to boost the nutrition of your kids’ yogurt.
Q: How did you get the idea to use the yogurt marinade as a sauce as well?
A: In India, they use yogurt in a marinade to tenderize meat and they also use it as a sauce, like raita. That really appeals to me, as I like the idea of using the same ingredient in a variety of ways in the same recipe. It doesn’t just add flavor, but texture as well.
Q: Why pair okra with coconut flakes?
A: Too many people are afraid of okra…it seems to live on the margins and it doesn’t have to. Adding the crunchy sweetness of toasted coconut to the soft creaminess of okra makes it more approachable.
Q: Any tips for the successful cooking of chicken? Okra?
A: For skin-on chicken my best tip is make sure it’s dry to really maximize crispiness. For marinated chicken, like this week’s Globetrotter recipe, let the meat come to room temperature before cooking—no need to worry. Also, let it rest a bit after cooking, just like you would a good steak.
As for okra, one of the reasons many people shy away from it is a fear of the goopy texture that can happen when it’s cooked in water. In Indian cooking, okra never touches water—it’s cooked in oil over high heat so it’s never slimy.
Q: Why did you turn to garam masala in the marinade, when you have so many spice blends to choose from?
A: This recipe is full of contrasts: hot & cool yogurt, crunchy and creamy okra. I really like how the sweet spiciness of garam masala balances out the earthiness of the beet powder. Plus, like tandoori, garam masala has its roots in Punjabi cuisine, so the flavors have a natural affinity.
The Subcontinent of Spice: Flavors Beyond Tikka Masala
India is so vast, it’s next to impossible to encapsulate the rich diversity of its cuisine. The country itself embraces a global range of flavors, shaped by the Mughal empire and the Silk Road to the north, and by Arab and Portuguese traders along its southern coast. Here are a few of the regions that inspire us the most, from the street food snacks of its central cities to the spicy seafood of the western coast.
North: Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
Located at the crossroads of the Silk Route between south and central Asia, India’s Northern regions produce more than half the country’s wheat and rice. The food here embraces eclectic tastes and traditions, from the Punjab tandoor style of cooking in clay ovens to kebabs, thought to have been introduced by the cooks of the Mughal Empire.
Northwest: Kashmir
Bordering the Himalayas, Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty. Its cool valleys offer ideal growing conditions for saffron crocuses; much of the food bears its golden color. Common ingredients include lamb, basmati rice, pulses such as lentils and chickpeas, and spices like fenugreek, black cumin, and coriander. Dishes we love include the robust lamb curry rogan josh and the multi-course wazwan feast.
Northeast: Assam
The northeastern state is connected to the rest of India by a tiny strip of land squeezed between Bhutan and Bangladesh. Its climate is ideal for growing its signature robust tea. You can taste the influences of nearby China and Myanmar in its dishes, like momo dumplings and singju, their version of green papaya salad.
West: Goa
The coastal region along the Arabian sea has long lured tourists with its gorgeous white beaches. It’s one of the few places in the country where you can find pork and beef on the menu, offered for visitors’ tastes. But it’s best known for its seafood, in spicy curries like vindaloo and solachi kadi, flavored with coconut and a favorite local fruit, mangosteen.
South: Tamil Nadu, Kerala
The south of India is famous for its hot weather and hot food. Meals often come wrapped in its signature dosas. The thin pancakes are made from grains or beans (or a combo) pounded to a paste and left to ferment, then spread on a hot tava, or griddle, to cook. They’re filled with warm stews, often vegetarian, such as the tamarind-spiced sambar, and served with chutneys.
East: Bengal, Andhra Pradesh
Along the east coast, from the Bay of Bengal into the central region of Andhra Pradesh (formerly known as Hyderabad), rice is a staple. Exhibit A, the many versions of biryani, in which rice is layered in a pot with vegetables, spices, and often meat. The pot is sealed with dough, broken only when served, so that the foods all steam together.
Cities: Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai
The desert area around Jaipur has a history of favoring easy snacks for long journeys. In Delhi and Mumbai, roadside carts served the growing demand for quick bites. Today that snacking tradition carries on as chaat, terrific savory street foods. Some of our favorites include samosas, pakoras, and puri—a deep-fried bread that puffs into a balloon when cooked.
India’s kings of meal delivery
Long before Sun Basket sent out its first box, the tiffin carriers of Mumbai revolutionized the meal delivery industry. For more than 125 years, the dabbawala (literally meaning “one who carries a box”) have been transporting piping hot home-cooked lunches from their customers’ own kitchens to their desks at work. The tiffin box, or dabba, is an ingenious design—a series of stacked metal cylinders that are both easy to carry and ideal for keeping food warm. Packed by family members, the tiffins sometimes contain messages from home along with their chapati and dal.
The dabbawala system remains relatively unchanged since its start in the 1890s (with an important exception of their website, where, since 2015, new customers can register online). Without apps or distribution centers, and using only bicycles, Mumbai’s public trains, and color-coded tickets, the dabbawala deliver almost 200,000 lunches a day with enviable accuracy. They claim a tiffin only goes lost once every month or two. That fact is even more remarkable when you consider that a dabba changes hands between three and six times in the course of its journey. (What happens in the rare occasion a dabba is delivered to the wrong desk is the subject of one of our favorite food films, The Lunch Box.)
Their efficiency has not gone unrecognized. Members of the Warkari sect from rural Maharashtra, the dabbawala claim to be unfamiliar with management theory. But demand for their expertise has spawned a sideline business for them of lectures, workshops, even marketing partnerships. Prince Charles and Richard Branson have both observed their systems, and the business has even been the subject of a 2010 Harvard Business School case study called “The Dabbawala System: On-Time Delivery, Every Time.” Here at Sun Basket, we’re taking notes.
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