Local ingredients

[Inishta]

With FB being a truly global site I thought it might be a bit of fun to share some ingredients that may not be available everywhere. Something that imparts a unique flavour or saves time. Rather than a list perhaps one item at a time with suggestions for their use.

I'll start it off with Salca...... pronounced salcha.......related to but a world of flavor away from tomato puree. This is used throughout Turkey and available in tins (up to huge sizes) but they cannot compare to the paste bought at local farmers markets.

It is bought by weight, I find 1/2 Kilo or 1.1 pound to be best for us. It comes in 3 variations. The bottom one is tomato salca used in all recipes to reinforce tomato falvour. The top left is 'aci biber salca'. To be used sparingly as it is made with very hot chilli. The top right is 'tatli biber salca' which is made with mild or sweet chillis. This I use where chilli flavor is wanted without the heat. As in pepper sauces etc.



So what local ingredient do you use?

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Local ingredients

Smoky paprika! There are different bins of paprika but I like the smokey variety for my paellas. They just weigh it out on a piece of paper and fold it up for you. I was surprised to find an oily stain on the paper later. I took some home for gifts. Smokey aroma hits when you open the bag.

XJ

Inishita, is there an english name for your Scala?

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

XJim.................we have lots of paprika but, in this area, we have yet to find the smoked variety. I would love to try it. I can imagine lots of uses. Do you have an idea how it is smoked? I have a Brinkmann smoker.

The salca would translate as tomato paste or sauce. Really it is tomato puree on steroids...........

[james]

Re: Local ingredients

Hey all you Californians. What is local to us?

We get good artichokes from Watsonville (about 10 minutes from here), and garlic from Gilroy (50 minutes), and we luckily have a large organic vegetable company called Earthbound Farms in Carmel Valley (15 minutes) for great salads and squashes.

Still, I'm addicted to my Italian food. We eat imported pasta, olive oil, balsamic, Carnarolli rice, cheese, white beans and tuna packed in olive oil.

I wonder if you can find Salca at an import food store in the U.S.?

James

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

There you go James...................

Best Turkish Food

And a few more

Turkish Food Stores

The world is shrinking.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Local ingredients

Some feel that our climate on the Costa Blanca is like California...same stuff James: Garlic, Artichokes, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables....

...almonds, grapes, olives, citrus....wild rosemary and lavender.

....Mountains and Sea

......not many Californians though

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Local ingredients

Inishta

I'd buy some paprika and try smoking it in a thin layer, maybe take some out as you go and have different batches to try.

....unless you want me to send you some!

Jim

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

Thanks for the kind offer XJim............we seem to have a post problem here. Lots of stuff never arrives...............

I think perhaps a bit of research and we may come up with a recipe or two.

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

We are blessed with an abundance of pomegranates............both as table fruits and varieties for juice.

Pomegranate comes as juice, sauce and essence. Each more intense in flavour to the last. Use for salad dressings, soups, sauces and as a glaze for barbequing.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Local ingredients

In

here's the smoky paprika....sure you don't want to test the post office?

have you used the Pomegranite juice for marinading?

X

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

Hi XJim................Tempting.............I feel a barter coming on.

I have used pomegranate juice in a marinade (not sauce). It needs to be remembered that it has a sourish taste so needs to be balanced with something sweet. Good for gamey meat or brush the sauce as a glaze directly on meat.

[Xabia Jim]

Olive Oils

There are so many different options, it's really like wine.

I just found out that our spanish friends here produce their own oil. Last year's was a dark green, this year it's more of a pale yellow. They have a few containers excess they sell.....now how do I get 5 liters home in my suitcase??? I've done it with the tins, but not the leaky plastic jugs!

Oh, and how about a fancy container to serve it?

[Inishta]

Re: Local ingredients

We are indeed blessed with a profusion of goodness. I buy my 'really good' olive oil from a friends harvest. We go to the olive oil factory and watch it being pressed. The option is to pay for pressing or leave a percentage for the coop to sell. Hikmet pays and we buy a 20 litre carboy from him. The other oil we need we buy from the coop at ?2/$4/4.46 aus $ a litre, same as we pay for the best oil.................

[Inishta]

Local ingredients

Where would we be without yoghurt. Claimed to have been created in Turkey it is versatile and beneficial to the health.

We eat it as a meze called cacik (pronounced jajik) or as a drink called Ayran a salty concoction similar in taste to buttermilk we used to drink in Ireland. I personally enjoy yogurt best with honey at breakfast. There are all sorts of yogurt but the one we buy is thicker and creamier than the normal dairy company product.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Local ingredients

Rosemary...grows in the backyard!

with friends...cilantro, chives, sage, thyme, basil, parlsey....