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What is a Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is perhaps the most popular gastronomy trend of the current decade. The trend has been popular for a long time and continues to gain popularity among food and culinary enthusiasts. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mediterranean diet has gained wider recognition among people from different countries. The trend adopts its name from the traditional cuisine of the four Mediterranean countries: Morocco, Greece, Italy, and Spain (Papadaki et al., 2020). Although the diet is associated with slight variations from the four countries it originated from, almost every Mediterranean diet incorporates fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, fish, legumes, and unsaturated fats. The growing trend to adopt healthy eating habits due to the pandemic has led people to embrace the Mediterranean diet due to its simplicity in preparing and the easy availability of ingredients.
The menu
The proposed menu incorporates the Mediterranean diet approach by focusing on a two-course meal that will contribute to various nutritional benefits to an individual. Another important consideration of the design is time and satiety. Food preparation does not have to be lengthy, especially if the meal is more straightforward, such as an appetizer. Appetizers are initial courses that should be prepared promptly to give an individual a mouthwatering feel as they wait for the main course.
The appetizer selected for the recipe is Cream of Mushroom Soup, while the main course is Boston lobster Mafaldine. Both meals are perfect examples of what a simple Mediterranean diet should look like. The selection suggests that people do not have to spend too much money eating a healthy meal. However, for the meal to resemble the perfect Mediterranean look, some factors are considered. First, the meals have to be prepared using modern culinary techniques. For the mushroom soup, the mushroom soup is prepared, and then parsley is added through foaming, while Sous Vide cooking is used for cooking the lobster for the Boston Lobster Mafaldine.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Mushroom Soup ingredients are sourced from locally available grocery store items. The goal is to ensure that the recipe uses easy-to-obtain things to give interested people a straightforward approach to avail the ingredients and get straight into cooking. People do not prefer complex recipes since they use ingredients that are not locally sourced or cost too much if they are available. The ingredients for the appetizer are meant to eradicate this observation and reduce the time and money of people looking to prepare a healthy soup. The ingredients are meant for serving two people and include:
- 100 g diced Cremini mushroom
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ tablespoon plain flour
- ½ cup of heavy whipped cream
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp dash of black truffle
- Salt to taste
Cremini is preferred since it stands between the white button and the portobello mushroom. When used to prepare the soup, it will produce a meal characterized by a brown, firm texture and rich flavor.
Preparation
Melt butter over medium heat for 3 minutes; add diced mushroom and sauté for 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to the mixture and sauté for 2 minutes until the mushroom has released its juices. Stir plain flour into the mixture and sauté for 3 minutes to remove the taste of plain flour. Add water to the mushroom mixture and bring to a simmer for 8 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender and puree on moderate speed for 3 minutes until it is smooth and thick. Return soup to pot, add in whipped cream, and stir for 1 minute. Add salt for seasoning. Garnish with parsley foam and serve.
Production Flow Chart
The flow chart presents a simpler illustration that shows how the workflow should proceed. It is important to follow the steps highlighted in the flow chart to prevent one from producing the wrong meal with a completely different taste. The time interval within each process is also vital to ensure that the meal being prepared is of the right quantity for the exact serving. In case an individual wants to prepare the dish for over three people, they should calculate the time in relation to the number of needed servings. For instance, since an 8-minute sautéing period is allowed for one hundred grams of Cremini mushroom, this time should be multiplied with every additional gram. If the meal being prepared is for four people, then the time will be 16 minutes. The nutritional value of the appetizer is as follows:
- Calories 76
- Protein 3.4g
- Carbohydrates 5.6g
- Fiber 0.5g
- Fat 3.4g
- Cholesterol 0.8g
Modern Culinary Technique: Foam
The culinary foam technique is an approach that traps air bubbles within a structure made from fat, proteins, or water. Foams are part of molecular gastronomy, which involves mixing natural flavors such as fruit juices with natural gels or stabilizers such as lecithin and hand-whipped through a whipped cream canister or immersion in a blender. Examples include foamed coconut, mushroom, and espresso. To create modern foam, the interfacial tension between the air-oil stage and the aqueous stage needs to be reduced through the presence of a surfactant (Ridge, 2019). Whipped cream, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, soufflés, mousse, and meringue are examples of foods to which the foam technique can be applied. The tiny air bubbles give foams their unique light texture. Many products use protein as the primary surface active agent, helping form and stabilize foam in the gaseous stage. Creating this kind of form employs whipping protein solutions. The existing foaming characteristics determine the likelihood of creating the thin film at the gaseous stage for larger gas bubbles to be stabilized.
Sensory Element Evaluation
The defining traits of any meal are the three sensory elements, texture, smell, and taste. After preparing the Cream of Mushroom Soup, an individual is presented with a creamy, fluffy, and moist-textured meal. A creamy texture is essential for improving food intake by making the mouth moist in preparation for the main course. This observation implies that the appetizer plays its role in prepping an individual for the main course. On the other hand, the smell is flavorsome and aromatic. Being that the soup is the opening course, it should serve all the functions of making an individual want to anticipate the main course. Through the aromatic and flavorsome smell, the soup is able to increase an individual’s appetite. Finally, the taste is savory, sweet, and delectable. When eating, an individual is supposed to enjoy the course, even when waiting for the main course. Additionally, this taste is effective in increasing appetite and helps control protein digestion. This will become essential when the individual is taking the main course.
Resource Constraints: Cream of Mushroom Soup
One can face several challenges when preparing the Cream of Mushroom Soup. The first challenge is hurried cooking which can produce unexpected results. Mushroom forms part of the ‘special’ meals that need additional caution during preparation. A slight mistake might lead to the production of the wrong meal. For instance, if one cooks the food too fast, they will prevent excess water from seeping out. If this water is maintained while cooking, there are increased chances of the food bearing a different smell or tasting entirely different. For better results, cook mushrooms low and slow. Second, it is important to use the right amount of water based on the required servings or amount of mushrooms. Water is also an important factor when preparing soup. Exact measurements lie with the chef, but the idea is not to use too much or too little water. While cooking mushrooms, many people may overcrowd the pan to incorporate different ingredients. While this may work in some cases, it is not always a good idea to overcrowd the pan. Therefore, often locate a large pan before starting to prepare the meal. Finally, the art of making foam may be challenging for some chefs, especially those who have no prior experience in the art. It is important to research to understand how to make foams quickly and effectively.
Boston Lobster Mafaldine
Like the appetizer course, ingredients for the main course are also sourced from locally available items. They include:
- 1000 g of chopped Boston Lobster
- 100 g of Mafaldine Pasta
- A bowl of shredded Brussel sprout
- Salt to taste
Although the recipe mentions a whole lobster, the tail will be used to prepare the main course. The tail is preferred due to its richness in protein, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and omega-3. Additionally, it allows chefs to prepare food rich in health benefits such as mental health, weight loss, and reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease (Mentella et al., 2019).
Preparation
Preparing Lobster Mafaldini is also simple as the preparation of the appetizer course. First, lobster meat is cooked Sous Vide at 80F for 30 minutes. This is done to make the meat tender and not chewy. This illustrates the employment of another modern culinary technique with Sous Vide cooking. Next, water is brought to a boil for 8 minutes, and then Mafaldine pasta is added and allowed to boil for 10 to 15 minutes. During this time, the lobster is already ready to be fried. Butter is melted for one minute, and then the chopped lobster meat is added. The resulting mixture is sautéed for 6 minutes until it is fully cooked. Shredded Brussels sprout is then added to the mixture and sautéed for 2 minutes. The pasta is added and mixed with the mixture. The mixture is allowed to simmer for 2 minutes.
Production Flow Chart
Like the appetizer, following the main course steps is vital. The same observation applies to time intervals and the step-by-step guideline, as shown in the figure. The Boston Lobster Mafaldine is also rich in nutritional content as follows:
- Calories 489
- Protein 34.5g
- Carbohydrates 66.9g
- Fiber 4.8g
- Fats 2.2g
- Cholesterol 0.001g
Modern Culinary Technique: Sous Vide
Sous Vide is borrowed from the French vocabulary for “under the vacuum.” In essence, this technique employs a similar “under the vacuum” approach whereby food is put in plastic pouches and then placed in temperature-controlled water baths (López-Alt, 2022). In some instances where restaurants use steam-filled environments to conduct Sous Vide cooking. This technique is used in cooking various foods, although the most common ones include meats, stews, and soup. The approach is employed if chefs ensure that food is evenly cooked inside and outside. The figure shows Lobster tail being cooked in Sous Vide.
Sensory Element Evaluation
The texture of the meal is firm and chewy, an important factor that reveals the amount of protein present in the lobster tail. On the other hand, the smell is flavorsome and eggy. Upon mixing, the eggy smell emerges from the pasta. A flavorsome smell, in this case, helps an individual retain their appetite for a long time during the course. The taste is sweeter and crispy. Another defining characteristic of the lobster tail is its taste. In this case, sweetness is produced from the taste of lean meat, while the crispy emerges from the fiber tendons.
Resource Constraints: Boston Lobster Mafaldine
The common challenges present when preparing Boston Lobster Mafaldine range from overcrowding, over-seasoning, overlooking the steps, and overcooking. Overcrowding, like the appetizer, is common when preparing lobster Mafaldine pasta. Overcrowding is likely to lead to the production of an unevenly cooked meal and the deprivation of other vital ingredients. To prevent this from happening, it is wise to always use a large pot for preparing lobster. The second challenge is overlooking the steps, as illustrated in the flow chart. There may be instances when an individual thinks that steps are a waste of time and goes ahead and skip one or two. Although people may have their idea of the perfect Boston Lobster Mafaldine, their final versions may differ from the current meal. Steps taken must be chronological to ensure that the final presentation is similar to the one highlighted in the image. Another challenge arises from over-seasoning, where an individual may be carried away by adding more salt to the seasoning water. It is important to get the right sizes before starting to cook. Finally, some chefs are likely to overcook their meals. Overcooking lobster can make t dry and rubbery.
Marketing and Marketability
Marketing a Mediterranean diet depends on three primary factors, namely lifestyle, user status, and dietary benefits. Although the gastronomy trends suggest that the diet is popular, having a poor marketing strategy is a recipe for failure. The three factors effectively allow advertisers to create a detailed market segmentation involving different users. For instance, the Mediterranean diet promotes healthy eating habits, which suggests that marketing it to people who do not follow healthy eating may not work. Therefore, the marketing approach sending the message of healthy eating will be “good health,” “longevity,” “low heart disease conditions,” and so on. Communicating this message effectively through various media channels, such as TV and print media, will likely increase awareness, allowing many people to turn to healthy eating. At the moment, the target is adults and children whose health is a critical area of concern.
The mediterranean diet has strong nutritional value and benefits to those who practice it. Marketing meals in this category should popularize these values and benefits to a wider audience. For instance, meals in this category are credited with reducing the mortality rate by 25% (Mammoser, 2018). This means that people who consume a Mediterranean diet have increased chances of going beyond the life-expectancy age. This is good news for a lot of people. It also means that the Mediterranean diet is not constrained to a unique age bracket, as any individual can find the right meal to sustain them (Papadaki et al., 2020). Although this is a positive sign that could make the Mediterranean diet part of many household diets, it is vital to examine how the market responds. To do this, the target market has to be adults aged 50 years and above with a marketing message such as “to boost an individual’s health and lower mortality rate.”
References
López-Alt, J. K. (2022). Sous Vide cooking: How to get started.
Mammoser, G. (2018). If You’re Over 65, the Mediterranean Diet Can Lower Mortality Risk by 25%.
Mentella, M. C., Scaldaferri, F., Ricci, C., Gasbarrini, A., & Miggiano, G. A. D. (2019). Cancer and Mediterranean diet: A review.Nutrients, 11(9), 2059.
Papadaki, A., Nolen-Doerr, E., & Mantzoros, C. S. (2020). The effect of the Mediterranean diet on metabolic health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials in adults.Nutrients, 12(11), 3342.
Ridge, D. (2019). What Is a Culinary Foam?
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