As told by Cookbook Author Melissa Mueller
By Christopher J Davies
All Photos © 2017 Sara Remington
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with a population of 6 million.
Sicily’s kaleidoscopic multi-cultural history profoundly influences the cuisine.
Greeks first colonized Sicily: it was then conquered by the Romans (becoming their breadbasket), followed by the Vandals, the Byzantines, the Arabs (introducing citrus, sugar, and irrigation), the Normans, and the Spanish.
I asked Melissa Mueller, Author of “Sicily, The Cookbook, Recipes Rooted in Traditions,” for the top ten ingredients needed (to have on hand) to cook Sicilian cuisine.
Melissa Mueller replied.
“Keeping the list at 10 is a challenge, and the key is to work with high-quality and fresh ingredients, starting with seasonal produce. Since Sicilian cuisine varies from area to area and family to family, the following is a list of the most essential Sicilian ingredients in our family. Here are 13 ingredients that I always have on hand. See page 23 of my book for some details.”
- Onions
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato extract
- Breadcrumbs
- Aged sheep’s milk cheese (Maiorchino, Pecorino Siciliano and Ricotta Salata)
- Vinegar and sugar combined to make “agrodolce,” or a sweet-and-sour component
- Essential herbs – basil, Sicilian oregano, parsley, rosemary, wild fennel, mint
- Dried fruits - Almonds, pine nuts, pistachios
- Raisins
- Capers
- Olives
- Citrus fruits
Essential Cookbook:
“Sicily, The Cookbook, Recipes Rooted in Traditions,”
By Melissa Muller, Rizzoli International $40
ISBN-13: 978-0-8478-4865-2
Seafood Salad, Photo credit: Sara Remington
This beautiful book was first published in 2017 and is now in its seventh printing. It should be called the “bible of Sicilian cuisine.” Melissa Muller’s grandmother, born in Sicily, had a significant influence on her life. This cookbook, with its many recipes and stunning, mouthwatering photographs, showcases Sicily’s unique cuisine.
Travel to Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, to discover the many delicious, unique regional dishes that are based on seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, and fresh seafood. When you return home, you will want to purchase your own copy of this book.
Featured Recipe: Seafood Salad (insalata di Mare)
Pages 126-127
Serves 8
Seafood salad
1 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
About 1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 pound fresh wild calamari (follow the steps for cleaning calamari on page 129)
1/4 pound mussels, shell on, scrubbed
8 sea scallops
1/2 poached octopus, about 2 pounds (follow the steps for poaching octopus on page 130)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 stalks of celery, including the leaves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves (from about 1/2 bunch of parsley)
1 cup Sicilian green olives, pitted and sliced in half
1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed well
2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes
Smoked sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Avocado cream
2 ripe avocados
2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Note: Published with permission of the author