The diet prioritizes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, olive oil, allows wine in moderation, and limits red meat, processed and fried foods, sugar, refined grains, and saturated fats.
Brian Arruda, a private chef who specializes in the Mediterranean diet, told Insider that the majority of his wealthy clients ask for Mediterranean diet-inspired meals.
Brian Arruda specializes in the Mediterranean diet.Preston Perich
Arruda is the founder and CEO of Executive Chefs at Home, which matches private chefs with private residences, and previously worked as executive chef for Daniel Boulud's Mediterranean restaurant, Boulud Sud, in New York City.
"The great thing about Mediterranean food is that it's such a broad cuisine with so much influence from so many different countries; you have Provençal cuisine found in the south of France, beautiful Greek influence in Santorini, amazing paella in Valencia, Spain," Arruda told Insider. "Then there's somewhere like Morocco, which has such a large influence of flavors and spices that really capture what the average person thinks of when they hear the words Mediterranean."
When his clients request Mediterranean diet meals, the chef usually uses olive oil, seafood, and vegetables, and steers away from cream, butter, and meat, Arruda said.
Arruda shared three of his favorite recipes that he uses when creating menus for clients.
Adjust the quantities of each ingredient based on your preferences and how many people you're serving.
Mediterranean sea bass en papillote
White fish en papillote with vegetables.Getty
Ingredients
Thin, flaky fish such as Branzino, Lemon Sole or John Dory
Green onions
Salt, pepper, and lemon zest for seasoning
Olive oil
Mushrooms
Peppers
Capers
Artichokes
Pilaf rice seasoned with garlic and cilantro
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Start by hard-roasting some green onions or spring onions.
Cut out about a 15 x 15" piece of parchment, lay the paper down on the surface, and spread the charred onions down in the middle.
Lay the piece of fish over the onions and season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, fold the parchment paper over, and curl both open ends together (it should look kind of like a paper empanada).
Add all the vegetables as well as any preferred herbs.
Place in the oven at 400°F for about eight minutes.
Once removed from the oven, let it rest for one to two minutes then you are good to go. Serve alongside a simple pilaf rice with garlic and cilantro.
Spaghetti vongole
Spaghetti vongole.Preston Perich/Brian Arruda
Ingredients:
Spaghetti
Baby clams
Fresh chili flakes
White wine
Garlic
Parsley
Black peppercorns
Olive oil
Method:
Boil your pasta water, add a pinch of salt, and cook according to the instructions listed on the packaging.
While the spaghetti is boiling, steam the baby clams in a really hot pan with chopped garlic, shallot, parsley, black peppercorns, and white wine, just until the clams open and then remove from the heat. You will notice the clams will release all the liquid from inside them, which is called the "clam liquor" — this is where all of your flavor comes from. Save some of this liquid to add to the pasta later.
Once the spaghetti is ready, toss with baby clams, a splash of clam liquor, fresh chili flakes, and a splash of whatever nice white wine seems to be open at the time.
Garnish with garlic, parsley, and a good drizzle of olive oil.
Sauce vierge
Sauce vierge, with capers and herbs, can be served over meat, fish, or vegetables.Getty
Ingredients:
Cilantro
Parsley
Capers
Garlic
Olive oil
Protein of choice, such as fish or steak, and/or vegetables
Method:
Start by hand chopping cilantro and parsley, and placing in a small mixing bowl.
Add some capers as well as a little juice from the jar and some microplaned garlic.
Add a generous pour of olive oil, ensuring the olive oil covers all of the parsley, cilantro, and capers, and mix.
Now this is where you start to manipulate the sauce based on what you are cooking. If serving with fish, add some lemon supreme*, a splash of lemon juice, lemon zest as well as small, diced tomatoes.
This can alternatively be served over a heavily grilled piece of steak or even just some grilled vegetables, such as squash or sweet potato.
*The lemon supreme is made by standing a lemon straight up then slicing the bottom and the top off, which will make it easy to trim the skin off with a small knife. Once all of the skin is removed, you can follow the natural crevice of the lemon and remove several slices as you work your way around the lemon. This is called a lemon supreme.
Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.
