GLOBAL COMFORT

A look at three dishes from around the world gaining traction on U.S. menus

// By Mike Kostyo

How to Work With It

While the name may be new to many U.S. consumers, the flavor profiles are familiar — avgolemono soup is basically a creamy chicken noodle soup with a citrus twist. There’s no single, agreedupon recipe for the soup in Greece, giving chefs carte blanche to play with the build. Rice or orzo are classic additions, but chefs can experiment with ratios (some versions feature a hint of lemon, while others are almost mouth-puckeringly tart), swap in different proteins (chicken meatballs, seafood) or add whatever veggies are on hand. Flavor-enhancers like garlic and dill are also common.

Avgolemono Soup

What is It?

Avgolemono might be considered the one true mother sauce of Greece, combining eggs, lemon and stock to create a concoction that is rich and creamy, yet balanced by the tart citrus. Originally introduced by Sephardic Jews, with a name derived from the Greek words avgo and lemoni (or egg and lemon), today avgolemono is used as a sauce for meats and vegetables or as a thickener for soups and stews. It’s often served with dolmades. Indeed, the name avgolemono has become synonymous with Greek lemon chicken soup in the U.S., found everywhere from classic Greek diners to a new generation of Greek restaurants that are taking the cuisine in new directions. At both locations of Chef Jose Andres’ modern Eastern Mediterranean concept Zaytinya, chicken soup avgolemono is a staple on the menu, upgraded with housemade kritharaki pasta and extra veggies in the form of carrots, onions, celery and greens with the option to add a soft-poached egg on top.

Malfatti

What is It?

A dish that translates to “poorly made” may not sound like a promising start to a tasty entree option, but it’s simply code for “rustic” and “homemade” when it comes to these Italian dumplings. Malfatti can be found throughout Italy’s Lombardy and Tuscany regions, combining greens like spinach or Swiss chard with ricotta, flour, eggs and the chef’s choice of flavorings (fresh herbs, ground nutmeg, chili flakes, onions, etc.). Like gnudi and gnocchi, malfatti are formed by hand, though they are often rolled into plump little fingershaped dumplings. Malfatti have become something of a specialty in Napa Valley, but they can be found on menus throughout California. At Bellanico, a restaurant and wine bar in Oakland, the malfatti are made with Swiss chard, served in a browned butter and sage sauce, and finished with nutty Grana Padano.

How to Work With It

As Asian and Mexican ingredients and dishes have captured the attention of younger U.S. consumers, chefs have to keep innovating to keep well-known cuisines — like Italian — from stagnating. Introducing consumers to new, on-trend options like burrata or cacio e pepe has been one way to keep Italian cuisine fresh and exciting to modern consumers. Enter malfatti, a comforting dish that is easy to produce back of house (no rolling and cutting sheets of pasta dough required). Malfatti can showcase just about any seasonal greens and herbs you have on hand, while the dumplings are equally at home in a light broth, richer butter sauce or flavor-packed tomato sauce (consider baked malfatti for a particularly rustic and comforting menu option).

Idli

What is It?

If you ask anyone who grew up in southern India what they remember eating for breakfast as a child, they’ll likely recall fond memories of soft, fluffy, warm idlis. Eaten in some form for over a thousand years, these tender, savory cakes are made from black lentils and rice, which are soaked, ground or blended into a batter, then fermented and steamed in special molds. While idlis are breakfast staples in India, typically served with chutney or sambar, they are also popular for lunch, dinner or a quick snack. At Kaveri, a south Indian concept in Gaithersburg, Md., the idli section of the menu includes options like mayavaram kostu idli made with ghee, ginger, chili and cashews; parcel idli steamed in banana leaves; and even mini bitesized idlis for kids.

How to Work With It

Idlis sit at the intersection of multiple trends that are catching on in the U.S. Idlis showcase fermentation; other fluffy global carriers like bao are becoming increasingly common; and idlis use the same batter as dosas, the thin, savory Indian crepes that have grown 11% on U.S. menus in the past 12 months alone, according to Datassential, a thirdparty research firm focused on the restaurant and foodservice industry. Consider idlis as a starting point for culinary creativity — cooks and chefs in India certainly do. Fenugreek is the classic flavoring, but options like cumin, ginger, pepper, turmeric and garam masala are common. You can stuff idlis, serve them in soups and stews or even use them in mashup dishes (Indian street food vendors will often use idlis left over from breakfast in savory dinner dishes, like idli Manchurian, an Indo-Chinese take on gobi Manchurian). The steamer molds used to make idlis are inexpensive, but chefs can also use small bowls or even large cake pans or pie tins and cut idli into individual servings.

Mike Kostyo is a food trends expert and writer based in Chicago. Kostyo was a recurring guest on Fusion TV's “The AV Club Show”; has been featured on NBC Nightly News, WGN Radio, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country annually; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” He has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production.