Urfa, Chimichurri and XO: Global Flavours in Southern Kitchens

Urfa pepper, chimichurri, XO sauce and Spanish olives are turning up on Charlotte menus. Here's how global pantry staples are reshaping Southern cooking.

Southern food has always borrowed. African, European and Native American traditions built the cuisine, and later immigration added Mexican, Vietnamese, Lebanese and many other influences. In Charlotte's newer restaurants you can see the latest chapter: chefs pairing Carolina produce with ingredients from around the Mediterranean and beyond.

VANA's archived 2020 lunch menu is a neat snapshot of the trend: grilled marinated Spanish olives, an heirloom tomato salad with urfa, warm octopus with chimichurri, Spanish anchovies on grilled romaine, a lamb neck wrap with curry yogurt, and a burger with XO aioli. (See our VANA history page.) Here's a guide to those ingredients.

Urfa biber

A Turkish chilli from the Şanlıurfa region, dried and cured until it turns deep purple-black. It tastes smoky, raisiny and gently hot, with hints of chocolate. Sprinkle it on tomatoes, eggs, grilled meats or roasted sweet potatoes.

Chimichurri

An Argentinian and Uruguayan sauce of parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, chilli and olive oil. It cuts through rich, charred food, which makes it perfect with wood-fired meats, octopus and vegetables.

Quick chimichurri: finely chop a bunch of parsley, 3 garlic cloves and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Mix with 60 ml red wine vinegar, 120 ml olive oil, chilli flakes and salt. Rest 20 minutes.

XO sauce

A luxurious Hong Kong condiment of dried scallops, dried shrimp, cured ham, chilli and garlic cooked in oil. Despite the cognac-inspired name, it contains no brandy. A spoonful in mayonnaise makes an umami-packed aioli for burgers or fries.

Spanish olives and anchovies

Manzanilla and Gordal olives, warmed or grilled with citrus and herbs, make a simple starter. Good Spanish anchovies, cured and packed in oil, are meaty and mild, nothing like the harsh tinned kind many people avoid.

Curry yogurt and labneh

Yogurt seasoned with curry spices or strained into thick labneh brings cooling tang to lamb and grilled vegetables, a natural partner for smoke.

Why these flavours fit the South

Stocking a global Southern pantry

• Urfa and Aleppo pepper
• Good olive oil and sherry vinegar
• Preserved lemons
• Tahini
• Oil-packed anchovies
• A jar of XO sauce or chilli crisp

The best Southern cooking has always been about combining what grows nearby with whatever flavours travel in. Charlotte's kitchens are simply writing the next chapter.

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