A culinary voyage

With travel on hold, the pantry is a hip destination for flavorful meals

Summer is coming, but, alas, there’s no travel in these blighted times. And the destinations I dream about are plagued with worry and grief as pandemic illness makes its way around the world. We may take journeys in the kitchen, though. Enticing aromas can conjure happy memories of places we’ve been, and that is a balm for now, when we are required to stay at home.

This cooking voyage transports us to the eastern Mediterranean, in spirit at least, providing a lot of flavor and a bit of sunshine under these troubled circumstances.

Each of the dishes utilizes a few pantry elements or basic grocery items, and the recipes are meant for different times of day — possibly, though not necessarily, all on the same day.

The menu begins with oat porridge. Though sweetened porridge is delicious, a savory approach makes a nice change. Any kind of oats will do, but my inclination is for steel-cut rather than rolled. Steel-cut oats have a nutty whole-grain flavor and retain a nubbly texture. I add a fried egg, a bit of roasted pepper, a generous sprinkling of za’atar and a drizzle of good olive oil. If you can’t find za’atar (a heavenly spice mix of wild thyme, sumac and sesame used throughout the Middle East), try using toasted ground cumin or a pinch of oregano. In truth, this easy, hearty dish is a treat any time of day.

To make a very satisfying pita sandwich for lunch, you’ll need some common ingredients (chicken breast, cucumbers, olives, yogurt, herbs), but it’s not at all difficult to put together. The yogurt sauce is the real star here. You may find other ways to employ it — a dip, perhaps, or to accompany steamed cauliflower or other vegetables.

Meatballs are the ultimate comfort food, and these, a mixture of ground lamb and rice, are especially tasty, perfumed with cumin, coriander and cinnamon. They may be prepared several hours or up to two days in advance. Make the tomato gravy as piquant as you like, adding a good pinch of cayenne.

ANDREW SCRIVANI/THE NEW YORK TIMES An all-day Mediterranean menu features savory oats with fried egg and za’atar, from left, chicken salad pita and spicy meatballs with chickpeas.