We had a selection of mezze type dishes last night and Lisa (who really likes this style of meal)said she wished all the recipes were in one place ... no sooner said than done
Tzatziki
ingredients
1 large cucumber, deseeded but skin left on
350grms greek strained yoghurt (I use Total)
1 or 2 cloves garlic crushed with sea salt
1 teaspoon dried mint
2 large tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method
grate the cucumber and drain off the juice and put in a bowl
combine with all of the ingredients apart from the olive oil.
Put in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavours combine.
Before serving drizzle with olive oil
you could also sprinkle some sumac over
Guacamole no 1 (US version)
ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp. chopped coriander
few drops tabasco
Salt and pepper
method
Cut avocados in half and remove pits.
Scoop the flesh out of the skins with a spoon into a mortar and
mash it roughly with a pestle. Stir in lime juice, onion, cilantro and
some salt. Taste and add more salt and lime juice as needed.
Variation: For a spicy guacamole, add a red chilli seeded and finely diced.
Guacamole no. 2 (Greg Malouf's middle eastern version)
ingredients
2 ripe-but-firm avocado, cut into 1/2 cm dice
1 tomato, de-seeded and cut into 1/2cm dice
1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 long green chillies, seeded, scraped and
finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic crushed with
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 preserved lemon, skin only,
washed and finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly milled white pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a large mixing bowl gently combine avocado with tomatoes, coriander, chillies, lime juice, garlic, preserved lime, onion and pepper and mash with a fork.
1 tomato, de-seeded and cut into 1/2cm dice
1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 long green chillies, seeded, scraped and
finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic crushed with
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 preserved lemon, skin only,
washed and finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly milled white pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a large mixing bowl gently combine avocado with tomatoes, coriander, chillies, lime juice, garlic, preserved lime, onion and pepper and mash with a fork.
Check seasoning adding extra lime juice and salt if needed.
Drizzle
with extra virgin olive oil.
Roast tomato relish
ingredients
750g baby plum tomatoes
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1 fat clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tbs ex virgin olive oil
method
heat oven to 180c
mix rest of ingredients in a roasting tray. Roast for 45 mins until everything is soft. Leave to cool
roughly mash together and season to taste.
Spiced Lamb burgers
ingredients
4tbs olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 thai red chilli seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tsp ras al hanout or garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander, finely chopped
1 small bunch fresh coriander
500g lean minced lamb
finely grated zest of two lemons
salt and ground black pepper
Method
Heat 1 tbs of oil and cook the onion, garlic and chilli gently for 5 - 10 mins until soft.
Add the dried spices, fry for 1 minute then tip into a bowl
Add the fresh coriander, lamb, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Heat a pan with 2 tbs oil in and cook for approx 4 minutes a side or until cooked.
Scatter with more coriander leaves and serve with the tomato relish.
Paprika potato wedges
ingredients
6tbs sunflower or light olive oil
1tbs smoked sweet paprika
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp whole cumin seeds
1.5 tsp sea salt or to taste
8 medium potatoes unpeeled
method
Heat oven to 180c
mix together the oil and spices in a large bowl.
Halve the potatoes lengthways and slice each half lengthways into 4 wedges.
Thoroughly coat the potatoes in the spicy oil and spread out on a non-stick roasting tray.
Roast for around 40 mins or until golden and crispy
Leon's Sesame chicken wings
ingredients
1kg chicken wings
2.5 tbs dark soy sauce
just under 2 tbs fish sauce
10 cloves garlic smashed
150 g ginger root
1 and a bit tbs sesame oil
1.5 tbs sesame seeds
Method
Whizz the garlic, ginger, fish sauce and soy in a food processor to make a coarse puree
Pour onto the wings and mix thoroughly with the sesame oil
leave to marinate (overnight would be great but a few hours will also do)
Pre heat oven to 180 deg C
spread the wings on a baking sheet pop them in the oven for 20 mins.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and return to the oven for a further 25 mins or until golden brown
serve
Tabbouleh
There's a right way and a wrong way to make this brilliant Middle Eastern salad, says Yotam Ottolenghi. Here's his view of the right way
The most common issue is the proportions – far too
many cooks do not realise that parsley is the star of the show here, not
the bulgar, and definitely not couscous
Another biggie is the way the herbs are
chopped, and in this instance I'm afraid I must side with the purists
and shun the food processor. Chopping the leaves with a razor-sharp,
heavy knife, although a lot of work, prevents bruising and gives the
parsley its light and dry texture. Despite the hard labour involved.
Serves four,
generously.
Ingredients
90g fine bulgar wheat
4 medium tomatoes, ripe but still firm (600g)
2 medium shallots (60g)
4 large bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley (160g)
2 bunches fresh mint (30g)
1 tsp ground allspice
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
120ml top-quality olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Put
the bulgar in a fine sieve and put under the cold tap until the water
runs clear and most of the starch has been removed. Transfer to a bowl.
Cut
the tomatoes into 0.5cm dice (a small serrated knife is the best tool
for this job) and add to the bowl, along with any juices. Chop the
shallots as fine as you can and add to the bowl.
Take a few stalks
of parsley and pack them together tightly. Use a large, very sharp
knife to trim off the end of the stalks, then chop the remaining stems
and leaves as finely as possible and no wider than 1mm. (If you can't
achieve that first go, go over the chopped parsley again, this time with
the heel of the blade.) Add the parsley to the bowl.
Pick the
mint leaves, pack a few together tightly, chop as finely as the parsley
and add to the bowl.
Finally stir in the allspice, lemon juice to taste,
olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve at
room temperature.
Lentil Tabbouleh
Greg Malouf's spin on tabbouleh replaces bulgur with cooked and cooled puy lentils
Ingredients
100g lentils
4 medium tomatoes, ripe but still firm (600g)
2 medium shallots (60g)
4 large bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley (160g)
2 bunches fresh mint (30g)
1 tsp ground allspice
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
120ml top-quality olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Method
Cook the lentils in boiling water for 15 - 20 mins till you get to the texture you like. Drain and cool.
Transfer to a bowl.
Cut
the tomatoes into 0.5cm dice (a small serrated knife is the best tool
for this job) and add to the bowl, along with any juices. Chop the
shallots as fine as you can and add to the bowl.
Take a few stalks
of parsley and pack them together tightly. Use a large, very sharp
knife to trim off the end of the stalks, then chop the remaining stems
and leaves as finely as possible and no wider than 1mm. (If you can't
achieve that first go, go over the chopped parsley again, this time with
the heel of the blade.) Add the parsley to the bowl.
Pick the
mint leaves, pack a few together tightly, chop as finely as the parsley
and add to the bowl.
Finally stir in the allspice, lemon juice to taste,
olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve at
room temperature.
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