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The cook family mezze

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. 
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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