Mezze

1

DIPS & HOT CHEESE

TARAMASALATA

Homemade taramasalata is a world away from supermarket pots. Add this traditional cod roe dip to a mezze selection or simply devour it with some toasted pitta breads and a few olives.

200-g/7-oz. can cod roe, drained

1 small red onion, grated (about 20 g/2 tbsp)

½ tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 chunky slice of toasted bread (about 50 g/2 oz.)

50 ml/3½ tbsp milk

100 ml/scant ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

salt and black pepper

TO SERVE

olives

toasted pitta bread

MAKES ABOUT 500 G/2 CUPS

Add the drained cod roe to a food processor, breaking it up with the back of a fork, then add the grated onion, cayenne pepper and lemon juice, and season generously with salt and black pepper.

Soak the toasted bread in the milk for a minute, then squeeze out the excess liquid and tear the toast into the food processor (discard the leftover milk). Pulse everything in the food processor to begin with, then increase the speed and start drizzling in the olive oil until it has all been added.

Depending on consistency, you can add a few tablespoons of water at the end to smooth the taramasalata. Taste, adding more salt, lemon juice or cayenne as preferred.

Serve in a bowl with a little extra drizzle of olive oil, a few olives alongside and some toasted pitta bread for dipping.

ROASTED RED PEPPER & CHICKPEA HUMMUS

This delightfully simple hummus is perfect as it comes, but is even better with a bit of tangy feta cheese crumbled over the top.

50 g/2 oz. roasted red (bell) peppers from a jar or can

400-g/14-oz. can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained (reserve a splash of the liquid)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, lightly crushed

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ fresh red chilli/chile (optional)

½ tsp salt

TO SERVE

crumbled feta (optional)

basil leaves (optional)

MAKES ABOUT 500 G/2 CUPS

Add all the ingredients to a food processor (including a splash of chickpea liquid) and blitz until you have a smooth paste. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice if preferred.

Transfer to a serving bowl. If you wish, sprinkle a little crumbled feta and a few basil leaves over the top.

BABA GHANOUSH

The aubergine/eggplant is one of the most important participants in the mezze table. Here it is made into baba ghanoush, a Middle Eastern classic, which is rich and utterly seductive.

3 large aubergines/ eggplants (about 900 g/ 2 lb.), rinsed and dried

2 tbsp tahini paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

salt and black pepper

TO SERVE

extra virgin olive oil

finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

pomegranate seeds

SERVES 6

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

Prick the whole aubergines with a fork to stop them exploding and put them directly on the oven shelves. Roast in the preheated oven for just under 1 hour, turning them over occasionally.

The trick after this is to remove them from the oven and lay them directly on a gentle gas flame for 2-3 minutes. Using oven gloves, hold them by their stalks and keep turning them over as they are scorched. This is quite a tricky business, but it will give you that inimitable smoky taste.

Remove from the heat and let the aubergines cool enough to handle, then slit them open and spoon the flesh into a colander to drain. Press lightly to extract the juices. Transfer the aubergine flesh to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse briefly to form a coarse paste. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Spread on a platter, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in a decorative pattern, sprinkle some parsley and pomegranate seeds on top, and serve.

TARATOR

In Lebanon, tarator is as ubiquitous as tzatziki is in Greece. It is traditionally served with fish, but can also be thinned down and used as a salad dressing, if you like.

5 tbsp tahini paste

1 tsp ground cumin

100 ml/scant ½ cup warm water

2 garlic cloves, crushed

freshly squeezed juice of 1½ lemons

3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

salt

SERVES 6

If the tahini paste has separated in the jar, mix it properly with a spoon. Put the tahini in a food processor, add the cumin, water, garlic, salt and half the lemon juice and process until smooth and amalgamated - it should have the consistency of thick double/heavy cream.

Taste and adjust by adding as much lemon juice as you like. I love sharp lemony tastes, but it is a matter of personal preference.

Transfer to a bowl, stir in the parsley and serve.

TZATZIKI

This refreshing dip is an ideal partner for barbecued meats or vegetables.

200 g/6½ oz. Greek yogurt

12-cm/5-inch piece of cucumber, peeled and thickly grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped mint

salt

SERVES 6

Put the yogurt in a bowl and add the grated cucumber. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, mint and salt. Mix well with a fork. Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and chill lightly.

Note Delicious accompaniments for tzatziki include grilled or fried vegetables. To make them, thinly slice 2 courgettes/zucchini lengthways and 2 aubergines/eggplants crossways. Pour 2.5 cm/1 inch depth of sunflower or groundnut oil into a frying pan/skillet and heat until a haze forms. Working in batches, dredge the sliced vegetables in plain/all-purpose flour, then fry in the hot oil on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

FAVA

Fava is always part of mezze in Greece. Although quite frugal, it is one of the first plates to arrive on the table, even at high-end restaurants. This dish has been on the Greek menu for several thousand years, so it really is a classic! Authentic Greek fava (the best come from the island of Santorini) may look similar to yellow split peas, but they have a much sweeter taste.

300 g/10 oz. Greek fava or yellow split peas

2 onions, finely chopped

2 tbsp capers, rinsed

5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

4-6 stoned/pitted black olives

salt and black pepper

SERVES 6

Soak the fava or split peas in cold water for 1-2 hours. Drain, rinse, put in a saucepan and cover with 2 litres/ quarts water. Bring to the boil and skim until clear.

Add just over half the chopped onion and simmer, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, or until perfectly soft. Stir occasionally and add some hot water if needed. At the end of cooking, when the dish has the consistency of thick soup, add salt.

Transfer to a food processor or blender while it is still hot, process until smooth, then pour onto a large platter immediately as it solidifies when cold.

Sprinkle the capers, black pepper and the remaining chopped onion over the top, then drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Pile the olives in the middle and serve warm or at room temperature.

ZHUG

Fiery and versatile like harissa, zhug (or zhoug) is a popular chilli paste in Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Zhug is served with grilled and fried vegetables or shellfish, or is served as part of a mezze spread with chunks of fresh bread to dip into it.

8 dried red chillies/chiles

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 tsp salt

seeds of 4-6 cardamom pods

1 tsp caraway seeds

½ tsp black peppercorns

a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

a small bunch of coriander/cilantro, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

3-4 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil

large sterilized glass jar

MAKES 4-5 TBSP

Put the chillies in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave them to soak for at least 6 hours. Drain them, cut off the stalks, squeeze out the seeds and roughly chop them.

Using a pestle and mortar, pound the chillies with the garlic and salt to a thick, smooth paste. Add the cardamom and caraway seeds and the peppercorns, and pound them with the chilli paste - you want to break up the seeds and peppercorns, but they don't have to be perfectly ground as a little bit of texture is good. Beat in the parsley and coriander, and bind the mixture with the oil.

Spoon the spice paste into a sterilized jar, drizzle the rest of the oil over the top and keep it in a cool place, or in the refrigerator, for up to 4 weeks. When serving as a condiment or a dip for bread, mix the layer of oil into it and garnish with extra finely chopped coriander and/or parsley.

FETA & CHILLI DIP (TYROHTIPITI)(see page 1 for image)

Htipiti means 'beaten' and tyri means 'cheese', so tyrohtipiti means 'beaten cheese'. This dip originated in the beautiful city of Thessaloniki, but is fast becoming popular all over Greece. Its appearance varies according to the type of peppers used and the heat of the chillies, so it can range from pink and red to green.

2 fresh green chillies/chiles

1 large red or green (bell) pepper

250 g/9 oz....