Below are a collection of my own recipes for a small vegetarian Mezze feast! Mezze are small, tasty appetizers in parts of the Middle East, the Balkans, Greece, and North Africa.
Homemade Hummus: Hummus is so easy to make and absolutely delicious.
2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup Tahini (with some of its oil)
2 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper (add to taste)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add all ingredients to blender (I use my NutriBullet) and mix for approximately one minute.
Homemade Harissa: This spicy condiment is a delicious bread spread or can be used to add some heat to any Mediterranean dishes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toss 500 grams of sliced red bell peppers as well as 2 red chilis in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes.
Once roasted, toss the peppers into your blender and add 5 garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Pour the mixture into a skillet. DO NOT cover the skillet with a lid. You want the water to fully evaporate.
Cook on medium heat for 45 minutes or until all water has evaporated and a thick paste has formed.
Mediterranean Feta Salad: This feta salad is a refreshing salad to bring to any summer party.
Marinating the feta: Dice up 250 grams of true Greek feta (I use Trader Joe's Authentic Greek Feta in Brine). Place the feta cubes into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 2 rosemary twigs, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed juniper berries. Cover the bowl and let marinate for at least 3 hours.
Quick pickling a bell pepper: Mince one red bell pepper and place the diced pieces into a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of white vinegar, a dash of sea salt, and 2 teaspoons of cane sugar to a boil. Once all of the sugar has dissolved, pour the pickling liquid over the diced bell pepper. Let sit for at least 3 hours.
Combine the marinated feta and pickled bell peppers in a medium sized bowl. Add two diced tomatoes to the mix.
Serve with freshly ground pepper.
Middle Eastern Mint Tea: This mint tea is absolutely delicious and super refreshing.
Make a batch of super strong black tea (I use Darjeeling tea that I steep for 5 minutes).
Into each glass, add a full teaspoon of sugar.
Add 3-5 mint leaves to each glass.
Let steep for 2 more minutes before drinking.
... Serve your mezze feast with olives, pita bread (I love BFree's Pita), veggie sticks, etc.
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