Mediterranean Meze

Mediterranean Meze

• Serves:4

 

Tagged:
eggplant, english cucumber, hummus, lemon, olive oil, pita bread rounds, plum tomatoes, salad, tabbouleh, yogurt,

Tabbouleh is a classic Middle Eastern grain salad made with bulgur wheat, tomatoes and parsley. It is available in the cold case of many well-stocked supermarkets and delicatessens.

Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

 

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 English (hothouse) cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
3/4 pound hummus
2 1/2 cups tabbouleh
8 pita bread rounds, each cut into 4 wedges, warmed

Preparation

MAKE THE EGGPLANT SPREAD: Preheat an oven to 400°F. Prick the eggplant in several places with a fork and place in a roasting pan.
Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the eggplant over and continue to roast until it is very tender and slightly charred and the center has collapsed, about 30 minutes more. Transfer to a colander set over a large bowl and let drain for 30 minutes.
Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, discarding the skin and stem ends. Add the garlic, cumin, yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the mint, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until the flavors have blended, about 1 hour.

MAKE THE CUCUMBER-TOMATO SALAD: In a bowl, combine the cucumber and tomatoes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon mint, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine.

ASSEMBLE THE PLATTER: Transfer the eggplant spread, cucumber-tomato salad, hummus and tabbouleh to individual bowls and place in the center of a large platter. Arrange the pita wedges around the rim of the platter and serve.