Mezze
A one-stop shop recipe for a delicious mezze meal with chicken kebabs, baba ganoush, bulgur salad and a tabbouleh.
Ingredients
For the chicken kebabs
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 200g/7oz Greek-style yoghurt
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon, zest and 2 tbsp juice
- 5 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 large red onion, cut into 2½cm/1in chunks
- vegetable oil, for greasing the grill
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the baba ganoush
- 3 medium aubergines, halved lengthways, flesh scored
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ½ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 50ml/2fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lemons, juice only
For the bulgur salad
- 50g/1¾oz bulgur wheat, washed and drained
- 50g/1¾oz flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
- 50g/1¾oz mint, finely chopped
- 4 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 4 tbsp olive oil
For the tabbouleh
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ¼ cucumber, deseeded and sliced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
- handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
- handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 pitta breads
- 1 tsp sumac
For the dressing
- ½ garlic clove, crushed or grated
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juice only
Method
To make the chicken kebabs, place the chicken in a bowl and mix in the yoghurt, oil, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice and garlic. Marinade for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, alternating with the red onion chunks. Drizzle with oil and set aside until ready to cook.
To make the baba ganoush, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Toss the aubergine with the regular olive oil and place on a baking tray. Bake for around 45 minutes, or until soft. Remove and discard the aubergine skin.
Put the chopped garlic, tahini, chilli powder, cumin, extra virgin olive oil and the aubergine flesh in a food processer and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
To make the bulgur salad, place the bulgur wheat in a large heat-proof bowl, pour over 200ml/7fl oz boiling water, cover with cling film or an upside-down plate and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Put the chopped herbs in a large bowl and add the tomato and spring onion. Thoroughly drain the bulgur, then add to the herb mix, along with the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, to make the tabbouleh, toss together all the ingredients in a bowl, except for the pitta bread and sumac. Toast the pitta breads in a pan until lightly golden. When cool, tear into pieces and combine with the salad.
Stir together the dressing ingredients and season to taste, toss through the tabbouleh and sprinkle over the sumac.
To cook the kebabs, grease a large griddle pan with oil and place over a high heat. Add the kebabs, grill on all sides until cooked through. This will take 6–8 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. Serve the chicken kebabs on a plate with bowls of the salad, tabbouleh and baba ganoush for everyone to help themselves.
