“和風メゼ”
I recently visited Persepolis, the amazing Persian grocery store in Peckham, and got inspired to create my own Japanesy version of Mezze!
Though it may seem intricate, it's mostly just chopping and mixing. I started with the cucumber pickles and grilling aubergine for the baba ghanoush. For a head start, you can prep everything except the grilled feta cheese the day before.
All recipes serve 4.
a. Grilled feta cheese with plum in wasabi dressing
Feta cheese 200g
Sesame seed
Olive oil 1 tablespoon
Honey 1 tablespoon
Plum 2
Cooked beetroot 2
Olive oil 1 tablespoon
Wasabi 2 teaspoon
Sushi vinegar 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice ½ tablespoon and zest for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the beetroots and plums, toss them with the dressing, and chill in the fridge.
Place the feta cheese on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and sprinkle sesame seeds all over the surface. Drizzle with olive oil and honey, and grill until golden brown. Finally, drizzle a little more honey and lemon juice over the feta cheese. Serve the warm feta cheese with the chilled salad.
b. Miso Baba Ghanoush
Aubergine 2
Olive oil 4 tablespoon
Spring onion 8
Garlic 1 clove
Red miso 1 tablespoon
Mirin 2 tablespoon
Tahini paste 2 tablespoon
Lemon juice 2 tablespoon
Japanese Shichimi chilli powder a pinch
Poke several holes all over the aubergines with a fork (this prevents them from exploding while grilling). Place the aubergines on a foil-lined baking tray and grill on high heat. Turn them over once the surface is charred black. Grill for about 30 minutes until the entire surface is charred and the aubergines are soft enough to be easily pierced with a toothpick. Once done, wrap the aubergines in the foil and let them cool.
Make a lengthwise cut in the aubergines and scoop out the insides with a spoon. Transfer the insides to a fine-mesh sieve to drain excess moisture. Discard the charred skin.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the spring onions over low heat until they are golden brown. Turn off the heat and mix in the miso and mirin.
Blend the aubergines and the remaining ingredients in a blender to a coarse paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
c. Amazu Pickled Cucumber
Amazu, which means 'sweet vinegar' in Japanese, is commonly used in Japanese pickles.
Cucumber Half
Ginger 3 thin slices
Dill A small amount
Kombu About 7cm sized sheet
Japanese Takano Tsume Chili 2 slices
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Sushi vinegar 80 ml
Water 200 ml
Salt A pinch
Slice the cucumber thinly with a peeler, sprinkle a little salt, and let sit for about 5 minutes. Once wilted, rinse with water and drain.
Mix the remaining ingredients and marinate the cucumber. Store in the refrigerator.
d. Edamame Tabbouleh
Bulgur/quinoa 3 tablespoon(I use mixed Bulgur with quinoa)
Boiled Edamame 150g
Sugar snap 50g (chopped thinly)
Curled parsley a handful(chopped finely)
Spring onion 4 (chopped thinly)
Ginger 1 teaspoon(chopped thinly)
Say sauce 2 tablespoon
Yuzu juice 2 tablespoon
Honey 1.5 teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare the bulgur according to the package instructions.
Mix with the rest of the ingredients.
