food

Turkish Mezze

Join Daniel and Mirra from The Perennial Plate as they make Yogurt & Charred Eggplant and a Turkish "Gazpacho" inspired by their recent trip to Turkey.

food

Turkish Mezze

Join Daniel and Mirra from The Perennial Plate as they make Yogurt & Charred Eggplant and a Turkish "Gazpacho" inspired by their recent trip to Turkey.

Supplies

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 cup full fat yogurt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley or mint
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic or 4 cloves young garlic

Steps

  1. Use a fork to poke lots of holes in your eggplant.
  2. Roast the eggplant in the coals of a fire, on the burner of your stove top or under the broiler. Each method will take different times, but you want the outside to be completely burned, and when you press down on the eggplant it should be soft and mushy beneath the skin. In coals this takes a good half hour and you will get the best flavor here.
  3. After cooking, let it rest for a few minutes and then peel the skin of the eggplant, cut into strips and let it in a strainer till it cools completely.
  4. Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestal, take your garlic and a pinch of salt, and grind the garlic into a pulp.
  5. Once the eggplant has cooled, press it against the strainer for a few seconds to remove a little more liquid.
  6. Then, cut the eggplant into small cubes, or tear into thin strips.
  7. Mix the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice and garlic, salt to taste.
  8. Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil on top and some fresh cut herbs.

Supplies

  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 jalapenos (1 grilled, 1 fresh)
  • 1 sweet red pepper
  • 1 cup chopped (grilled) garlic scapes
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1/2 cup minced mint
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon Turkishpepper paste (we used harissa)
  • 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic, or balsamic syrup)
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Small dice each of the ingredients separately, then mince them all together.
  2. Let them macerate for 10 minutes, then strain them out for 30 seconds. You want some liquid but not a soup.
  3. Serve with bread and other mezze.