Mezze Platter
It’s no secret we are huge fans of eating well and simply, and we think this philosophy is represented perfectly here with this gorgeous Mezze Platter. Whether you compose a personal plate for yourself, or scale the ingredients to feed a crowd, a Mezze Platter {a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in many Mediterranean regions}, creates an informal meal out of many of our favourite ingredients.
Mezze Platter
1 cup Classic Hummus
200-300g plain or herbed feta, cubed or cut in slabs
Marinated olives
Vegetable pickles
Baba Ganoush or Tzatziki
Fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
Fresh baguette or crusty sourdough
Optional: crispy chickpeas
Olive oil for garnish
Parsley and Maldon salt to garnish
To create a Mezze Platter, simply arrange your items on a plate or platter and serve drizzled with olive oil and garnished with fresh parsley if desired. Leave it plain too, as everything together is a beautiful sight! Enjoy with a drink and good company.
Scale ingredients up or down based on the group size.
French Lentil + Olive Salad
This simple salad can be dressed up or down depending on what you have in your fridge. We like it as is, with or without feta. For extra greens, serve over fresh arugula with extra dressing. We’re really enjoying this tasty Everyday Dressing from Vanessa Perone’s book Everyday Mediterranean.
French Lentil + Olive Salad
1 cup dry Vistabright Organic French Lentils
1 cup pitted Kalamata Olives
1 cup chopped Italian Parsley
1 cup crumbled feta (optional)
1 cup Everyday Dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Everyday Dressing
2/3 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried mint
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
First, rinse the dry Vistabright Organic French Lentils under cold water and combine in a pot with 5-6 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and once boiling, turn the heat to medium and simmer the lentils until cooked, about 30 minutes.
Note: soaking is not necessary and optional. If you soak the lentils first, you can expect them to cook much quicker, in about 20 minutes. To soak, simply combine the dry lentils with 6-8 cups of water in a bowl and soak for 8-12 hours on the countertop. Rinse under cold water before cooking.
While the lentils boil, prepare the dressing by combining everything together in a jar and shaking well. Alternatively, you can use a hand blender to emulsify everything together.
Chop the parsley and set aside in a small bowl. If in brine, drain the olives and chop finely. Add to a mixing bowl. Once the lentils are ready, drain and set aside to cool for 5 minutes until no longer steaming but still slightly warm. Add the lentils to the bowl with the olives and drizzle in about 3/4 cup of the dressing, tossing well. Add more if desired and set the lentils aside for 15-20 minutes to allow them to cool and absorb the dressing. Add the parsley and optional feta and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe serves 3-4 and keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.
