Greek Mezze: Melitzanosalata & Tzatziki ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Greek Mezze are one of my fave "tapas" or appetisers .. Here are two wonderful recipes from a very lovely Greek Taverna in Santorini where we were a few years ago and have never forgotten their Mezze ..

1) Classic Melitzanosalata ( Aubergine / Eggplant ) ..

1 1 / 2 Kilos of Aubergine
2 or 3 garlic cloves to taste (minced)
Evoo 125 Ml.
Distilled White Wine Vinegar ( 2 tablesp. )
1 tsp. Sugar (optional )
Salt to taste

1) Grill or bake the aubergine whole, until charred and tender soft. Remove from the oven, and cool slightly ..
While the Aubergine is easy to handle, remove stems and skin ..
2) Slice the aubergine lenghtwise in half and remove and discard the seeds.
3) Place the eggplant in a bowl and pour slowly in the Evoo and stir with a fork or Spatula until most of the Evoo is absorbed.
4) Add the vinegar, salt and sugar in alternating doses to achieve desired taste ..
5) Texture should be similar to " Genovese Basil Pesto " ..

2) Classic Tzatziki ..

450 Ml. Strained Greek Yogurt
1 Peeled Cucumber de-seeded
3 Garlic cloves minced
1 1 / 2 Tblsp. Fresh Dill or Fresh Mint or if you prefer both
3 Tblsps. Evoo
1 1 /2 Tblsp. Red wine vinegar
Salt to taste

1) Deseed the cucumber and then coarsely grate .. Squeeze out the excess moisture ..
2) Combine with the Greek Yogurt in a large glass bowl ..
3) Add the minced garlic, minced fresh dill and / or minced fresh mint, The Evoo, Vinegar and Salt .. Combine well.
4) Refrigerate until ready to use ..

Have a lovely day ..

[Stokey Sue Profile]

In English it’s either distilled white vinegar, also known as spirit vinegar which is more accurate (yuk) OR white wine vinegar, the two vinegars are quite different

Never encountered any form of vinegar in either melitzanosalata or tzatziki. In my experience, and when I make it, the aubergine dish is finished with lemon juice. I don’t put vinegar or lemon into tzatziki - I make mine according to a recipe from the Corfu Tourist Board

This uses a cucumber (2 if small) peeled, seeded if necessary, and finely diced. This is mixed with a clove of garlic and a little mild onion or shallot, both minced, salted and left for 30 minutes before squeezing out the liquid and mixing with the yogurt and finishing with more salt (if needed), EVOO and herbs to taste. Salting with the garlic and onion gives it a delicacy you don’t get any other way.

[Wic Profile]

I had a Greek friend who used to make tzatziki all the time. She’d been taught by her grandmother. She showed me how she did it, which, frankly, was a bit random at times, but it’s that type of recipe, I think. It was always very more-ish.

Generally speaking she crushed some garlic and peeled and cubed a cucumber then put them both in a sieve, weighed down with a plate, and let them drain for half an hour or so. She squeezed out the liquid then mixed it all into thick, strained yoghurt with salt to taste. She often chopped some mint and either mixed it in or sprinkled it on top with a drizzle, or more, of EVOO.

Lovely. Though if she was a bit heavy handed with the garlic no-one would come close enough to speak to you for 24hours.

[Amyw Profile]

I've never heard of red wine vinegar in tzatziki either and surely it would make it go a very unappealing colour

I make me similar to Wics, although instead of weighing it down, I normally squeeze through a clean towel . Lots of garlic and mint too, though some dill is nice

[mark111757 Profile]

A couple of examples from the been food site

https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/tzatziki_01135

https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/tzatziki_13049

https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/lambwi ... eand_71920

https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/spicer ... ille_83881

No red wine vinegar to be found

[Alexandria Profile]

Wic,

As I mentioned, I squeeze out the liquid from the grated cucumber ..

I have had a couple of very busy days and henceforth, while typing, I failed to mention how I squeeze out the liquid from the grated cucumber ..

I use a sieve and let it drain too ..

There is alot of liquid in cucumber and it can cause " liquidy Greek Yogurt " which is not very pleasant ..

Thank you for your feedback .. Have a nice evening ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

I prepare mine the way the establishment gave the recipes to me when we were in Santorini a few years ago, which are documented by:

The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board .. www.Hepo.gr

Thank you for your feedback ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Mark,

Thank you for the links ..


Have a nice day / evening ..

[mark111757 Profile]

If we are talking English cucumber, they are up to 12" inches/around 5cm long. That seems like an awful lot of cucumber

[Amyw Profile]

Also how much is each dip supposed to serve. I'd estimate an average aubergine to be 250g, so you're looking at 6 aubergines for your dish. That's an awful lot of mezze

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Mark, the recipe is for a whole 450 g or 500 g tub of thick yogurt (Fage Total or similar). By the time you have peeled the cuke, trimmed it and squeezed out the liquid (with or without salting first) I think it’s about right

If you have a field / ridge cucumber it’s shorter but fatter and drier so it evens out I think

I’d use less cucumber and no garlic for an Indian raita, which is more of a sauce, but tzatziki is pretty solid sometimes.

But as Amy says - these quantities are for a restaurant or a party, I usually make a lot less, and like Wic’s chum I don’t measure

I went to a Lebanese restaurant yesterday and we had a similar dip made with beetroot instead of cucumber, and a version of baba ganoush that was pretty much melitzanosalita - and the best version I’ve had was in an Algerian restaurant. Algeria is a long way from Greece!

[mark111757 Profile]

Sue

I was thinking of fage total too. It has the mouth feel of sour cream. Easy pudding too. Drizzled over with some honey tho you can do the same with tofu.

Great choice!!! Thanks folks!!!

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

In Greece there are several Mezze prepared with Beetroot that are quite wonderful ..

The Regional Greek Cuisines have broken boundaries and are universally recognised and have become a part of the tapestry of international cuisine ..

In Marseille, there are several Algerian small restaurants ..


Lebanese cuisine is quite exquisitely sublime ..


Have a nice evening ..