The beauty of mezze is all in those share plates.
We bet you weren't even on the lookout for a street-hawker-style dish from Istanbul - well, lucky we preempted your future flavour feels. Never again feel the bitter pang of picking up a hollow shell. These aromatic rice-stuffed mussels are filled to the brim with a fresh mix of cracked rice, pine nuts, tomato, mint and raisins and we're all about chef Somer Sivrioglu's mussel gains.
Aromatic rice-stuffed mussels (midye dolma) Source: Alan Benson
Whether you choose to serve your octopus char-grilled or preserved, don't forget your side of ouzo - Greek island life never tasted so good.
Octopus meze Source: Sharyn Cairns
Melted cheese, fresh herbs, paprika, prawns and yoghurt ... what more could you ask for from a Greek pizza recipe? Prepare the caramelised onions ahead of time to make this a speedy after-work dinner or snack.
Source: Alan Benson
Imagine being transported to the sunny Mediterranean, listening to the crashing ocean and nibbling on a large platter with mini spanakopitas, keftedes, taramasalata, olives, pita and cucumber. Well, we can't give you the first two things, but you can definitely make your own mezze platter! Pull this one out at parties and we guarantee that it'll be a favourite. Featuring stale white bread and salted, cured cod roe, this homemade taramasalata is guaranteed to be on high rotation.
Source: Lottie Hedley
Prawns wrapped in shredded pastry make for a crunchy appetiser or picnic basket contender. Serve it with muhammara, a classic Turkish dip made from roasted capsicum and walnuts, and don't worry about double-dipping, we're all about it when these prawns are on offer. goes wonderfully with crispy prawns..jpg?imwidth=1280)
Shredded pastry-wrapped king prawns Source: Alan Benson
A speciality of seaside and island Greek tavernas in the summertime, baby squid (or kalamarakia), features widely on menus, and is cooked in various ways, often simply prepared with an obligatory squeeze of lemon. This marinated, chargrilled calamari can be served as an appetiser, or as a meal with sides, most commonly a Greek salad and saganaki (fried cheese). #makeithappen
Source: Armelle Habib
Kibbeh nayeh is typically made of raw lamb or beef mince but this version combines Japanese & Lebanese tastes by using salmon. If you wish to make this in larger quantities (and feed that enormous family!), it’s best to process in batches and keep each batch in the freezer while you do the next.
Want to know how to maximise your seafood intake? Catch Food Safari Water with Maeve O'Meara 7:30pm Thursday nights on SBS Food or later on SBS On Demand. Visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.
Salmon kibbeh nayeh Source: Sharyn Cairns
