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Mezze platter

Chef, Lenny Redé
Wine Pairings:   Sauvignon Blanc

Its time to revisit an easy appetizer to pair with wine, the sharable classic, Mezze

Savvy match: Mezze brings various flavors and textures from salty olives and feta, smoky baba ghanoush, to spicy kebabs and meatballs. Pick some of your favorites and pair them with a bright, fresh white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc. The bright acidity of the wine can soften the garlic and compliment the creamy texture of dips like hummus, while its herbal nature works with the aromatic herbs and vegetables in the dish.

People are always asking me for advice on party planning. If you want a great menu that is delicious and crowd-pleasing — I suggest going to the Mediterranean, specifically Greece. A tradition is a big part of dining in the Mediterranean and the Middle East they call Mezze. The Mezze is meant to be shared as an appetizer course or light meal and one of our favorite ways to eat. Spread your table with olives, dolmas, dips like hummus, and baba ghanoush served with grilled pita, grilled fish, marinated artichokes, vegetable salads, tabbouleh, cheeses, like mizithra or feta, kebabs of chicken, lamb, or meatballs. 

Ingredients

Any combination of the following. For the party I will add one dish for each guest; a small dinner 4 or 5, an alfresco patio party for 10 or more items.  
  • Pita bread
  • Tabbouleh
  • Baba ghanoush*
  • Hummus*
  • Tyrosalata*
  • Spanakopita or tyropita
  • Dolmas
  • Orzo salad*
  • Giardiniera
  • Marinated kalamata olives
  • Marinated artichoke hearts 
  • Roasted or pickled peppers 
  • Marinated kalamari salad 
  • Grilled shrimp kabobs
  • Lamb meatballs*
  • Tzatziki*
  • Mizithra, feta, graviera cheese
  • Grilled marinated vegetables

Steps

1.

Plan ahead; you can make a lot of these dishes ahead of time. Also, you can purchase perfectly good pre-made dolmas, frozen spanakopita and marinated artichoke hearts. Make this as easy or challenging as you feel up to and have time for.

2.

Marinate your shrimp ahead of time and grill at the last minute.

3.

Having a grill available is a perfect way to heat up your pita! Otherwise, an oven works fine. There are few things as delicious as warm grilled pita. 

Chef Image

About Chef, Lenny Redé

Restaurateur, Chef, Wine Steward, and Educator

Leonard Redé brings a unique blend of culinary and wine expertise to everything he does. An award-winning Pastry Chef, his desserts have graced the tables of Presidential State Dinners for Bill Clinton, he has presented High Tea to the late Princess Diana and created gilded birthday cakes for the Sultan of Brunei. He was nominated for educator of the year when he was a Chef Instructor at the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. He loves to share his passion for all things gastronomic and he’ll gladly help you navigate the world of wine and is always quick with a wine pairing or recipe.