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5 Minute Mezze – Carrot Salad, Hummus, Keftedes, Beetroot Salad and Flat Bread

From Paul Bloxham, Sky Taste

Keftedes

400g minced pork
1 large red onion, chopped/grated
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp dried Greek mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp milk
100g plain bread crumbs, as needed
100g plain flour for dredging
2 cloves garlic crushed
Olive oil for frying

1. Combine the minced pork, garlic and onion in a mixing bowl. Add the tomato, mint, salt, and pepper, and knead well for 3 minutes to combine. Pour in the milk and continue kneading until the liquid is completely absorbed.

2. If the mixture is so loose that the keftedes do not retain their shape, add a few tablespoonfuls of plain fine breadcrumb. Cover the mixing bowl and chill the mixture for at least 1 hour.

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Take a tablespoonful at a time of the meat mixture and form into a small ball, roll in the flour and shake in the palm of your hand to remove the excess flour. Place the dredged meatball on a platter. Continue with the remaining mixture. To fry, heat about 2 cm of olive oil in a large pan. Using a tablespoon gently place as many meatballs as will fit in the pan, fry them, turning once or twice so that all sides are browned.

4. Remove, drain slightly on paper towels, and serve with the other mezze dishes.

Carrot Salad

6 to 8 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
Water to cover
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp honey
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped

1. Cook carrots in the water covered until just tender in a bowl, mix cayenne, cumin, honey and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil. Drain excess water and toss warm carrots with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with chopped mint leaves.

Hummus

Serves 4

1 tin cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp garlic
100mls olive oil, plus more, for drizzling
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a food processor combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini paste, and garlic. Process until smooth. With the machine running, add the olive oil, a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with flat bread

Honey and Vinegar Baby Beetroot Salad

Serves 4

1.5 kg baby beetroots
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp yogurt

1. In a large saucepan cover beetroots with salted water. Simmer beetroots, covered, 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender, and drain in a colander. Cool beetroots until they can be handled and slip off skins and stems.

2. Cut beetroots lengthwise into wedges. In a large pan stir together vinegar, syrup or honey, and oil and add the beetroots. Cook beet mixture with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until heated through and coated well. Sprinkle about half of thyme over beetroots and toss gently. Serve beetroots sprinkled with remaining thyme and a little yoghurt and pitta or Turkish flatbreads