Mezze recipes from the Observer

Easy grilled peppers- These were very tasty but I didn't have any non-dominant tasting vinegar so I used balsamic and it was still very good. I also put some olive oil on.

Grilled sweet peppers are a typical Turkish mezze. What makes this version interesting is the dressing of vinegar and garlic (but no oil). As it is the dominant flavouring, the choice of vinegar here is important. I use an aged Greek vinegar made from Corinthian grapes. It has a delicate fruity flavour. Otherwise I use champagne vinegar, which has a light colour and an even lighter taste.

Serves 4-6

8 red peppers

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

6 tbs good vinegar

1 tbs thyme leaves

sea salt

Preheat the grill (or barbecue). Grill the peppers, turning them to expose all sides, for about 30 minutes until the skin is charred and the peppers are soft. Lift onto a board and peel off the skin. Cut the peppers open, discard stems and seeds and slice the flesh into wide pieces. Place on a serving platter.

Mix the garlic, vinegar and thyme leaves, saving some for garnish. Add salt to taste and pour the dressing over the peppers. Leave to stand for about half an hour. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, garnished with the reserved thyme leaves.

Grilled aubergine dip

There is some confusion over the Arabic name of this dip. In Syria it is mutabbal, while baba ghannuge is used to describe a salad. In any case it is exceptionally good, provided the aubergines are chargrilled, or better still, barbecued over an open fire so they take on a smoky flavour. It is also important to mash the aubergines by hand - if you use a food processor the dip won't have such a good texture.

Serves 4

6 large aubergines, about 250g each
4 tbs tahini
juice of a lemon, or to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
sea salt

For the garnish:

extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs chopped mint or pomegranate seeds, ideally the sour type

Preheat the grill to high. Prick the aubergines in several places with a small knife (to stop them bursting under the grill) and place on a sturdy baking sheet or grill rack. Grill until the aubergines are very soft to the touch and the skin slightly charred, turning to expose all sides evenly to the heat (or cook on a barbecue). This may take up to 45 minutes.

Transfer the aubergines to a board, halve each one lengthways and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Put the flesh into a colander and leave for at least half an hour to drain off excess liquid.

Tip the aubergine flesh into a wide bowl and mash, using a potato masher or the back of a fork. Don't crush it too much - you want the dip to have texture. Add the tahini and salt to taste and mix well, then stir in the lemon juice and crushed garlic. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Transfer the dip to a shallow serving bowl and spread it with the back of a spoon as with the hummus, so that you have a shallow groove in the dip.

Drizzle a little olive oil in the groove and sprinkle the mint or pomegranate seeds in the centre and at regular intervals around the edge.

Serve with pitta bread.

Mezze recipes from the Observer