Healthy mezze plate

Kibbeh (top right) Makes: 10 balls Prep time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes 125g bulgur wheat 450g minced lamb 2 onions, finely chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tbsp olive oil 50g toasted pine nuts 1tsp allspice ¼tsp cumin Vegetable oil, for frying To make the outer shells for the kibbeh, soak the bulgur wheat in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain, then place on thick paper towel to absorb the excess liquid. In a medium bowl, combine half the lamb, half the onion and plenty of salt and pepper. Put this meat mixture and 50g of the bulgur wheat into a food processor and blend. You’ll have a pasty dough mixture, which you then tip into the remaining bulgur wheat. To make the filling for the kibbeh, heat the olive oil in a frying pan then sauté the rest of the onion. Add the pine nuts and remaining lamb, frying rapidly. Add the allspice and cumin, then season. Once the meat is brown, remove from the heat and cool. Take an egg-sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, add some meat filling, and pinch the top to seal. Repeat until all the mixture is used. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to 180°C. and cook the balls for 10 minutes, or until golden. Nutritional information: 190 calories 12g fat Halloumi with pomegranate (top left) Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes 1tbsp olive oil 1 packet halloumi, cut into 8 slices A little fresh lemon juice 1tbsp pomegranate molasses 2tbsp pomegranate seeds 1tbsp toasted pine nuts A few mint leaves Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the halloumi for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden, then place on a warm plate. To serve, drizzle with lemon juice and molasses, then top with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and mint. Nutritional information: 184 calories 14g fat Baba ganoush(bottom right) Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes 1 bulb garlic, stalk removed Olive oil 1 large aubergine Salt Juice of 1 lemon 1tbsp tahini 100ml Greek yoghurt 1tbsp fresh mint, chopped Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/gas mark 6. Place the garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Roast the garlic in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove and leave to cool until it feels comfortable for you to touch. Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves, and chop finely until they become a purée. Heat a griddle pan until it’s very hot. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, season with salt, then griddle the halves for 4 minutes, turning ccasionally, until charred and soft – the skin will remain firm, but the flesh will soften. Set aside to cool. Scoop out the aubergine flesh and chop until it becomes a thick pulp. Tip it into a bowl along with the garlic and mash with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice, tahini, Greek yoghurt and mint, then season. Top with olive oil, and serve with toasted pitta bread. Nutritional information: 55 calories 4g fat Recipes by Gizzi Erskine