Grazing boards of all sorts and shapes are my ultimate way of eating and entertaining. A yummy Mediterranean mezze board filled with pita bread, dips, fresh vegetables, falafel, and cheese is perfect for your next gathering. And this could not be easier to make!

Mediterranean Mezze Board

Mezze is a variety of small dishes or plates (similar to tapas) that can be served as an appetizer or as an entire meal. There is a wide range of mezze dishes.

I try and first narrow down too a theme – for example, is it Greek, Mediterranean, or Italian? Then I like to include a little bit of everything on my mezze platter that fits that theme. In this case, I was going for a Mediterranean theme so it had elements of Greek but also branched out with things like hummus and falafel. I like to pick a mix of heartier foods (meats or falafel), carbs (pita), fresh (veggies) and savory (cheeses, olives, antipasto).

MEZZE GRAZING BOARD

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes – the more colorful, the better!
2. Salted Radishes
3. Blanched Asparagus – blanching it makes it less acidic and a pretty shade of green
4. Baby Carrots – the tri-colored carrots make a nice presentation, too
5. Sliced Beets
6. Marinated feta
7. Falafel
8. Hummus (store bought or homemade)
9. Tabbouleh (store bought or homemade)
10. Tzatziki (store bought or homemade)
11. Dolmades (grape leaves)
12. Cornichons
13. Pearl Onions
14. Olive Mix – any kind, the more types, the better!
15. Marcona Almonds
16. Pita Wedges – lightly brushed with olive oil, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, and toasted

Preparation

Simply make your selections, and arrange any way you’d like! I always start with the things that need to be in bowls, arranging those first, and build out from there. I then add by color, keeping an eye on an even distribution of color as I spread things around. The smallest items, such as nuts, are the last things to go down.

Sometimes I drizzle a little bit of good olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt on top of everything. Because when are those things not welcomed?!

OTHER IDEAS

• Any kind of protein skewers – I didn’t do that here, but this takes this dish from an app to a meal! Grilled chicken, roasted lamb, or seared shrimp would all work well.

• Any other vegetables – Roasted broccoli florets, roasted eggplant, squash or zucchini, sliced peppers or cucumber would all be great additions to a board.

• Anything from the antipasto bar/aisle – I always skim the antipasto bar or aisle when shopping for these boards. Grabbing things like peppadew peppers, artichoke hearts, and additional olives or caperberries add nicely.

• Any other cheeses or meats – Sometimes I add marinated mozzarella balls or other firm cheeses. Proscuitto and salami work as well.

Bon Appétit!
xx—BB