the Ouzo nights and picking on meze

What I miss more about Greece is the Ouzeris, ie. the small and tacky restaurants that serve the little plates of meze and get you carafs of wine or Ouzo and shot glasses. Ouzo is the national drink and it is also available in UK..in Asda. It is similar to Sambuca..so take it easy!

There are so many types of meze, a bit like the Spanish tapas, but I will guide you through my favourite ones :

Saganaki cheese

Take a few thick slices of graviera, dip each one in egg and then in bread crumbs. Meantime you heat up olive oil in a small pan. Put each slice of the 'battered' cheese in the pan, turn on the other side and take it out on a plate. Squeeze some lemon on it and serve immediatelly.


Prawns

Boil the prawns with the shells on. Not more than 5 mins. Take them out and start peeling them completely. Put the peeled off prawns on a plate and pour some olive oil and lemon. Add a pinch of salt.

Calamari

You can find fresh calamari in the fish markets here. I prefer the frozen ones as you can cut them in small rounds a lot easier. Put all the rounds in flour and throw them in heated oil in a large pan. Cook a few mins and take out and put on a plate. Again, as with many other mezes, squeeze lemon and a pinch of salt.

Meatballs

250g beef mince
1 onion grated
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
Fresh parsley cut up
A bit of fresh mint
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Start taking little pieces of the mixture and roll them into little balls. Roll them in flour and put all of them in a pan of medium heated olive oil. Cook and take them out on a plate. Pour some of the pan oil on them with a spoon. Squeeze lots of lemon on them and eat them ALL. Very tasty with homemade chips. And...

Tzatziki

1 tub of greek yoghurt
1 clove of grated garlic
1 cucumber grated with the skin on and squeezed with your hands to take all the water out of it.
A bit of lemon juice
A sprinkle of olive oil
Salt and pepper

Mix all of the above with a fork and serve in a liTtle bowl.


Feta meze

Cut a large piece of feta cheese and put on a plate. Sprinkle lots of olive oil on it. Add a couple of pinches of oregano.

The plates of meze are served as cooked and most of the time come on your table one at a time. At this point , I'd pass on the Ouzo and for me a large Heineken please! Yiamas!