Liebe Mezze
Lebanese “Lovers” Mezze
Long time readers will know we have a deep—some might say pathological—obsession with eating with our hands…It’s primal. It’s sensual. It makes the world feel a little less serious. Which is why, this Valentine’s Day, we’ve put together one of the most hands-on spreads in all of cookery—Lebanese “Mezze”—an endless parade of dips, salads, and cozy meats meant to be dunked, scooped, and otherwise fondled in friendly (or more tender) company. The best part? We’ve painstakingly optimized this recipe to be EASY. You can swap any of our homemade ingredients with store-bought ones to keep stress levels low—and leave more time for long periods of sustained eye-contact.

NOTE: We used Meaty Meat: Lamb-ish for this, as it’s more traditional, but you can also use our Thick-Cut Filet of Whole-Cut Loin as the centerpiece.

JUST THE TIPS:
1. Spread a blanket on the floor or a table cloth on your coffee table. Surround it with pillows. This is your stage.
2. Light a few candles and play some sexy music (even for platonic gatherings, sexiness is non-negotiable). I recommend a little Daniel Caesar or Sade, for the real ones. 
3. Embark on a romantic (and silky, crunchy, zesty, herbaceous) sojourn with your loved one
4. Leave the dishes for the morning.

Ingredients

Lamby Chunks on Hummus
2 Meaty Meat Lamb
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumi
1 tsp ground coriander 
1 tsp garlic powder 
Olive oil to drizzle on top 
Fresh herbs to decorate 

1 can of chickpeas
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp tahini 
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
100 ml cold water

Lemony Olives
200 g mixed olives
3 tsp olive oil
4 strips of lemon peel
1 tsp herbs or spices of your choice (fennel seed, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes or smoked paprika work great)

Yogurt with Harissa oil 
250 g thick plant based yogurt of your choice (greek or labneh work great) 
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
½  tsp salt 
2 tbsp lemon juice 
Zest of ½ lemon 

50 ml Olive oil
3 tsp harissa 
1 tsp sesame seeds
Optional: 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander stalks (if you have fresh coriander this is a great way to use up stalks)

Roasted Eggplant with Herby Lentils and Pomegranate 
1 eggplants
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp cracked pepper 
½ tsp garlic powder 

1 can of lentils
A bunch of fresh herbs (coriander, mint, parsley), around 5 tbsp when finely chopped 
2 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp Olive oil 
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Hibiscus poached Pears with Yogurt 
1-2 pears (the hard ones) 
400 ml water 
50 ml orange juice 
80 g white sugar 
3 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers or 3 hibiscus tea teabags 
1 cardamom pod
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
3 strips of orange peel 
2-3 tbsp thick plant based yogurt
Chopped pistachio to serve
Orange zest to serve 

Extras
Pita Bread 
Pickles 
Salad of your choice 

60-80 MIN / SERVES 2
preparation

Lamb Chunks on Hummus
1. To make the hummus, add drained and rinsed chickpeas, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, and 100 ml cold water into a blender or food processor.
2. Blend until smooth. If your blender/food processor is struggling, add more cold water to facilitate blending. Don’t forget to scrape the sides, ensuring all the chickpeas are blended. 
3 Transfer to a Tupperware container and place in the fridge.
4 To prepare the lamb chunks, chop 2 Meaty Meat pieces into chunks (slice them in half heightwise, then cut each half into 2-3 cm chunks). 
5. Season with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garlic powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
6. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the Meaty Meat chunks.
7. Cook for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat, turning the chunks occasionally to ensure even browning. When done, remove from the heat.
8. To serve, spread the hummus on a plate and top with Meaty Meat chunks, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh herbs.

Warm Lemony Olives
1. Drain 200 g of olives of your choice and add them to a pot with 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 strips of lemon peel, and 1 tbsp herbs/spices of your choice.
2. Mix well and heat on the stove for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. 
3. Remove from heat and let the olives marinate while you prepare the rest. If desired, you can quickly warm them before serving.

Yogurt and Harissa Dip
1. In a bowl, mix together 250 g yogurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and the zest of ½ a lemon. Cover and transfer to the fridge.
2. To make the harissa oil, add 50 ml olive oil, 3 tsp harissa, 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander stalks, and 1 tsp sesame seeds to a pan.
3. Heat over medium heat and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. 
When ready, remove from heat and let cool.
4. To serve, spread yogurt on a plate and spoon harissa oil on top.

Herby Eggplant and Lentil Salad
1. Slice the eggplant into 1 cm thick slices. Season with ¾ tsp salt and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Squeeze the eggplant slices to remove excess liquid.
3. Season with 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp cracked black pepper.
4. Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. While the eggplant is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Finely chop your herbs of choice and drain and rinse the lentils. 
6. Mix together lentils and herbs and season with 2 tbsp lemon juice, the zest of ½ a lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
7. When the eggplant is done cooking, remove it from the oven. You can serve it hot or cold.
8. Spoon the herby lentils on a plate, add roasted eggplant and top with pomegranate seeds.

Hibiscus Poached Pears with Yogurt and Pistachios
1. Peel 1-2 pears, slice them in half, and remove the seeds using a teaspoon.
2. Place the pears into a pot with 400 ml water, 50 ml orange juice, 80 g white sugar, 3 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers or 3 hibiscus tea bags, 1 cardamom pod, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, and 3 strips of orange peel.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid.
5. Strain the liquid and return it to the pot.
6. Place the pot back on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook for around 15 minutes to reduce the liquid by ¾. You will end up with a thick syrup to drizzle over the pears.
7. To serve, spoon thick yogurt onto a plate or into a bowl and top with the poached pear. Drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with chopped pistachios and orange zest.