Mezze Platter, fermented and pickled goodies.
Mezze,is a platter of assorted home ferments, pickles, freshly cut tomato, cucumber and perhaps marinated feta, fresh herbs and lavosh. Mezze is served while guests nibble and chat with a drink.
To offer your oldest ferment is showing your highest regard to your guest/s in our culture.
Childhood memories of Persian rugs rolled out at my Aunty's home in Ryde, family members took their comfort, simple platters of mezze which always included homemade white cheese ( feta ), homegrown assorted herbs and freshly cut assorted melons which filled the air with their distinct sweet aroma. It really is a simple tasks of putting together what you have in your pantry or fridge.
My father makes his own vinegar which he then pickles a variety of vegetables. I do make apple cider vinegar as well as assorted fermented products.
Some of the selection I chose to make a platter of were, left to right Garlic fermented in Raw Local Honey ( method below ), Mixed Assorted Vegetables & Dill in Brine ( Cauliflower, Carrots, Cabbage, Celery ), Spice Pickled Whole Cherries, Pickled Baby Onions, Sun Ripened Fermented Whole Garlic, Marinated Feta in Lemon Zest, Garlic Slices, Fresh Tarragon and Olive Oil
Over time I have made and filled our fridge with a wide selection of preserved seasonal goodness.
The liquid from these goodies is kept to make salad dressing.
The Sun Fermented Garlic is combination of my father's recipe as well as my maternal grandmother. Living here in the Gold Coast the long sun filled days mature the jars of garlic outside.
My mother taught me how to pickle Pig Weed or Purslane. We love this ferment with a Rice dish called Gurmir Pilaf, translates from Armenian to Red Rice.
And just like my childhood memories, the tradition continues. Garlic won the tastebuds of our guests followed by marinated feta.
There is no real recipe to fermented garlic in raw honey. It is simply a matter of peeling garlic cloves, placing them in sterilised glass jars, pour raw honey to cover. Then every other day open the lid to 'burp' the gases.
You will need:
Garlic bulbs peeled
Raw honey, local better
Glass jars with lids, all sterilised
I made these last year for gifts which my family use. I have a personal stash as well.
Using the honey liquid with apple cider vinegar and olive oil makes the perfect salad dressing.
Maria
ps to this day Matthew tells the story his first family dinner at my home. My father Matt his 15 year old garlic.
