Mezze Sharing Plate

Serves 2 (generously)

INGREDIENTS

8 mini sweet peppers

90g light soft cream cheese (I use Philadelphia)

Pitta breads

Green and Kalamata olives

2 pots of hummus (shop-bought is fine)

2 pickled cucumbers, sliced

4 fresh figs, quartered

Handful of red grapes

For the tabbouleh

4 cherry tomatoes, diced

2 spring onions, finely chopped

¼ cucumber, diced

Small bunch of fresh parsley,

finely chopped

6-8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g medium-ground bulgur wheat

2 tsp olive oil

Pinch of salt

METHOD

1.First, prepare the fresh ingredients for the sharing plate. Cut the tops off the mini peppers and use a teaspoon to push the cream cheese into the cavities. Slice the pitta breads.

2.For the tabbouleh, place the cherry tomatoes, spring onions, cucumber and herbs in a bowl, then stir through the lime juice and extra virgin olive oil.

3.Place the bulgur wheat in a small saucepan with 100ml of water. Add the oil and salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over a low heat until tender (about 10 minutes). Let the bulgur stand (still covered) for a further 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and leave to cool.

4.Once cooled, add enough bulgur wheat to the tabbouleh mixture so that it’s present but doesn’t become the main ingredient. The idea is have a little bulgur with the salad, rather than a salad with the bulgur!

5.Place all the different components for the mezze on a large serving plate along with a big bowl of the tabbouleh. Arrange them in an appealing way and dive in!