Mediterranean Recipes

Nom. Nom. Nom.

Last week my boyfriend decided to try something different and cook some Mediterranean food for dinner. The resulting meal was delicious so I thought I'd share the recipes he used.

Zucchini Keftedes

Ingredients
1 1/3 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 cup panko (japanese breadcrumbs in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
Canola oil (for frying)
Plain whole-milk or reduced-fat Greek-style yogurt (for garnish)
Additional chopped fresh dill (for garnish)

Preparation

Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Pour enough canola oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add patties to skillet. Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels.
Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Skewered Rosemary Shrimp with Mint Pesto

Ingredients
Mint pesto
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons (packed) feta cheese
2 tablespoons (packed) Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Shrimp
24 large uncooked shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled, deveined, tails left intact
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
24 4-inch-long woody rosemary sprigs

Preparation

For mint pesto:
Combine first 7 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, process until mixture is smooth. Add mint leaves and lemon juice; process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Gradually add oil and process until mint pesto is smooth and creamy. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

For shrimp:
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Whisk oil, garlic, and parsley in medium bowl to blend. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Arrange shrimp in single layer on broiler pan. Broil until opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and toss with 1/2 cup mint pesto. Starting at base end of rosemary, skewer 1 shrimp on each sprig. Arrange on platter and serve.

Both recipes are from epicurious.com.