Moroccan Mezze

Mez•zé n.(meh-ZAY)
1."something to whet the appetite" 2. the pleasure of savoring little bites

Our friends, Bob and Dottie, are coming tonight for wine and appetizers. I met Dolly on a Unity Women's Retreat and Doug and Bob found they are both home based investors. We are looking forward to getting to know them better, already having learned they see spirituality, politics and economics similarly.

I spent the morning practicing my belly dancing drills. This inspired a Moroccan menu. We'll be poolside. San Antonio is enjoying marvelous evenings and the garden loves the cooler weather, rewarding us with bright blooms.

I made from scratch Ina Garten's Hummus , adding 1 cup thawed artichokes to it this time. I have pita chips, feta and mixed olives to serve with the hummus and vegetables. We will be pouring a Greek Zinfadel, Castello Monaci's Piluna Primitivo. Arabic Groove is cued in the media center.

Peace be upon us.

Roasted Vegetables in Charmoula

1 Asian eggplant, cut into chunks, salted to release water
1 Zucchini, cut into chunks
1 Red bell pepper, chopped bite size
1 Red onion, chopped bite size

Charmoula
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tea cumin powder
1/4 tea smoke paprika
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 c olive oil
1 lemon juiced
1/4 c cilantro minced
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the charmoula, a marinade customarily used for fish, ahead of time. Coat the vegetables with charmoula and let marinade for 30 minutes. Roast vegetables at 450 20 min or until soft. Serve warm or room temperature.