Chef John Fraser, aka "The Silent Chef" on Youtube, is stopping by the TODAY kitchen to celebrate the release of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" with a big fat Greek feast! He shows off a classic mezze platter with hummus and smoky eggplant dip, country-style Greek salad with feta cheese, hearty and rich moussaka, and crispy, sweet, nutty baklava.
Eggplant dip and hummus are classic parts of a mezze spread. Mezze is reflective of Greek culture and a style of eating that is centered around sharing and conversation. The components are mostly vegetarian and stay on the table to accompany the rest the meal, or they can be a meal on their own, which is what makes mezze so great for entertaining.
This country-style salad is a seasonal take on the Greek salad. In addition to the mainstay Greek salad ingredients (olives, cucumber, tomato, onion and feta), this version adds peaches and peppers for a late summer rendition.
No Greek meal is complete without baklava. The sweet treat is made with layers of phyllo and a spiced nut mixture filling. Right when it comes out of the oven, it's then topped with honey, which creates the chewy texture everyone loves.
Moussaka is to Greeks what lasagna is to Italians. It’s essentially a Greek casserole with layers of roasted eggplant, tomato, cheese and potatoes. In our updated vegetarian version, we crown the dish with pommes Maxim. Traditional moussaka is one-dimensional in texture, and the pommes Maxim gives it a satisfying crunch.