Garlic Butter Shrimp & Creamy Eggplant Dip, A Turkish Meze Dinner

It’s hot and you want to eat light. Try Turkish mezes of garlicky butter shrimp, smoky eggplant dip, and a fresh vegetable salad. Meze consist of small portions of many dishes found not just in Turkey, but across most of the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

When the weather is warm, many evenings we like a lighter meal that is simple and quick to prepare. Taking inspiration from countries where summers are always hot, I decided to put together a meze dinner. Turkey is known for their mezes which are an assortment of small dishes, both hot and cold, eaten before a meal or for a meal. Olives, cheese, pickled and stuffed vegetables, bite size fried fritters, salads, dips and spreads along with assorted breads are commonplace and meant to be shared.

Garlic Butter Shrimp, Creamy Eggplant Dip, And Tomato, Cucumber, Olive And Feta With Pita Chips

I put together a flavorful meal of shrimp that were quickly sautéed in garlic butter and Urfa biber chili pepper, a variety that is sweeter and milder with an altogether different flavor than Italian crushed red pepper. It can be found at Mediterranean and Middle Eastern markets or ordered online.

I also fire roasted a whole eggplant on the grill so it got a rich, smoky flavor before mashing it with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices similar to Baba Ghanoush. There are many variations throughout the Middle East, where tahini or plain yogurt is added to this dip which is often referred to as a salad. In my version, I added a couple of spoons of thick Greek yogurt. The dip has a delicious complex smoky flavor from the eggplant and a tang from the Greek yogurt and garlic.

A refreshing salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese and toasted pita rounded out the meal. This was a meal that I can eat over and over again throughout the summer trying different small dishes each time.

Garlic Butter Shrimp (Tereyağlı Karides)

Recipe serves two, adjust accordingly

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 – 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. Urfa biber chili pepper, Allepo pepper or crushed red pepper*
• salt to taste
• 4 – 6 large peeled, deveined shrimp per person, depending on size
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, garnish

*Urfa biber (commonly referred to as Urfa pepper), is a Turkish chile pepper that’s distinctive for its dark burgundy color, irregularly sized flakes, and intriguing salty, smoky, sweet-sour flavor with a very pleasant heat.

Heat butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat until butter melts. Add garlic and pepper and sauté for a minute until garlic starts to change color, stirring constantly. Add the salt and shrimp and sauté at medium heat for 2 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink on the bottom. Turn shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes or until both sides are pink. Garnish with parsley when serving. 

Creamy Eggplant Dip (Yoğurtlu Patlıcan Salatasi)

Recipe serves two, adjust accordingly

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/4 c. Greek yogurt
• l garlic clove, minced
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 t. salt
• l t. pepper
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley for garnish

Heat the grill until it reaches 325 degrees F. Prick a few holes in the eggplant. This step is important, if skipped, the eggplant can explode.

Place the eggplant on the grill, close the lid and cook, turning often until it starts to collapse and the skin is charred all around. It can also be pricked and baked in a hot oven for about 45 minutes.

Fire Roasted Eggplant That Has Been Cut Open After Being Charred

Let rest until completely cool then slice the eggplant open and scrape the insides out with a spoon. Remove excess seeds, if you wish, for a better texture. Drain any juice that has accumulated and mash until smooth.  

Add all the remaining ingredients except parsley. (TIP: In most of my recipes that call for garlic and oil, I heat them together in the microwave for a few seconds to cook the garlic and infuse the oil. This takes away the sharp taste of raw garlic). Let sit or refrigerate for a while to let flavors mingle. Taste, adding more lemon or yogurt to suit your taste. Serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.

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When you feel like something tasty but you don’t want to spend a lot of time in a hot kitchen, think about a dish that requires minimal cooking and is refreshing. Middle Eastern small plates made with lots of fresh vegetables, grains, seafood and meats that can be quickly cooked on the stove or outdoor grill are perfect. The dishes I’ve share here along with other options such as kebabs, dolmas, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and fattoush make great summer meals when combined into a meze dinner.