Olijo – appetiser – dukkah and bread

For xmas instead of cards I bottled and labelled little containers of olive oil to give to friends and family. Some people have said “oh wow, thanks – what do I do now?” – well before you rub it all over your body and slide down the banister, I’ll be posting up some olive oil related recipes.

It’ll be a 4 course meal – but you can of course do what you like.

• White bread
• Dukkah
• Olive Oil

Starting easy - as an appetiser, its really easy to use olive oil. Go to a bakery and buy some bread, try and find somewhere that don’t just describe the bread as ‘white’, ‘wholegrain’ or ‘multigrain’. Find something a bit interesting – but in this instance keep it white and without anything backed into it (fruit, nuts, human fingers).
Just something dense and fresh, but not to crusty. (Lepinja is good)
Supermarket bread is ok, but only really works when its warm. Warm bread works when its eaten with meals not before – especially as an appetiser because when people are chatting the bread cools down becomes dry.

Buy some dukkah, which is a herb/ spice/ nut mix from the middle east. You may have to go to a continental or fine food shop. I like the ones with added chilli. If you can’t find one with chilli, the add some chilli powder yourself, but just a little – a half a pinch or so.

Ok, get your bread cut it up into two bite portions, make sure there is a crust. I’m a portion overlord, so I’d cut up 5 pieces of bread per person. Pour the olive oil into a couple of small dishes – saucers will work if you are desperate. Pour the dukkah onto some other plates and serve.

People dip the bread into the oil and then into the dukkah and eat.

In terms of drinks, I’m not some drink fascists that forces people to drink specific beverages with specific meals. But I would either drink a subtle beer; corana, mythos, moretti or light beer OR a really spicy shiraz to compliment the chilli. It depends, if it’s a snack then beer but if I’ve got a big meal coming then the shiraz (d’arenberg footbolt) because the chilli/shiraz will stimulate appetite (where the bread and beer combo will be quite filling).

Tommorrow - the Entrée