We’re really excited to be launching our series on Mediterranean-inspired entertaining, decor, and dining here on our Living Blog! And what better way to start it off than with a seafood BBQ party menu that is a feast for both the palate and the eyes, as only Mediterranean cuisine can be. The freshness, lightness, and surprising simplicity of each dish, dessert, and drink couldn’t be more perfect for summer at-home entertaining. So, as they say in Italian “Buon appetito!” and in Greek “Kalí óreksi!” Enjoy your meal!
A Mediterranean Seafood BBQ Meal: From Appetizers to Dessert
Wow your guests with a summer party spread featuring the distinct ingredients, herbs, and seasonings of the Aegean isles complementing your choice of grilled seafood. We guarantee you will want to host many more such gatherings this delicious!
Usher in the flavor feast to follow with these Mediterranean appetizer bites (1) from Pilsbury.com. These are mini phyllo shells filled with layers of plain Greek yogurt, olive tapenade, feta cheese, grape tomatoes, and basil leaves. Delightfully light and fresh!
With everyone’s palate prepped, now for the main entrees of healthy, flavorful seafood. We suggest Grilled Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Vegetable Kabobs (2) that we found via McCormick.com, and Citrus-Marinated Grilled Salmon with Tabbouleh Salad (3) from Whole Foods Market. The kabobs are a medley of large shrimp, mushrooms, onions, yellow squash, and zucchini perked up with a zesty lemon-pepper seasoning. While the grilled salmon is plated on a bed of bulgur wheat flavored with lemon, parsley, fresh chives, red onion, and fresh mint topped with sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber.
Complement these entrees perfectly with Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers (4), courtesy of a Betty Crocker recipe featuring a mix of ground turkey, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, chopped plum tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves in pasta sauce, spooned into blanched red or yellow bell peppers, then baked.
Another popular staple would be Greek Rice Pilaf with Leeks and Saffron (5). This recipe from Diane Kochilas is made with Greek glasé rice cooked in vegetable stock, then flavored with chopped leeks, fennel, garlic, black pepper, saffron, and grated Mediterranean sheep’s milk cheese stirred in just before serving.
To finish on a sweet note, you must treat guests to the famed Mediterranean dessert Baklava (6), a flaky pastry layered with walnut crunch, and drenched in a sweet honey, lemon, and clove syrup – in this version from Birch Tree Baking. Plus a perfect-for-summer surprise of Mediterranean-style ice cream (7), a super-thick, almost chewy creation from Lezzetli Ice Cream.
What drink to serve as a refreshing accompaniment to all these rich flavors? Why not this Mediterranean-style Mint Lemonade (8) we discovered thanks to Gunter Wilhelm? Looks so cool (literally)!
Next up in this series will be inspiration for styling your tablescapes with that distinctive Mediterranean magic. Watch out for it!
