Labneb Chicken Kebobs with Harissa Chickpeas Recipe
Chickpeas and Greek yogurt for the win
Recipes from a region that’s famous for exotic yet accessible flavors
Menu curated by Meredith Ouzounian / Photography by Jon Whittle / Food purveyed by Second City Prime Steak and Seafood, Melissa’s Produce, and New York Shuk
Sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Big Green Egg.
Chickpeas and Greek yogurt for the win
The key: bone-in veal chops
Rich marbling highlights a unique cut
Tender clams, white wine and fennel highlight this one
Rabbit is another common element in many Mediterranean dishes
A tasty recipe using a red wine and chili marinade
Grilled veggies and homemade dips, ready to party
Langoustines pair nicely with the butter and gremolata
Utilizing European seabass in a unique preparation
A terrific combination of flavors
A delicious turmeric-based cocktail
Charred lemons amp up the flavor profile
A timeless classic
An updated take on a classic cocktail
An updated spritz that’s perfect for summer
A puree of muscat grapes is the key here
Hard to go wrong with this lucky libation
This one is well worth the time invested
An easy-to-prepare cocktail that goes well with any fish dish
A simple but delicious cocktail
Ah, the Med: the Great Sea. The White Sea. The Internal Sea. The Middle Sea. What a wonderful place to dream about. Most thoughts about the Mediterranean invoke unyielding gifts of beauty: the lush but rugged coastline of Italy’s island of Capri, the white cubical houses teetering on the cliffs of Santorini in Greece, or even the famous castle fortress that sits on the highest ground of Peñiscola, Spain’s historical quarter.
Now imagine yourself dining alfresco at some quaint cafe in the Old Town District—Le Suquet—of Cannes, France, waiting for le serveur to set something you’ve never eaten before in front of you. Somehow knowing it’ll be delicious, you take in the views as the sun sinks behind you. It’s an especially precocious vision and one that tends to linger, thankfully, much like the scent of the wildflowers and herbs that drift offshore with the trade winds.
While such descriptive writings of travel editors can make your innermost dreams even dreamier, momentous places such as these are stuck somewhere between antiquity and the modern age. They are no doubt some of the most vacay-worthy on Earth, but what makes the Med a veritable culinary playground is that its cuisine is born of climatic perfection—one that has been fused, copied and revered around the world many times over. And deservedly so.
As introspective as the Mediterranean region is, we naturally decided on it for inspiration in this year’s edition of The Catch. To help us further your interest in the unique flavors you’d likely find along these bountiful shorelines, we enlisted chef Meredith Ouzounian’s talents to create and bring to life the recipes found on this page. It is one of the most Med-esque menus we’ve sampled along the 40th parallel, and each dish can be easily reproduced at home.
So, if this has you on hold for the next available travel agent, then good for you. But if you prefer to sample the table fare ahead of time, then you’re also in luck, thanks to Ouzounian, the Big Green Egg, Second City Prime Steak and Seafood, Melissa’s Produce, and New York Shuk.
By the way, I’m always open for an invitation, if you’re so inclined. I’ll bring the Tito’s. —Capt Jen Copeland
During the early days, Tito’s Handmade Vodka founder and master distiller, Tito Beveridge, was approached by a local Austin nonprofit, asking if he would donate a few cases of vodka for a fundraising event. He agreed, and showed up with several cases in tow, simply requesting: “If you like it, tell 20 of your closest friends.” And they did.
Sure, the organizers and attendees talked about how much they liked the vodka, but they also spread the word about Tito’s support for their event and their organization’s mission. One friend told another, and then another, until the phone was ringing with similar requests. And just like that, philanthropy became part of the Tito’s Handmade Vodka business model.
Over the years, this small, localized gesture has evolved into a nationwide movement, creating the mantra “Love, Tito’s”—a salutation used every time a member of the Tito’s Team reaches out to extend a hand, to make a difference, or to say, “Thank you for inviting us to help the cause.”
Friends. Family. Fire. Since the beginning of time, cooking with fire has always been the catalyst for connecting with others. From the alluring scent of smoke to the crackle of the coals igniting, there is something to be said about the primal joys of preparing food over flames and its ability to draw people together.
It’s a natural way to put aside the demands of modern-day life and relinquish the technology that drives us to stay on our phones. Take that call tomorrow; no emails or texts today, please. We all need to slow down and be present in the moment. The solution comes in a green egg-shaped ceramic package, with a promise to reconnect you with what’s important in your life.
Big Green Egg—three words that will transform the way you cook and gather. In 1974, founder Ed Fisher took a leap of faith and began modernizing the ancient Asian kamado into what is now known as the Big Green Egg. With persistence, hard work and creativity, this incredible product has changed how people around the world cook with live fire. No apps, no distractions—just you and the flame working together to create fresh, delicious food. Cooking with all-natural lump charcoal offers three-dimensional flavors and a sense of accomplishment that you won’t find when cooking with gas or electricity.
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