When it comes to teasing and appeasing the appetite, the Greeks are a cunning and frugal lot. What has more allure than a mix of vegetables, each with a different flavor? And why waste even a smattering of one? What completes a glass of wine more than a salty paste of fish roe? And why not glorify such a treasure of a sea catch?

Some of the most creative, tasty, and adored appetizers in Greek cuisine are purees or mixtures of vegetables, handsomely oiled and herbed, or smooth concoctions of seed or roe, resplendently emulsified. Greeks label them “salads”. We might call them spreads. The distinction makes little difference when delighting in them. They are eaten by the forkful or scooped upon bread, enjoyed with drinks among friends, among family, around the room and at the table.