Spicy Tomato Marinated Feta by Alison Roman

Admittedly, I’m more of a “Martha” than a “Mary,” to invoke a biblical reference. Like Martha, I’m a task-oriented person who appreciates always having a clear “purpose.” I feel most clear-minded and confident when I’m “accomplishing” something. Opposite Mary, sitting still is hard for me, as is just being. Though sometimes, I do feel a small inward tug to stay in my seat and dwell with whoever else is in the room. Every time I choose to lean into that inclination, I am much the better for it. 

Last night, as I prepared the feta dish, I felt that wordless tug… “enjoy this with your friends, Annie… the rest of dinner can wait.” So I gave in. 

The four of us lounged on our city-facing balcony, sharing life updates and a plate of marinated cheese with almond crackers and cold white wine. Sam and Madeline are the sort of friends that make me want to take off my apron and savor their company, instead of standing over the oven until dinner. 

This appetizer made my choice to relax all the easier. A half cup of olive oil is heated over medium heat. Two thinly sliced garlic cloves spend the first few minutes in the sizzling oil to turn a light golden yellow. Then tomatoes are added to warm through and begin falling apart. Alison specifies using either 1 large ripe tomato, or two smaller ones. However, I had a box of tiny red vine tomatoes already on hand, which worked just as well. I halved them before tossing them into the pan. After about five minutes, two tablespoons of harissa paste are stirred into the pan to form a loose sauce. Several minutes later, the pan is removed from heat and a tablespoon of white vinegar, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, finish it off. 

The spicy tomato mixture is poured over a thinly sliced block of feta cheese. I let it sit about 20 minutes and then our friends arrived. It was a (small-sized) crowd pleaser; there were no leftovers. I’ll be making, and enjoying this one relaxedly, all summer long. 

68 recipes cooked, 157 to go.

Frizzled Chickpeas with Onions and Feta by Alison Roman

They’re not sizzled. They’re not fried. They’re frizzled. And they’re delicious. 

There are so many recipes for crispy chickpeas in the world. Even Alison has more than one. Most of them use oven roasting as the crisping method. A few use the pan fry. But Alison has declared, with reasonable assurance, that the way to cook chickpeas is the frizzle. (And all the Magic School Bus fans say, AMEN.) A cooking method of frying chickpeas in sizzling oil. 

The best feature of this dish--the crispiness of the chickpeas-- is only rivaled by the crispiness of the sliced red onion. Who doesn’t love crispy onions? 

The process is straightforward. A half cup of olive oil (yes, you need that much) is heated over medium-hight in a large skillet. First the onions and garlic get sizzly and soft, before the sprigs of fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and two cans of chickpeas join the party. The frizzle method still takes a bit of time. I probably left them on the skillet for at least 15 minutes, shaking frequently so they didn’t burn. The final touch is my favorite dairy topping, feta cheese. 

I’ve made this dish twice now, once with Alison’s One-Pot Chicken with Lemon and Dates and the other time with Alison’s Skillet Chicken with Olives and Sumac. It’s a reliable side that would go well with pretty much anything. And I usually have the ingredients on hand, so it’s an easy fix if I need one more piece to a meal. I also think it would make a lovely snack.

38 recipes cooked, 187 to go.

Raw and Roasted Carrots and Fennel with Feta and Pistachios by Alison Roman

I’m not the kind of person who can casually snack on carrots without a dip. Something about a mouthful of raw carrot makes me contemplate gagging. I have to actively fight that reflux, and search for a glass of water

I don’t remember when I first had a roasted carrot, but I know it was a game changing experience. I’ve been known to roast a whole bag of carrots for lunch and eat any leftovers for dinner. Something about the softened, charred texture of a roasted carrot, with oily spices soaked into the carrot’s flesh. Sometimes I sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over them, or some lime juice. 

The genius of this admittedly simple recipe is carrots in TWO ways. Roasted, warm, tender carrots with ribbons of their raw selves - fresh and crunchy. Feta, cilantro, and lemon juice tie this all together. Oh, and scallions two ways, too. Some raw and sliced, and a few roasted with the carrots. It’s really that uncomplicated. 

The recipe calls for a fennel bulb to be roasted along with the carrots. I planned to do this, but when I reached for my fennel, I found that it had gone rancid. So I skipped the fennel, and actually didn’t miss it. Pistachios are also called for here, but I didn’t feel like shelling out for more nuts when I already have lots of perfectly good pepitas on hand. I toasted about a quarter cup of pepitas in a skillet to top this dish. It added just enough nutty crunch to contrast the brighter crunch of the raw carrots.  

This dish will go well with most anything, and it’s season agnostic. So go on, get yourself a bag of carrots and eat them two ways!

35 recipes cooked, 190 to go.