Spicy Marinated Anchovies with Potato Chips by Alison Roman

little buddies

Anchovies are wildly misunderstood. Something about tinned fish makes a large percentage of people get squirmy. And I understand! Sometimes I’m still one of them. But the more I cook Alison’s way, the more I can attest to the distinctly salty power of an anchovy. Anchovies elevate. They transform tomato sauce, chicken, lamb, white beans, and yes, potato chips! 

At the beginning of this project, I put this recipe into the not-looking-forward-to-it category. But it’s slowly migrated to the alright-yea-alison-knows-what-she’s-doing category. Not full on literally-drooling-can’t-wait category, but getting there. Which is why I made about a fourth of the recipe portion – I wasn’t sure how this would be received. 

I opened a tin of anchovies and reserved a few for this appetizer (the others went to the Tomato Dressed in Toasted Fennel and Anchovy recipe – post forthcoming). I covered the little guys in distilled white vinegar and very thinly sliced serrano pepper. The recipe calls for calabrian chiles, but I could not find that pepper variety for the life of me. The anchovies marinated for about an hour before Jordan and my in-laws all dared to try one with me. 

The serrano peppers packed quite the heat, but boy was it an exciting bite. I served the fish with toothpicks and TJ’s potato chips. If it weren’t for this project, I’d never have tried something like it. But once again, I’m so glad I did.

85 recipes cooked, 140 to go.

Crispy Haloumi with Honey and Pistachio by Alison Roman

Crispy what? Crispy haloumi! Haloumi isn’t a common ingredient, and I’m met with some blank stares when I say the word. So for those of you who need it, allow me to introduce you to my friend and co-conspirator, haloumi. (He says hi.) 

Haloumi is a semi-hard, unripened cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled. Haloumi is especially common in Greek cuisine. It is typically sliced into ½-inch “steaks,” which can be seared on medium-high heat on a skillet or grill pan. The cheese will not melt! Instead, it’s surface gets a nice brown color, like a fried cheese steak. About 4 minutes on each side, though the second side might brown a little faster. 

It comes in a tight plastic package that has a small amount of brine encasing the block of cheese. I found my haloumi at Trader Joes. The block was 8.8 oz, and rather small, so it required some “Where’s Waldo” skills to find in the midst of the very crowded cheese section. 

Haloumi is quite salty. Which is why its pairing with drizzled honey and toasted nuts is a brilliant combination. The entire plate was gone in mere minutes. I served it on its own (no crackers required), and right off the pan. Let the cheese cool too much, and it loses some of its magic. 

In fact, I waited until my guests arrived to start frying it so they could watch me prepare them, which built the sense of enthusiasm and anticipation. I toasted and chopped my pistachios ahead of time so they were ready to go. This was such a simple, easy appetizer, that I will be making this many more times in the future. 

82 recipes cooked, 143 to go.

Garlicky Beet Dip with Walnuts by Alison Roman

Hot take: You have to really love beets, deep in your heart and without reservation, to also love, or even kind of like, this dip. The beet’s presence is as strong and consistent as your heart’s beat. It’s the first thing you taste, and the very last thing your mouth remembers. Yes, garlic and toasted walnuts and labne (or in my case, goat’s milk yogurt) have things to say. Their distinct flavors all have brief moments in the spotlight. But this is really a beet-centric dip, 2 cups of it to be exact. 

I made this dip, planning to take it to a friend’s home as an appetizer option. However, that friend wasn’t feeling well and cancelled an hour before we were to arrive for dinner. I was suddenly stuck with a giant bowl of this beet dip and a husband who, for lack of a better term, hates beets. He took one inquisitive bite and said, “that’s terrible.” Now to be fair, if you like beets, this dip isn’t terrible. I, for one, really enjoy roasted beets. But I have to concede that even I couldn’t have too much of this without feeling overwhelmed (beetwhelmed?). A full bite of pureed beets, even when interrupted by a cracker, is a lot to handle. 

We ended up rescheduling the dinner with friends a few nights later. The beet dip still sat largely untouched in my fridge. But sadly, I just couldn’t get myself to bring it with me. There the dip sat for about 5 days. Every time I opened the fridge door, I tried to avert my gaze as conflicting feelings of duty and aversion rose to the surface. I didn’t want to violate my standards for not wasting food. But I couldn’t get myself to eat it either. I don’t at all like to admit this, but I did end up tossing most of it in the trash. This is probably my least favorite dish so far. 

But again, if you’re an ardent beet lover, then you should give this a try. 

77 recipes cooked, 148 to go.

Labne with Sizzled Scallions and Chile (Almost Ranch) by Alison Roman

There’s a reason Alison’s friends call this “The Dip,” and why it’s the first recipe in nothing fancy. It’s fantastic. It’s creamy, spicy, and tangy. I served it as a dip with carrots, radishes, and almond crackers, and as a salad dressing. I savored every last drop. 

To make it, you just need about 20 minutes of time and some organic green garlic on hand. Which means this is decidedly a late spring, early summertime appetizer. Perfect for those early days of summer when the sun is finally setting later and the deck is once again warm enough for a dinner party. It’s for when you start craving chilled white wine instead of warm red. (Of course, yes, you can substitute scallions for green garlic and make it all year round. But letting this dish be seasonal adds a level of specialness to it all, I think.) 

Green garlic, you ask? Right, I hadn’t heard of it either. I knew about bulbed garlic, but I’d never seen green garlic. At least, I didn’t think I had. Towards the beginning of April, I noticed a small bin of what looked like extra long scallions appeared at Whole Foods. Their long fronds mimicked that of leeks, but they were thinner in size. I did some investigating, and sure enough, it was filled with bunches of green garlic. This recipe requires using the light green and white parts of it, just like a scallion. The thinly sliced garlic, though still potent, gave a more muted punch than would grated white garlic. 

The bits of green garlic are simmered in olive oil along with cilantro and red pepper flakes. Alison says to do this until everything begins to “sizzle and frizzle” and the oil turns a “fiery orange.” To keep anything from burning, the pot is set over medium-low heat. For me, the sizzle-and-frizzle began about 5 minutes in, but the fiery orange never did. I let it all sizzle for 15 or so minutes, but the oil remained a golden yellow. My only hypothesis is that my pepper flakes were not potent or quality enough? But I’m open to other theories. 

Once the oily mixture cools slightly, it’s swirled into a bowl of labne or yogurt and lemon juice, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and more fresh cilantro. (I used goat’s milk yogurt due to my stomach’s vendetta against cow’s milk.)

This one was a hit with the entire family.  

71 recipes cooked, 154 to go.

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.