Alison Roman's mezze recipes
I will happily eat the artichokes all on their own, pierced with a tiny fork or toothpick, in between bites of creamy goat’s cheese or maybe very thin slices of cured meat. Customise the marinade with various herbs and alliums, adding more or less vinegar depending on your preference, but I would not advise skipping the lemon. Artichoke hearts can be marinated for up to 2 weeks ahead (without the herbs), sealed tightly and stored in the refrigerator.
Method
This is an edited extract from Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (Hardie Grant, £22)
Ingredients
For the artichoke hearts
For the goat's cheese
For the artichoke hearts
Step 1
Heat the olive oil, oregano sprigs, lemon slices and shallot in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the shallot and the lemon start
to sizzle and brown a bit, for 4-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the panStep 2
Place the artichoke hearts in a medium bowl and pour the olive oil mixture on top, followed by the white wine vinegar. Season again with salt and pepper, and leave it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Just before serving, transfer to a serving dish and scatter with the mint or parsley.
For the goat's cheese
Step 4
Toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat until golden brown and smelling like toasted sesame, for 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, chopped lemon, sumac and thyme, swirling to get everything submerged in the oil. Season with salt and pepper, and leave it to simmer gently for 1-2 minutes for maximum infusion. Remove from the heat and allow it to sit for another minute or two.
Step 5
Place the goat’s cheese in a small dish, glass jar or other container. Pour the olive-oil mixture over and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes, drizzling with more olive oil, as needed, to submerge the cheese slightly. (The oil is also part of the eating experience and should be spooned onto the cracker or toast as well.)
Step 6
To serve, finish with a bit more thyme and a sprinkling of sumac, and set out with crackers or slices of toast.
