Middle East Inflected “Salad” of Feta and Almond Stuffed Tomatoes

This is one of those salads similar to the Moroccan type, where there is no lettuce, the dish can be served to start a meal or as a side, or can make part of a light supper with a little soup and a more traditional salad of lettuces. Next time you are out for Chinese or Japanese food and they have the better quality bamboo chopsticks that are almost pencil thick, ask for a set to use for dishes like this, where you need to slice down without cutting all the way through something.

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 medium tomatoes, cored

½ cup heaping feta cheese (not too salty), crumbled fairly finely

1/3^rd cup roasted almonds, chopped

Dressing:

3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, grated with a ginger grater or Microplane

1 scallion, trimmed and sliced finely

-Optional-1 teaspoon urfa biber*, or a pinch of not too incendiary chili powder, or teaspoon of minced fresh serrano (ripe if possible)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped finely

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

A very small pinch of allspice or clove

Salt and pepper to taste (go light on the salt as the feta will be salty)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3-4 tablespoons water, or as needed

METHOD:

Combine the feta and almonds in a non-reactive bowl.

In a non-reactive bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. Whisk well and allow to rest 5 minutes. Add the scallion, herbs, spice, and chili or urfa biber if using. Gently stir to combine.

Add the olive oil and stir in. Add water as needed to make a fairly loose “dressing”. Pour half the dressing onto the feta and almond mixture and gently fold together to combine.

Put a tomato on a cutting board, then place a chopstick on either side of a tomato on the cutting board. Now, cut perpendicular to the chopsticks straight down until you come to the chopstick, at which point you make the next cut. Make each cut ¼-inch apart. When they cuts are done, use a small spoon to load a little of the feta almond mixture into the cuts until all the slots have some. If there is leftover feta and almonds, tuck a little more into the slices and reserve the rest for the end.

Spoon the sauce over the stuffed tomatoes, scatter with any leftover cheese and nut stuff, and serve cool or room temperature.

Chef’s Notes: *Urfa Biber is a Turkish pepper that has a lovely rich flavor and aroma. Berry fruit, pipe tobacco, chocolate, and smoke are all descriptors for this powder. It has a little heat to it, but sweetness as well. It is a damp-ish powder in a lovely deep purply brick hue that invites experimentation. Look for it in spice shops and gourmet stores.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen