Baby gem lettuce with charred eggplant yogurt, smacked cucumber, and shatta
This text and recipe is posted with permission from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. Photo credit: Jenny ZarinsFrom the authors:This works well either as a stand-alone starter or as part of a spread or side. It’s lovely with some hot smoked salmon or trout. “Smacked” cucumbers sounds a bit dramatic but, really, it’s just a way of bruising them to allow all the flavor to seep through to the flesh. Thanks to Ottolenghi chef Calvin Von Niebel for this salad.Playing around: Some crumbled feta on top works very well, and if you don’t have the Urfa chile flakes, just use a pinch of black nigella seeds or some black sesame seeds.Getting ahead: Make all the elements well in advance, here, if you like; up to a day for the cucumber and eggplant yogurt. The shatta needs to be made in advance, so you’ll be all set there.
Source: Oaktown Spice Shop
Ingredients
- large eggplants, charred
- tablespoons Greek yogurt
- garlic clove, finely chopped
- tablespoons lemon juice
- tablespoons tahini
- teaspoon salt
- medium English cucumber, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, and watery seeds rem
- cups/25g parsley, roughly chopped
- cups/25g mint leaves, roughly chopped
- garlic clove, roughly chopped
- tablespoons olive oil
- teaspoon salt
- baby gem lettuces , bases trimmed
- Salt and black pepper
- tablespoons shatta or rose harissa
- teaspoon Urfa chile flakes