Holiday

Sabzi Khordan (Fresh Herb Platter)

March 15, 2016
5
2 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4 to 6
What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt, such as Maldon salt, fleur de sel, or kosher salt
  • 2 bunches whole fresh herbs, in any combination: spearmint, basil, cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, dill, chives, marjoram
  • 1 bunch scallions, quartered crosswise, roots removed
  • 2 cups walnuts (see note below)
  • 6 radishes, trimmed and quartered
  • Lavash or other flatbread, to serve
Directions
  1. Drain the feta and place it in a medium bowl. Grind the spices coarsely, if desired. Heat a small skillet over high heat. Add the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds, and shake the pan continuously until the spices start to release their aroma, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and pour in the olive oil. Add a pinch of coarse salt. Swirl the spices in the oil and steep for a few minutes. Pour the mixture over the feta. You can even work it in with your hands, gently crumbling the feta, if desired.
  2. Wash and dry the herbs. Trim the stems, but leave them intact. Place the herbs on a large platter in a few fluffy piles. Place the walnuts on the platter, along with the radishes and lavash. Transfer the feta to the platter and garnish it with coarse salt.
  3. For a single serving, pick up a few stalks of herbs. Tear the flatbread into a manageable piece and stuff it with the herbs, walnuts, a small piece of cheese, and a radish or two. Fold and eat like a sandwich.
  4. Note: To remove bitterness from the walnuts, place them in a bowl, add boiling water to cover and a pinch of salt, and soak from 1 hour up to overnight. Before serving, drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Louisa Shafia
    Louisa Shafia
  • petalpusher
    petalpusher
My cookbook The New Persian Kitchen is a winner of Food52's Piglet award. I love cooking Iranian rice and hearing people crunch on the crispy tahdig from the bottom of the pot. I'm passionate about sharing the ingredients and techniques for making Persian food in my writing, cooking classes, and online store, Feast By Louisa where you can find my Persian Spice Set, Tahdig Kit, and other goodies.

6 Reviews

petalpusher March 14, 2017
This is such a nutritious and soul satisfying dish. Don't rinse the walnuts. We need the bitterness for our digestive process. If more folks had a few bitter foods in there diet, the antacid dealers would go out of business.
 
Louisa S. March 15, 2017
I love bitter foods too! But soaking walnuts is an old Iranian practice, and it makes the nuts more digestible. Tastier too.
 
petalpusher March 15, 2017
That's good to know, walnuts are nutrtious either way. Thank you, I will soak the nuts the next time I prepare this, as old practices in cooking are ones not to be skipped.
 
Louisa S. March 15, 2017
Yeah, the Iranians believe in food as medicine quite literally, all of the old cooking practices are very deliberate.
 
petalpusher March 15, 2017
Now that's my cup of tea. To your health Louisa!
 
Louisa S. March 15, 2017
Thanks, you too!