6 hours ago
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Bitterness has long had an image problem: is it delicious or disgusting? Here’s another contradiction: though bitterness seems as if it should sit alongside hot, pungent flavours such as mustard and horseradish, in reality it cools more than it builds. In Ayurvedic cooking, for instance, bitter ingredients are valued for their ability to refresh and rebalance, and those are qualities that run through both of today’s dishes, from the elegant bitterness of tahini in the panzanella to the clean bite of grapefruit in the dipping sauce for the farinata.
Tahini panzanella (pictured top)
Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min, plus resting
Serves 2-4
500g large tomatoes, eg, beef, oxheart or monterosa
1 tsp flaky sea salt
½ small garlic clove
1 tbsp sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
½ tbsp capers, finely chopped, or nonpareilles, which are already petite enough
½ tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Basil leaves, to garnish
For the croutons
125g sourdough, crusts on, torn into rough pieces
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp flaky sea salt
For the tahini dressing
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Chop the tomatoes into haphazard, chunky pieces and put them in a colander set over a bowl. Toss with the flaky salt and leave to drain for 10–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, spread the bread pieces on a baking tray, toss with the olive oil and salt, then bake for 10 minutes, until golden. In a bowl, grate the garlic into the tablespoon of sherry vinegar, to help take the edge off.
Make the tahini dressing by whisking the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and salt, then gradually add about two tablespoons of ice-cold water until the mix is the consistency of double cream (the amount of water will depend on the thickness of the tahini).
Transfer the drained tomatoes to a serving bowl and stir in the pomegranate molasses, sliced red onion and capers. Add the sherry vinegar and garlic mix, and the croutons, and toss thoroughly. Stir through the tahini dressing, then leave for five to 10 minutes, so the croutons soften a little. Serve garnished with the toasted sesame seeds and basil leaves.
Curried corn farinata with grapefruit dipping sauce
Prep 10 min
Rest 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 3-4 as a light lunch
For the farinata
100g chickpea flour
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp garlic powder/granules
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
75g tinned sweetcorn, drained, or frozen and defrosted
3 spring onions, finely sliced
Mint leaves, to serve
For the grapefruit dipping sauce
4 tbsp fresh red grapefruit juice (from about 1 grapefruit)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped (seeds and all, if you like things spicy)
In a large jug, combine the chickpea flour, turmeric, garlic powder or granules and salt. Gradually whisk in 230ml cold water, ensuring there are no lumps, then leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 230C (210C fan)/450F/gas 8. Roughly crush the cumin and coriander seeds, until broken up but not fully ground.
Make the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Place a 20cm nonstick, ovenproof frying pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add three tablespoons of olive oil and leave to heat for a minute. Meanwhile, whisk the last tablespoon of oil into the batter.
Add the crushed spices to the pan, let them sizzle lightly in the oil for 30 seconds, then pour the batter into the centre – it should sizzle. Sprinkle over the corn and spring onions, then bake for 25 minutes, until golden and crisp around the edges. Remove, leave to sit for a minute, then turn out on to a board. Cut into wedges and serve at once with the dipping sauce and mint leaves.
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Alexina Anatole is the author of the Small Wins Substack and Sweet: the Secret to the Best Desserts, published by Square Peg at £27. To order a copy for £24.30, go to guardianbookshop.com.
