Recipe: Persian-style herb and cheese platter

Total time: About 30 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: Adapted from “The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook” by Amelia Saltsman. “Coleman Family Farm in Carpinteria and Rutiz Farms in Arroyo Grande specialize in Persian herbs, including cool mint (na’nah), sweet tarragon (tarkhoun), spicy pepper cress (shahee) and pungent leek-chive (tareh),” Saltsman writes.

1 bunch each Persian or regular mint, tarragon, Persian leek-chive, pepper cress and/or cilantro

1 pound feta cheese

1/2 pound halvah (optional)

8 pita, 2 large flatbreads or 1 large lahvosh

1 bunch radishes, sliced

1 bunch small spring or green onions, white part only, halved or quartered lengthwise

1. Rinse and dry the herbs up to 6 hours ahead, wrap in paper towels, refrigerate.

2. Snip the herbs into large sprigs or individual leaves, discarding tough stems.

3. Cut the cheese and halvah into one-fourth-inch-thick slices and tear the bread into serving-size pieces.

4. Arrange the herbs, radishes, onions, cheese, halvah and bread on a platter. To eat, place a slice of cheese, several herb sprigs, a radish slice or two, some onion and halvah onto a piece of bread.

Each of 8 servings: 345 calories; 16 grams protein; 41 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 13 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 51 mg. cholesterol; 971 mg. sodium.