Rhubarb 3 Ways on Sumac-Za’atar Lavash

Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachios in a single layer. Toast, stirring often, until light brown and aromatic, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cool. Chop. Reserve.

For the lavash, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, fine sea salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center. Add the olive oil and filtered water. Mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 1 to 2 minutes. It should feel pliable, not sticky. If necessary, adjust the consistency with more flour or water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Cover with a damp towel and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a parchment-lined sheet pan with the olive oil.

Divide the rested dough into 4 to 6 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece as thin as you can, almost translucent. You should nearly be able to see your hand through it. Aim for sheets roughly 6 by 8 inches.

Brush the sheets very lightly with water. Sprinkle generously and evenly with the za'atar, sumac, and flaky salt, then press gently with your fingers to set the toppings into the dough.

Cut the sheets into rough shards, about 2 by 4 inches. Transfer to the prepared pan, leaving a little space between pieces.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and snapping-crisp at the edges, 8 to 12 minutes. (If pulled too early, the centers stay soft; too late, and the seeds scorch.) Cool completely on a rack (the shards will finish crisping.) Break them into manageable pieces so guests can eat without lifting a whole flatbread.

To plate, fan 3 to 4 lavash shards across each plate, slightly overlapping, as a textural base. Pipe 2 to 3 Boursin labneh rosettes directly onto the shards, spacing them across the plate. Vary the placement so the piping reads as intentional.

Lay 2 to 3 sekanjabin-glazed rhubarb batons across the composition, resting on the lavash and rosettes so the plate looks layered rather than lined up. Spoon a small cluster of rhubarb caviar, about 1 to 2 teaspoons, over and around the batons. Drain it just before plating so the bright magenta beads stay distinct.

Add 1-3 rhubarb chips at random for another textural component.

Drizzle a thin, glossy thread of the reduced sekanjabin syrup across the plate, letting it run past the composition for visual reach.

Scatter the toasted pistachios in small clusters rather than evenly, crack fresh pink peppercorns over the top, and tuck in the small mint leaves. Serve immediately, while the lavash and chips are still crisp.

Heat oven to 400°F.

Cut the rhubarb into fat matchsticks, about 2 inches long. Arrange them in a single, snug layer in a small baking dish. Reserve.

In a small saucepan, place the filtered water, red wine vinegar, honey, sugar, mint, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce by about half until the liquid is lightly syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. (It will be a pale amber from the honey; the rhubarb tints it ruby as it roasts.)

Pour the warm sekanjabin over the rhubarb. Cover loosely with foil. Roast in the preheated oven until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape, 12 to 15 minutes. A paring knife should slide into the thickest baton with no resistance, but the baton should not collapse. Start checking at 10 minutes, since overcooked rhubarb falls apart quickly.

Carefully transfer the rhubarb with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Pour the remaining liquid back into the saucepan. Reduce over medium heat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Discard the mint. Reserve this syrup for drizzling.

In a large, heatproof bowl, place the diced rhubarb and ground sumac. Toss to coat. The raw rhubarb will begin to blush a soft pink. Reserve.

In a small saucepan, place the red wine vinegar, filtered water, honey, and sugar. Bring it to a full boil over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Pour the hot liquid over the sumac-coated rhubarb, pressing gently with a fork to submerge the pieces. Let it stand at room temperature until the rhubarb softens slightly while keeping a pleasant bite and the color deepens to a vivid magenta, 30 to 60 minutes.

Just before plating, drain through a fine-mesh sieve.

Preheat oven to its lowest setting (usually 170 to 200°F). Line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicon mat.

On a mandolin, slice the rhubarb as thin as possible, on a sharp diagonal. The diagonal gives longer, petal-like slices, and the thinner the slice, the faster and more evenly it dries.

Lay the slices flat on the parchment in a single layer with no overlap. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the slices.

Bake in the preheated oven until the chips are a translucent ruby color, completely dry, and shatter-crisp to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool completely in a single layer on a wire rack (They will crisp further.) Hold in a single layer until plating.

Bring the cheese to cool room temperature. In a medium bowl, place the cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of flaky salt. Whisk vigorously until the cheese is light, fluffy, and spreadable, 1 to 2 minutes. It should look like a soft buttercream that holds the trace of a spoon. (Do not over-whip as it can turn it grainy if worked too hard. If that happens, fold in another teaspoon of Greek yogurt to bring it back.)

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium-to-large star tip. Hold at cool room temperature until plating, no more than 30 minutes.