How delete recent contacts when composing a text?

[MrMars]

Used to be that an unwanted recent contact could be deleted from the “recents” by taping the app exclamation on the right. This option no longer appears. How can unwanted recents be removed?

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Unfortunately the only way to get rid of that is the method that was used before Apple made it easy. By restoring as new.

I'm still baffled as to why Apple removed that option.