Tag Archives: tahini

Middle Eastern roasted sprouts Jamie Oliver

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  • 500 g Brussels sprouts
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 small red onions
  • 1 bulb of fennel
  • olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 25 g hazelnuts
  • 200 g Greek yoghurt
  • 1 heaped teaspoon tahini
  • 1 small clove of garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 pinch of sumac
  • ½ a bunch of fresh coriander, dill and mint (20g)
  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil over a medium-high heat. Wash and trim the sprouts, then add to the pan and parboil for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside to dry.
  3. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Using a pestle and mortar, finely grind the toasted seeds with a pinch of sea salt.
  4. Tip most of the spice mix into a large roasting tray and toss in the sprouts.
  5. Peel and slice the onions, then trim and slice the fennel. Tip into the tray along with a glug of oil.
  6. Spread everything in an even layer – you may need two trays – and cook for 20 minutes, until tender and starting to caramelise.
  7. Meanwhile, return your frying pan to the heat and toast the sesame seeds and hazelnuts for 3 minutes, then grind up with the remaining spices, using a pestle and mortar.
  8. Combine the yoghurt with the tahini. Peel and crush the garlic and stir through, then finely grate in half the lemon zest and squeeze in half the juice (save the rest for another day).
  9. Taste the yoghurt and season well, then spread it evenly over the base of a large serving platter and sprinkle some sumac over the top.
  10. Sprinkle the ground nuts and seeds over the top.
  11. Pick and finely chop the herb leaves, discarding the stalks. Scatter the leaves across the plate, then serve.Spoon the sprout mix on top of the yoghurt mixture, scraping up the lovely crispy bits in the pan.

Smoky Eggplant Dip [Moutabbal] from smittenkitchen.com

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2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt, or to taste
6 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), well-stirred if a new container
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste, if desired
Pinch of cayenne or aleppo pepper
Pinch or two of ground cumin
2 tablespoons well-chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
Toasted sesame seeds or za’atar for garnish

Heat oven to 375°F. Brush a baking sheet or roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Prick eggplants a few times with a fork or tip of a knife. Over a gas flame, grill or under a broiler, evenly char the skin of your eggplants. I like mine quite smoky and like to leave no purple visible. Transfer to a cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, trim off stem and cut lengthwise. Place cut side down on prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until very, very tender when pressed. Let cool to room temperature.

In a blender or food processor: Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and into the work bowl. Add tahini, lemon, cayenne, cumin and 1 tablespoon parsley. Blend in short bursts (pulses) until combined but still coarsely chopped.

By hand: Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and onto a cutting board. Finely chop the eggplant, leaving some bits closer to pea-sized. In a bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon, cayenne, cumin and half the parsley. Add chopped eggplant and stir to combine.

Both methods: Taste and adjust ingredients if needed. I usually need more salt and lemon.

To serve: Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter with second tablespoon of parsley, and some toasted sesame seeds or za’atar, if desired. Serve with pita wedges.

For a big delicious summer meal, you could serve this with a tomato-cucumber salad,ethereally smooth hummus and pita wedges. If you’d like to be fancy, grilled or pan-roasted lamb chops are wonderful here too. (I use this method, but just season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest and dried oregano these days. I finish them with a squeeze of lemon juice.)  Makes about 2 cups

The Best Baba Ganoush from http://www.seriouseats.com/

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20140225-baba-ganoush-recipe-food-lab-vegan-primary-3-thumb-625xauto-385959 3 medium Italian eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon, plus more as desired
3 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt

If using a gas burner or grill (recommended):
Preheat a gas or coal grill to medium heat and place eggplants directly over heat source. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until completely tender and well charred on all sides, 30 to 40 minutes. Wrap with foil and let rest 15 minutes.If using the broiler: Adjust rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place eggplant on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides and completely tender, about 1 hour. Eggplants should be very, very tender when cooked. Test near the stem and bottom ends. If a toothpick or skewer meets any resistance, continue cooking. (See note above.) Remove from oven and gather up foil, crimping it around the eggplants to form a sealed package. Let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes. Continue to step

Open foil package. Working one eggplant at a time, use a sharp paring knife to slit it open lengthwise. Carefully scoop out soft flesh with a large spoon and transfer to a strainer set in a large bowl. Once all eggplant is scooped, pick out any stray bits of skin and blackened flesh and discard.

Transfer eggplant to a salad spinner, distributing it evenly around the perimeter. Spin gently until all excess moisture is extracted. Discard all drippings, wipe out bowl. and return eggplant to bowl.

Add garlic and lemon juice to eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down into a rough paste, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stirring constantly and vigorously, add the tahini followed by the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The mixture should become pale and creamy. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and more lemon juice if desired.

Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with warm pita bread or vegetables for dipping. Baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Let baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving.

Crushed Peas with Smoky Sesame Dressing from smittenkitchen.com

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1 1/2 pounds fresh peas in pods or about 1 1/2 cups already shelled or frozen and defrosted
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika, smoked if you have it
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 scallions, thinly sliced
Toasted pitas, cut into wedges, for serving

Cook peas: Have ready a colander and an ice bath, and bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Blanche peas for 30 seconds (if you like them with a real residual snap) to 1 minute (for a slightly more yielding pea) and drain them, then immediately shocking them in the ice water. Drain the peas again and pat them dry on a large towel.

Crush peas: Using a potato or egg-masher (and hopefully not an annoying one like mine, with holes the exact size of peas!), muddler or meat pounder (be gentle!), lightly crush the peas. Aim for mixed textures, some left whole, most in halves and a few a little more broken up. Put them in a large bowl.

Make dressing: Whisk together tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, water, cumin, paprika and salt. You might be tempted, as I was, to swap the water with olive oil but don’t do it — it makes a horrible curdled mess you will be sad to have to toss.

Assemble: Mix peas with about 3 tablespoons of the dressing, to start, then add more to taste. Sprinkle with scallions. Heap pea mixture on toasted pita wedges.

 

Chickpea Burgers with Tahini Sauce

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• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow or red onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons tahini –  I substituted hummus
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs – I used 1-2 tbsp!!
• 4 buns or pita pockets

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until thick and pasty. (You may mash them by hand, but it is a little more labor- intensive and time- consuming.) Transfer to a medium- size bowl.
3. To the bowl, add the onion, garlic, parsley, tahini (hummus), cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and baking powder. Slowly add the bread crumbs until the mixture holds together. Add more bread crumbs, as needed. Shape into patties.
4. Place on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Using a spatula, flip each patty over, and cook for 10–12 minutes more until the other side is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Alternatively, you may fry the patties with a little oil in a pan on the stovetop.
5. While the burgers are cooking, make the tahini sauce, below.

Tahini Sauce
• One 6-ounce container plain nondairy yogurt (I used 3/4 cup Wildwood Soy Yogurt)
• 1 to 2 tablespoon tahini –  I substituted hummus
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 to 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, tahini (hummus), cucumber, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes, and serve with the chickpea burgers, along with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a bun or in a pita pocket.