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Tiny seeds, big flavor By Sarah Lemon Dec 07, 2022 01:00 AM A A 4 View all photos Tahini is a puree of sesame seeds. Think of it as an alternative to peanut and other nut butters. Food styling by Shannon Kinsella. [Kristen Mendiola/Tribune News Service] Sesame-Cashew-Tahini Blondies. Food styling by Shannon Kinsella. [Kristen Mendiola/Tribune News Service] Creamy Lemon Hummus. Food styling by Shannon Kinsella. [Kristen Mendiola/Tribune New Service] Green Chile-Tahini sauce. Food styling by Shannon Kinsella. [Kristen Mendiola/Tribune New Service] In a season of culinary abundance, tahini is the gift that keeps on giving — with uses far beyond the expected. Best known as a key ingredient in hummus, baba ganoush and in sauces to pair with falafel and other Middle Eastern bites, tahini is simply a puree of sesame seeds. Nothing else. Think of it as an alternative to peanut and other nut butters. A veggie platter with hummus — particularly this lemony recipe that uses some white beans in place of traditional chickpeas — is an ideal way to lighten up appetizer and snack assortments at holiday gatherings. A garnish of tangy ground sumac underscores the lemon flavors and also adds a festive dash of color. Make it up to a week in advance or freeze it ahead of time for easy entertaining. Also storing well for weeks in the refrigerator is one of my family’s favorite condiments. This tahini-miso dressing accompanies roasted cauliflower in Anthony Bourdain’s cookbook “Appetites,” but the sauce also deepens the savory note of meats, such as lamb and chicken. Use it in place of mayonnaise on a burger or as a dip, similar to hummus, for crudite. The sauce is very simply 2 tablespoons tahini, 1 tablespoon white miso paste, 2 teaspoons red wine mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water. For a chunky sauce, still in a few teaspoons of sesame seeds. It’s also delicious with a supper of roasted winter squash and brown lentils. Or brush the squash as it finishes roasting with this maple-tahini glaze and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. To use the glaze as a salad dressing, double the recipe’s lemon juice and add 1/4 cup olive oil. Use on crisp romaine or over a wedge of iceberg. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and blue cheese. Note that vigorous stirring is required for nearly all tahini brands; the mixture separates out oil, much like natural peanut butters. While it’s best used at room temperature, you should store tahini in the refrigerator to prevent the oils from turning rancid. Or make your own from sesame seeds purchased from bulk sections, more affordable and fresher than those packaged in small bottles found on spice aisles. In general, hulled sesame seeds, which have a creamy white hue, taste less bitter than beige or grayish sesame seeds which have their hulls still intact. To make your own tahini, toast 1 cup of sesame seeds in a skillet over low heat, stirring continuously, until some of the seeds are just a little bit golden in color, but not browned. Transfer to a plate and cool completely. Then, process the seeds in a food processor or blender — a high-speed blender yields the smoothest results — until the tiny seeds are the texture of fine sand. With the machine running, drizzle in untoasted sesame oil, grapeseed oil or safflower oil until smooth and mixture has the consistency of very thin peanut butter. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate covered for a week or more. For breakfast, spread homemade tahini, also known as sesame paste, on toast with a drizzle of honey and a sliced banana with a dollop of yogurt. It’s also a great addition to smoothies. Consider tahini for baking holiday treats with unconventional flavors. Sesame paste also imparts deep, delightful flavor to cookies, brownies and homemade ice cream. Reach features editor Sarah Lemon at 541-776-4494 or [email protected] Creamy Lemon Hummus 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans 1 (15-ounce) can white beans 1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Grated rind from 1 small lemon Extra virgin olive oil, for serving Optional toppings: crushed red pepper flakes; ground sumac; chopped fresh herbs (such as dill, cilantro, parsley or chives) Strain the garbanzo beans and white beans over a bowl to catch juices. Reserve juices. Put 4 ounces garbanzo beans and 4 ounces white beans into a blender or food processor. Save remaining beans for another use. Add the tahini, oil, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne, plus 1/4 cup reserved bean liquid. Process until very smooth. Taste and add remaining oil and lemon juice as desired. Puree. Add more bean liquid (or cold water) to reach desired thickness. Scrape into a bowl. Stir in the grated lemon rind. Taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate, covered, for up to several days. Serve with a pool of extra virgin olive oil poured over hummus. Top with one or more of the optional seasonings, as desired. Makes 1 3/4 cups. Green Chile-Tahini Sauce 1 fresh hatch chile or small poblano chile, roasted, peeled and seeded (may substitute 4 ounces canned, roasted green chiles, drained) 1/2 of a (15-ounce) can cannellini or other white beans, drained 1/4 cup tahini 2 tablespoons avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Juice of 1/2 lime 1 tablespoon chopped mint 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (or scallion tops) Set the hatch or poblano chile directly over a gas burner or a hot grill, or under a hot broiler, turning often, until chile skin blisters and blackens, for about 5 minutes total. Cool, then peel off blackened skin, remove seeds and chop flesh. Put 7 1/2 ounces of beans, the tahini, oil, salt and lime juice into a blender. Add 1/2 of roasted chile and 1/3 cup water. Blend until smooth. Taste for spice, add remaining chile if desired and blend until smooth. Consistency should be that of creamy salad dressing; to thin, add a little more oil or water. Cover and refrigerate for several days. Use at room temperature. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Lamb Chops With Green Chile-Tahini Sauce 2 pounds lamb chop loins, about 9 to 10 chops Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Extra virgin olive oil, as needed 1/2 cup green chile-tahini sauce, see related recipe 1/2 cup cooked or canned white beans (4 ounces) Chopped roasted green chiles, for garnish Fresh chives, for garnish Pat 9 to 10 lamb chops dry and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle all sides generously with the salt and pepper. Drizzle both sides with some of the olive oil and refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 2 days. Prepare a charcoal grill until coals are covered with gray ash or preheat a gas grill to medium-hot. Alternatively use a cast-iron pan or grill pan on stovetop. Remove chops from the refrigerator. Gather all ingredients to work surface. Place chops directly over heat source on grill. Cover and grill for 4 minutes. Flip chops; close grill and cook to medium-rare, for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove to a platter. To serve, put 2 or 3 chops on each serving plate. Drizzle chops and serving plate with some green chile-tahini and olive oil. Sprinkle with the beans, chiles and chives. Makes 3 to 5 servings. Maple-Tahini Glaze 1/4 cup tahini 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoons water Put all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until combined. Glaze should be approximate consistency of barbecue sauce. Refrigerate covered up to several days. Makes about 1/2 cup. Sesame-Cashew-Tahini Blondies Nonstick spray or oil, for preparing pan 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar 1/3 cup tahini 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1 cup chopped sesame honey cashews (available at Trader Joe’s) or dry-roasted unsalted cashews 5 1/2 ounces best-quality white chocolate broken into bits or chips 3 tablespoons sesame seeds Coarse salt, for garnish Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, slightly overhanging sides. Spray lightly with nonstick spray or brush lightly with oil. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the room-temperature butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the brown sugar and tahini until smooth. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until incorporated. Use a spoon to stir in the chopped nuts and white chocolate. Transfer batter to prepared pan, then use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and a few generous pinches of the coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven until edges start to pull away from sides of pan and top is golden, for 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Use foil to lift bars from pan and let cool completely on wire rack. Cut into small bars. Store in a covered container for several days. Makes 48 small bars or 24 medium bars.