Tag Archives: Tahini

Salad therapy – Mediterranean delight

One can argue whether it’s Greek or Turkish influenced but the bottom line is we have hit upon a wicked dressing for our Mediterranean inspired salads moving forward.  One of our cupboard or fridge essentials is Tahini paste (ground sesame seed paste).  It allows us to make our own humus and mutabal at home and now a third use as a core ingredient in a salad dressing.

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What do I need to make it?

  • 2 tbsp Tahini paste
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How much will I make?

Dresses 2 main salad portions or 4 side portions

How do I make it?

Dead simple – whisk all the ingredients in a bowl and pour over some mixed salad leaves, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes and cucumber (FYI – tomatoes and cucumber from our garden :-)).  Would have added some olives but didn’t have the queen olives we love in our salads.

Garden fresh

After skipping last year our little garden is back with a vengeance.   Anna has taken a lot of time and effort to clean up the back yard and plant a range of vegetables, herbs and salad leaves.  Our pot of rocket leaves has given us our first garden meal of the season – recalling the dressing that Magi had served me in Dubai I pulled together a rocket salad with pomegranate seeds and baby plum tomatoes and dressed it with homemade baba ghanouj/muthabal.   Once you prepare a fresh baba ghanouj or hummus you will stop buying the ready made stuff.  Here’s my interpretation of the classic Middle East dip which was ground a little finer than it should have.

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What do I need to make it?

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp Tahini paste
  • 1 lime
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste

How do I make it?

Rub little oil to the eggplants and roast in hot oven (200 degree s in a fan assisted electric oven) or alternatively roast over open flame till skin is blackened.  Allow eggplant to cool before skinning it and keep aside.   Put all ingredients into a blender and blitz to a chunky consistency.  Serve with pita bread, corn chips or use as salad dressing.