Tahini

Ana Sortun, chef-owner of Oleana in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is known for her modern interpretation of Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisine. When it comes to chicken breasts, she seeks out local, organic birds and chooses a flavorful spice rub. One of her favorite seasonings is baharat, a Middle Eastern spice mixture that includes cumin, oregano, and dried mint. Here, she pairs chicken skewers with a cooling yogurt sauce and a colorful pomegranate and pistachio relish.

Swapping chickpeas for edamame gives your go-to party dip a new flavor twist—and a festive green hue—while still packing in plenty of filling fiber and protein.

Chickpeas are among the best legumes, and this is among the best recipes you can prepare with them, an eons-old Middle Eastern classic. Generally, I’m not a big fan of canned beans, but for whatever reason canned chickpeas are not bad at all, and I always keep some on hand so I can make a batch of this at the last minute, to use as a dip or a spread. You can make hummus without tahini; it will be a little looser and less complex tasting but still good.

The Middle East on a flatbread: Turkish meatballs, a tahini-spiked yogurt sauce, and muhammara, a Syrian red pepper spread.

When I tasted this sauce in Jerusalem a few years ago, I was reminded of how much I like the earthy taste of sesame tahini and the brightness of parsley—stems and all. Whip up a batch and toss it with grains and chopped carrots for a colorful salad, blend it with cooked chickpeas for a quick sandwich filling, or spoon it over microwaved kale or steamed broccoli florets set on a bed of brown rice for an entreé. The amount of garlic you'll need depends upon your taste. I like to start with two cloves and blend in more if needed—keeping in mind that the sauce's favor will be somewhat diluted when mixed with other ingredients. Refrigerate for up to one week. Thin as needed with additional fresh lemon juice—or water, if you're out of lemon.

Sesame seed sauce is a popular condiment throughout the Middle East. It's especially prized in Israel, because Jewish dietary laws prohibit mixing meat and dairy products. Thus, the yogurt and cucumber or yogurt and mint sauce served with grilled lamb in Turkey and Lebanon would not be consumed by observant Jewish barbecue buffs in Israel. But tahini has the creaminess and tangy taste associated with yogurt. This recipe originally accompanied Turkey Shawarma .

Shawarma is the Middle Eastern version of a large vertical shish kebab known as doner kebab in Turkey and gyro in Greece. It's made by impaling layers of meat on an oversize spit with a flat base and roasting the meat in an upright rotisserie. There are at least three advantages to this singular method of cooking. The dripping fat bastes the meat below it; the meat is sliced to order (at least it should be) from the outside, which gives every customer a crusty end cut; and because the crusty meat slices are piled on pita bread with fresh vegetables, pickles, and tahini sauce, you get a whole meal—and a healthful one—in a single sandwich. Traditionally, shawarma was made with lamb, but more and more Israeli grill masters use thinly sliced chicken or turkey. Shawarma is easy to prepare if you have a vertical rotisserie, and somewhat more challenging to adapt to the home grill. But direct-grilling the turkey slices does give you a close approximation of the taste and texture of classic shawarma.

In the past, the only fish many home cooks could get was nondescript frozen, breaded white fish that was pretty bland. Today, even landlocked cities have seafood counters swimming with delicious (and colorful) options. One of our favorites is beautifully pink wild salmon. It looks great, tastes wonderful, and is packed with good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, wild salmon (ideally from Alaska) is better for the environment than farmed salmon. Round out the meal with a side of your favorite mix of seasonal vegetables (preferably from your local farmers' market) and—if you're craving yet more color—lemon wedges.

Chef Michael Skibitcky tweaked this Joan Nathan recipe , deleting the cilantro and adding ground coriander. For an authentic Israeli presentation, load the just-fried balls into pita bread and top them with chopped veggies, pickles, harissa hot sauce, and piquant tahini sauce.

Lemon-tahini dressing unexpectedly emboldens kale and cheesy potatoes with its creaminess and tart richness. We went back for seconds and thirds.

This tahini-based sauce serves as the foundation for mezes like hummus and baba ghanouj throughout much of the Mediterranean, but it's also a wonderful sauce in its own right, showing its versatility by adding a nutty, lemony hit to the kùfte or to vegetables or fish.

This luscious (but healthy) dip is great with pita chips or raw vegetables.

Fresh, simple, and spontaneous, modern Australian cooking doffs its cap to several different cuisines with an ebullience all its own. From Australian cookbook writer Jill Dupleix comes this Mod Oz version of a fish gyro. Rich, earthy beets and parsley add great flavor to this heavenly sandwich. You'll find lots more Mod Oz recipes in the May issue of Bon Appétit.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. For Bittman's tips on preparing a modern Passover meal, click here. Chickpeas are among the best legumes, and this is among the best recipes you can prepare with them, an eons-old Middle Eastern classic. Generally, I'm not a big fan of canned beans, but for whatever reason canned chickpeas are not bad at all, and I always keep some on hand so I can make a batch of this at the last minute, to use as a dip or a spread. You can make hummus without tahini; it will be a little looser and less complex tasting but still good.

**Editor's note:**This recipe is reprinted from Rose Hammick's and Charlotte Packer's book Great Parties for Kids. For Hammick's and Packer's tips on throwing a kids' summer party, click here. Hummus and guacamole served with breadsticks and veggie sticks make great finger foods for toddlers. Older children love these too, but make sure you offer a selection of breadsticks, chips, and pita bread for those few kids who turn up their noses at the sight of raw vegetables, however sweet and juicy they are.

In the Middle East, this dish is made with dandelion greens or Swiss chard. Here, spinach substitutes, and the tahini takes care of the exotic flair.

This recipe sponsored by Black Swan Vineyards

Tahini, a creamy sesame seed paste, adds a new twist to the dressing for the salad.