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Lemon-Tahini Sauce

4.4

(6)

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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.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

Small bunch (about 30 sprigs) flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup sesame tahini
2 to 4 large cloves garlic
4 to 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 to 6 tablespoons water
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Holding the parsley in a bunch, trim off and discard an inch or so from the bottom of the stems. Cut the bunch crosswise into thirds. Place in a colander, rinse, and drain. Bounce the colander up and down to shake off excess water.

    Step 2

    Place the tahini, parsley, garlic, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water into the bowl of a food processor. Blend well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and adding enough additional water and/or lemon juice to create a sauce with a smooth, pourable consistency and a nice puckery taste. (The amount of liquid you'll need to add will depend upon the thickness of the tahini and how much water adhered to the parsley.) Add the salt and cayenne (if using). Refrigerate until needed, for up to 1 week.

Reprinted with permission from Short-Cut Vegan by Lorna Sass, copyright © 1997, 2008. Published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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