Tahini jar Sauce (with optional braised chard, aubergine and chickpeas)
Tahini is particularly obstinate, and often sticks like concrete to the bottom of its jar or pot. Add a little lemon juice, however, and give it a shake to “wash” the insides, and you have the makings of an easy and tasty dressing for salad, or to serve with grilled vegetables or braised chard.
serves 2 as main course
1 tahini jar with 2-4 Tabs of tahini left in it
1-2 Tabs lemon juice or wine vinegar
1 very small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
salt
4 Tab olive oil
1 large aubergine, cut into large cubes
4 garlic cloves, peeled & finely sliced
1 large bunch chard, or other greens, trimmed & roughly chopped
400g tin chickpeas, drained (240g)
2 tsp sumac, plus extra to finish
1½ Tab lemon juice, or wine vinegar
¼ tsp dill or lovage seeds (optional)
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
1. Take the near-empty tahini jar and add roughly half the amount of lemon juice (or wine vinegar). Drop in the garlic and mix, then add two tablespoons of water and mix again until smooth, pushing any tahini from the sides of the jar into the sauce. Add a little more water at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition, and repeat until the dressing has the consistency of double cream. Season with a pinch of salt to taste and serve. Keep any leftovers in the fridge, where they will last for up to a week.
2. Put two frying pans on a medium heat and pour two tablespoons of olive oil into each. In one pan, fry the aubergine cubes on one side, until browned, then turn, cook until nicely browned all over and cooked through, then take off the heat.
3. In the other pan, fry the sliced garlic just until it turns a light, nutty brown, then quickly lift it out of the pan and set aside to use as garnish later.
4. Stir the chopped chard into the hot oil left in the garlic pan, add chickpeas, aubergine, a splash of water, the sumac, lemon juice & seeds, then stir in the ground coriander & chilli flakes to taste, cover the pan and cook for about eight minutes, until the chard is wilted and tender.
5. Lift off the lid, cook until any juices have evaporated, then spoon onto a platter and top with lots of the tahini jar sauce, the crisp garlic and, if you like, an extra sprinkling of sumac.