Creamy Tahini Dressing   

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: ¾ cup 

 INGREDIENTS

·         ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

·         ¼ cup tahini

·         2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

·         2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

·         2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

·         ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

·         Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·         2 tablespoons ice-cold water, more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1.      In a liquid measuring cup or jar, combine the olive oil, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and several twists of black pepper. Whisk until thoroughly blended.

2.      Add the cold water and whisk again. The dressing should become remarkably creamy. Taste, and add more lemon juice (for zing) and pepper, if desired. If your dressing is too thick to drizzle, whisk in more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve!

3.      This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week. It may thicken with time; simply thin it with a little more cool water as needed.

NOTES

MAKE IT VEGAN: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

CHANGE IT UP: You can stir in a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, mint, cilantro or parsley) for an herbed tahini dressing.

 This tahini dressing would be great on a salad with any of the following ingredients:

·         Greens: kale, arugula, romaine, spring greens

·         Tomatoes

·         Bell pepper

·         Radish

·         Fennel

·         Cucumber

·         Carrots

·         Cabbage

·         Summer squash

·         Red onion or green onion

·         Fresh herbs: basil, cilantro, chives, dill, parsley

·         Beans: chickpeas, lentils

·         Whole grains: quinoa, farro, wheat berries

·         Nuts and seeds: almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds

·         Cheese: goat cheese, feta