It’s kind of ridiculous how much I love this sauce. As pictured here it’s on grilled asparagus, and the other night, when we had roasted chicken with lemon and za’atar, roasted potatoes, and roasted turnip, we drizzled it over everything! It’s also good as a dip for vegetables. Just adjust the consistency depending on how you’re using it.

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IT’S A DATE!

by Elizabeth Baer

I read a lot of cookbooks. I realized a long time ago that, as a teacher, a week that seems likely to be calm, can become frantic without warning. When that happened, if I were reading a novel or a nonfiction title and I couldn’t get to the book for a few days, I would lose some of the details from the narrative, and the experience would not be as enjoyable. So, during the school year, I started reading cookbooks, as they have no plot! (To be accurate, this is somewhat of a lie because many cookbooks these days incorporate a narrative that can weave through the different sections. Still, they’re different than other types of books.)

I have a lot of cookbooks – 326 to be exact. And if you are someone who has a lot of cookbooks, I would recommend you look into the Eat Your Books website. When I first heard of this, my husband was skeptical, but I had a free trial, and ever since I always have a tab open on my laptop browser so I can use it whenever needed. Essentially it is a database that allows you to manage your cookbook collection and search for recipes based on any number of parameters such as ingredient, dietary needs, or cuisine.

As much as there are many more cookbooks that I would like to own, I cannot bring myself to purchase them all! So I borrow a lot from the library. Right now, I have seven titles around the house from various libraries in the region, plus several more on hold that I look forward to borrowing soon. We are so very fortunate to be part of CW/MARS, through which you can search online for any book held by public libraries in western and central Massachusetts, and when you put books on hold, they will be delivered to your local library for pick up.

But back to reading lots of cookbooks. I began to notice an unfamiliar ingredient mentioned in several recently acquired cookbooks in my collection, as well as in many I was borrowing from the library: date syrup, also known as silan. Although it’s not easy to find locally –some stores have it shelved with other sweeteners – I decided to order some to check it out.

As an ingredient from the Middle East, I decided to pair it with some tahini and yogurt to create a sauce for vegetables. It turned out so good, we’ve been putting it on everything, including vegetables, chicken, and salmon. Pictured here, we enjoyed it with grilled asparagus. If you can’t find or don’t want to order date syrup, try pomegranate molasses, or even fig jam or apple butter. You’ll soon find yourself drizzling it over everything!

TAHINI-DATE SAUCE

Makes about ½-¾ cup

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (preferably not nonfat)
1 tablespoon date syrup or other fruit condiment (recommendations above)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or other similar spice (optional)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Use a pourable measuring cup to make some ice water. As you stir the mixture, the tahini will probably seize up and become too stiff. Gradually add ice water, pouring about 1 tablespoon at a time from the measuring cup, and whisk until desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Enjoy on chicken or fish or most vegetables. You can even thin it with some olive oil and sherry vinegar to use as a salad dressing.

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Berkshire Eagle Column: Tahini-Date Sauce