Grilled Veggie Pitas With Chickpeas And Tahini Sauce Recipes

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place chopped vegetables in a bowl with olive oil. Mix well and spread on parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
• Roast vegetables for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip. Roast for an additional 15-20 minutes or until browned.
• While vegetables are roasting mix together tahini, lemon juice, garlic and water. Stir to combine completely. If too thick add more water.
• Toast pine nuts on stove top or in toaster oven until slightly browned. Watch carefully.
• When vegetables are done drizzle with tahini mix and top with pine nuts, za'atar and parsley.
• Store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES WITH TAHINI DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the tahini dressing: Put tahini, lemon juice, cayenne and garlic in a small mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in olive oil, yogurt and a good pinch of salt.
• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill, or a stovetop grill pan. Heat should be medium-high. Make sure grill racks are clean.
• Cut onions crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove stems and seeds, and discard. Cut each half in two, making eight pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet or roasting pan.
• Cut zucchini and eggplant lengthwise or at an angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush slices with olive oil on both sides, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet or roasting pan.
• Cut tomatoes in half crosswise. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet or roasting pan.
• Grill onions and peppers (they take longer to cook): Set onion slices carefully on grill so they don't fall apart. Start peppers skin-side up. Peppers and onions should take 4 to 5 minutes per side. As they are done, remove to a serving platter.
• Grill zucchini and eggplant for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill tomatoes on one side only, until heated through, about 5 to 6 minutes. As they are done, remove to a serving platter.
• Arrange vegetables in rows on the platter (or use two platters). Serve warm or at room temperature. Just before serving, drizzle tahini sauce over the vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika, if using, and shower with green herbs. Serve lemon wedges on the side.

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH TAHINI LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400.
• Toss cauliflower and sweet potato with olive oil, salt, and pepper then spread out in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until browned.
• In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice/zest, garlic, and salt. Slowly add in the hot water until desired consistency is reached. Stir in parsley and set aside.
• When vegetables are done roasting, serve on a platter and drizzle with tahini lemon parsley sauce. Serve warm or at room temp.

GRILLED FALAFEL PITAS

Steps:

• To make the salad: In a large bowl, mix together tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, onion, and parsley. Add oil, lemon juice, and za'atar and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to airtight container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• To make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic. Transfer to airtight container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Place chickpeas in a colander or fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water. Transfer chickpeas to a large bowl and add cold to cover them by at least 2 inches. Cover bowl and let sit at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Transfer chickpeas to a salad spinner and spin dry.
• Combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, scallions, mint, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until chickpeas and herbs are very finely minced, stopping to scrape down sides of workbowl as necessary. Transfer falafel mixture to a medium bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Using a tablespoon measure or small scoop, scoop out heaping spoonfuls of falafel mixture and gently roll into spheres in your hands. Place falafel on grill near, but not directly over, the fire. Cover grill and let cook until falafel is firm and lightly browned on first side, about 7 minutes. Move falafel to hot side of grill and cook, turning often, until browned all over, about 2 minutes more. Transfer falafel to a plate.
• Cut pitas in half, place on hot side of grill, and toast until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds per side. Open pitas to create a pocket and add in 3 pieces of falafel into each. Top with Israeli salad and tahini. Serve immediately.

GRILLED VEGGIE PITAS WITH CHICKPEAS AND TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill on medium heat to 400 degrees F. Alternatively, preheat a two-burner grill pan over medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates or grill pan.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small food processor, combine the lemon zest and juice, tahini, garlic, water, olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
• Drizzle both sides of the eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill each side until tender and charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl; add the chickpeas, chopped dill, sesame seeds and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss together.
• When ready to serve, lightly grill both sides of each pita. Gently fold the pitas in half, keeping them intact, and fill with the vegetable mixture. Top each pita with 1 to 2 cucumber ribbons, a liberal drizzle of the sauce and a few dill fronds and oregano leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GRILLED CHICKEN PITAS WITH SESAME DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Combine tahini, 2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Add pitas to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Slice chicken thinly across the grain.
• Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 teaspoons juice in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add lettuce; toss to coat. Divide lettuce mixture, chicken, and bell peppers evenly among pita halves; drizzle each stuffed pita half with about 1 1/2 teaspoons tahini mixture.

INSTANT POT TOMATO-BRAISED CHICKPEAS WITH TAHINI

Steps:

• Using the sauté function set on medium, heat oil in the pressure cooker pot. Add the sliced onions and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Using kitchen shears or your hands, break the tomatoes into pieces and add them, along with their liquid, to the pot. (If using diced tomatoes, just add them to the pot.) Stir in cinnamon stick and bay leaf, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in chickpeas, cumin, turmeric, remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 4 cups water. (The water should cover the chickpeas by about an inch; if not, add a little more water.) Cover and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.
• While the chickpeas cook, make the tahini sauce: Combine lemon juice, garlic and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk in tahini, then whisk in oil, a few drops at a time, until emulsified. Whisk in enough ice water to make a thin, pourable sauce. Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed.
• Stir chopped cilantro into braised chickpeas and taste, adding more salt, if you'd like. To serve, garnish bowlfuls with a big drizzle of tahini sauce and more cilantro.