Tahini and Miso Three Ways

I apologize for being a day late with this post. Gayle, Aaron, and I went to see Maggie for the day. The entire time was enjoyable. We had a great time at a wonderful restaurant in Delaware, Ohio, and the day proved we could have fun anywhere. I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July.

I have been on the pursuit for a versatile recipe. Not only versatile, but one that can satisfy all tastes. One that can fulfill the needs of the vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore. I came up with a Tahini-Miso Slaw recipe. This will satisfy your need for a dip, side dish, and main course! One day I was thumbing my way through my phone like the rest of the world and came across a reel from Dr Andrew Weil. He paired two of his favorite ingredients, miso and tahini, to make a dip. I had to stop scrolling and replay the reel a couple of more times. I thought a bit about the flavors. Miso and tahini were close by, I was at work, so I bought them and introduced them to each other. 

They blended well together, but I felt that more friends needed to be invited to the party. Miso and tahini meet dark sesame oil, garlic powder, and olive oil. I blended them all together and adjusted the olive oil to meet the consistency that I was looking for. This mixture made a dip that is thick, nutty, sauce with an Asian presence. Serve with vegan or non-vegan crackers or sliced veggies.

Ok. If you are looking for a vegan, or non-vegan dip then stop making the recipe here. (but please keep reading)

I was looking for a side dish with loads of veggies though. The tahini-miso mixture was a hit, but what to add to it? I raided the fridge. A couple of stalks of celery, a bag of shaved brussels sprouts, and a bag of broccoli slaw. I was in business. Or at least I thought so at the time. I placed the brussels sprouts in a large skillet with some olive oil and after they softened I added the broccoli slaw and diced celery. It seemed to be an easy recipe at this point. The only thing that needed some attention was the celery. A quick dice and I was finished. So the veggies softened and I added the tahini mixture. I then let everyone become friends and exchange numbers. All was going well until we tasted it. It seemed that the celery left the party. The other flavors were so overpowering that it was drowned out. I needed help.

I remembered celery’s extroverted big brother, or sister, celeriac. Celeriac is the celery root. It is a grapefruit sized, not so pretty, flavor powerhouse. Celeriac has a very concentrated celery flavor that stands up to heat. I got my hands on a celery root, peeled the not so pretty covering, and diced it into ½ inch cubes. The celeriac was then roasted for a few minutes. So I started the recipe over and replaced the celery with the roasted celeriac. A world of difference. Gayle tasted it and said that it reminded her of a deconstructed egg roll. This makes a great side dish. And still vegan !

If you are looking for a vegan, or non-vegan side dish then stop making the recipe here. (but please keep reading)

The Tahini-Miso Slaw recipe so far can be a dip or a side dish. To make it a main dish for your favorite omnivore just add some cooked beef, chicken, shrimp, or pork. I would season your choice of meat with sea salt and black pepper before you cook it. The flavors in the Tahini-Miso Slaw are strong enough that not many more seasonings are needed.

I hope you like it. 

If you have never watched Food, Inc (2008) Please do. The sequel Food, Inc 2 is out now. I have not watched Food, Inc 2 but I will be. 

Have a great week!