Special Sauce

So, I set out yesterday to make some lemony tahini chicken and ended up creating the most delicious sauce ever.  Ha! :)  Well, ok, one of the most delicious sauces...and I can't take full credit for it because it was inspired by the cuisines I love the most: Mediterranean, Spanish, and Indian.  All three of these use simple, yet intense flavors.  Citrus juice, rich olive oil, raw garlic, plenty of roughly chopped herbs, and bold dashes of spices make each dish enticing.  These flavors go perfectly with hot summer days, and fresh summer produce!

The sauce I made uses a combination of these flavors and can complement a wide range of foods.  I slathered it on some chicken breasts, and baked them so the sauce formed a nice, golden crust.  However, I served the chicken on a bed of sauteed greens and veggies, and I realized that this sauce would be excellent on veggies, or even as a thick, coleslaw-like dressing for salads (or you can always put more liquid in for runnier sauces).  It would also go perfectly with seafood...I could see it as a perfect topping for shrimp tacos!
So, what is this "special sauce" you ask?  It's so simple: olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, curry powder, and salt.  It has the right balance of acid, fat, toasty-roasty umami (from the tahini), and spice!  It isn't spicy as in "hot," but it does pack in a lot of flavor.  Add in a little more cayenne, and you have yourself some spicy special sauce.  
I would recommend making it with the ingredients listed, however, I was thinking that smooth peanut butter might also work in place of tahini.  The only main difference between peanut butter and tahini (beside being made from peanuts or sesame seeds) is that tahini is much more savory than peanut butter.  To me, tahini picks up more roasted flavor from the sesame seeds, and so tastes more smoky than peanut butter.  Peanut butter is naturally more sweet, and so will create a sweeter sauce.  I have learned, though, especially with Asian cuisines that peanuts and peanut butter are delicious in savory dishes, so I think it would work in this context as well.
Also, as a side note, when you are buying tahini, try to get it unsalted.  That way you have full control over the salt content in your sauce.  Same with peanut butter: look at the label and check to see how much salt and sugar are added.  You might be surprised what is actually in your peanut butter besides peanuts! 

T.E.A.'s Lemon Tahini Sauce
makes about 1 cup or enough to cover 2 large chicken breasts

2 TB good quality olive oil
3-4 TB tahini 
juice of 1 lemon (about 3 TB)
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced (I use a microplane for a super fine mince)
1 tsp curry powder (recipe here...scroll to the bottom of the page)
salt to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients, except salt, into a smooth, thick sauce.  Add more olive oil or lemon juice to adjust consistency.  Taste, and add salt as needed.

NOTE: Because meat needs to be well-salted, I added at least 1 tsp of salt to this sauce because I knew I was using it on chicken.  The sauce might need less depending on what it is used for.

Uses for sauce:

1. Slather on chicken breasts.  Bake at 400F for about 25 mins or until cooked through, but still juicy.

This sauce makes a beautiful, golden crust.

2.  Pour over sauteed or grilled veggies to make them pop!  Broccoli, green beans, kale, eggplant, and cauliflower would be perfect.

3. Use as a sauce over any red meat or seafood...lamb would be delicious.
4. Dilute sauce with a little lemon juice or olive oil and use as a salad dressing.
5. ENJOY! :)