The sesame paste known as tahini is becoming better known to American cooks, largely because of hummus, but also thanks to the nutty richness it lends to falafel, grilled meats and roasted vegetables.
Cooks in the Middle East, however, know that its savory, slightly bitter flavor works just as well in desserts. A prime example is halva, a fudge-like confection that is mostly sweetened tahini with spices, nuts and dried fruit.
So tahini can update an American classic — the blueberry crumble. In this recipe from our book “COOKish,” which limits recipes to just six ingredients without sacrificing flavor, tahini boosts the flavor of a buttery oat mixture that bakes on top of juicy blueberries. The savory nuttiness of the tahini perfectly balances the sweet berries, which we also sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon.
Be sure to use quick-cooking oats; old-fashioned oats won’t soften quite enough. Ripe, fresh berries are best, but frozen ones work, too. Look for frozen “wild” blueberries — they’re tiny but pack big flavor. If frozen regular berries are a must, add a few minutes to the baking time, but don’t thaw them before use.
