TheEssential

The Staple

Small but mighty, sesame seeds give crunch and depth to sweet and savory recipes.While they come in avariety of colors,you’ll mostly findwhite, brown, or black ones in supermarkets. (There’s little difference in taste, so chooseyour color based on how it lookswith the dishyou’re planning.) The seeds make for a flavorful crust on fish and add texture and pretty decoration to spiced cookies. Toast them to bring out a nuttiness that lends a nice finishing flavor to noodle dishes or glazed eggplant. For maximum freshness, store in an airtight container in the freezer. Quick Ideas

1 SESAME SNAPPER Mix 1 cup sesame seeds, 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. each coriander and salt, and tsp. pepper in a shallow dish. Beat 1 egg in another dish. Dip 4 6-oz. snapper fillets in egg, then coat with seed mixture. Cook in batches in 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

2 SESAME AND CARDAMOM COOKIES Beat cup each softened butter, sugar, and light brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. orange zest until fluffy. Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla. Add 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. each ground cardamom and baking soda, and tsp. salt; beat to combine. Fold in cup toasted sesame seeds. Shape 1-Tbsp. portions into balls and roll in cup toasted sesame seeds. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

3 MISO EGGPLANT WITH SESAME SEEDS Slice a 1 -lb. eggplant into -in. rounds; brush with 2 Tbsp. oil. Bake at 450°F, turning once, for 18 minutes. Whisk cup white miso; 1 Tbsp. each grated ginger, sesame oil, honey, and water; 2 tsp. rice vinegar; and 1 tsp. chili paste. Spread on eggplant. Broil for 4 minutes. Top with 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

By Ananda Eidelstein

Recipes by Mary Claire Britton

The Essential

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