My obsession with all things tahini in both supporting and starring roles in both sweet and savory creations continues. On the sweet side of the equation, I recently made ginger cookies where tahini takes the place of nut butters that are more commonly used in cookies.

Although these are definitely ginger cookies, the ginger taste — provided by using fresh grated ginger instead of powdered — is mellow allowing a perfect balance with the nutty sesame flavor of tahini. Slightly crunchy on the outside, with a soft and moist interior, this recipe only yields a small batch — 10 cookies to be precise. But the recipe could easily be doubled, and you may just want to consider doing just that. They are not overly sweet, and you'll have a batch of freshly baked cookies in hardly any time at all, for which store-bought versions quite frankly seem pale and pedestrian in comparison.

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Involtini is an Italian word that refers to little "bundles" that feature some sort of filling wrapped in an outer layer. Sometimes referred to as rollatini in the U.S., it means essentially the same sort of food but it is not a term that would be used in Italy. Often served up as little bites in between meals or as an appetizer, the filling of an involtini may consist of meat, seafood, nuts, cheese or vegetables, while the outer layer is sometimes thin slices of meat, seafood or vegetables. Eggplant involtini is a vegetarian classic featuring eggplant as the outer layer, and the filling is often a cheese-based blend with herbs, simmered with tomato sauce. The possibilities are many indeed and fodder for eager cooks.

Though for years I have been especially smitten with trying new ways to feature the undeservedly spurned eggplant, until now I had not made eggplant involtini. The variation I offer up here is not only vegetarian but vegan-friendly too. The filling — wrapped up in slices of lightly fried eggplant — is a rich blend of roasted eggplant, tomato, onion and garlic, along with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. These involtini are quite hearty and substantial, and are meant to be served as part of a main meal rather than as hors d'oeuvres.

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In North America, kasha refers to roasted buckwheat groats or kernels. Roasting the groats brings out a strong nutty flavor that makes kasha a popular grain in eastern European cooking where it is enjoyed not only as a porridge but also in savory dishes like soups where its firm and chewy texture makes for an added appeal. And since buckwheat is not a grain in fact but a seed that cooks like a grain, it's gluten free too.

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The colorful little red bean spelled variously as azuki, aduki or adzuki is also known sometimes as the red mung bean, with which it shares not only a visual appeal but also a delicate sweetness. But while mung beans are widely used in savory preparations, it's much more difficult to find savory dishes featuring azuki beans which are far more often simply boiled with sugar to make a sweet red bean paste. This is a strange scarcity because both beans are an excellent foundation for savory cooking.

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