Charred Zucchini Dip with Tahini and Lemon

This velvety dip, called “mutabel al koussa” in Arabic, is a relative of the better-known baba ghanoush that is made with eggplant. Many recipes use only the pulp left over from making stuffed zucchini and sauté it until soft enough to puree. But to bring deep, smoky flavor to the dip, we grill whole zucchini that’s been halved and salted over a live fire until fully tender and well charred, then we blitz it, blistered skins and all, with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and smoked paprika, until silky smooth. On the grill grate, the zucchini doesn’t occupy much space, so there’s plenty of room to cook other foods alongside if you’re up for multitasking on the grill. Alternatively, if you wish to use a broiler and do the charring indoors, see the instructions below. And if you’re serving a crowd, the recipe is easily doubled. Serve at room temperature with warm pita or crackers, or offer it as a side to kabobs or grilled vegetables, meat or seafood of any sort.