Courtesy of The Chile Pepper Bible: From Sweet & Mild to Fiery & Everything in Between by Judith Finlayson © 2016 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission. Available where books are sold.
Enjoy this Middle Eastern Walnut Dip (Muhammara) from a brand-new cookbook, The Chile Pepper Bible
Depending upon the source you consult, this roasted red pepper and walnut dip is Armenian, Arabian, Turkish or Syrian in origin. In any case, it is healthful, delicious and a welcome addition to any mezes platter. The author likes to serve it with warm pita bread or cucumber slices. If you eat meat, use this dip as a sauce for kebabs. The author recommends toasting and grinding cumin seeds yourself for the best flavor. Follow the author on Instagram or Facebook for more tips on using chile peppers!
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Suitable for:
vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, celiac, paleo, low-sodium (see notes) diets
Not recommended for:
migraine diets
Middle Eastern walnut dip from The Chile Pepper Bible by Judith Finlayson
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers red, roasted (see tips in Step 1)
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted
- 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 4 onions (green) white and some of the green parts, cut into chunks
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp chile peppers red finger chile, sliced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or 2 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 2 tsp cumin (dried) ground
- 1 tsp sea salt (omit or reduce for low-sodium diets)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
Instructions
- To roast peppers: Brush peppers lightly with oil and place them directly on a hot grill on a preheated barbecue, or arrange them on a baking sheet and place under a preheated broiler. Grill or broil, turning 2 or 3 times, until the skin on all sides is blackened, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover with a plate and let stand until cool. Using a sharp knife, lift off the skin, reserving any accumulated juices. Discard skin, stems and seeds.
- Peel, seed and cut roasted red peppers into quarters.
- In food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine roasted red peppers, walnuts, pine nuts, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, finger chile, Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt. Pulse until finely chopped, about 15 times, stopping and scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.
- Add olive oil and pulse until blended and desired consistency is achieved, about 6 times. (You want some texture to remain from the walnuts.)
- Transfer to a small serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, before serving, let stand at room temperature to allow the flavors to bloom, about 20 minutes.
Notes
here. If you can't find it, you can take a bottle of pomegranate juice and simmer it over medium heat until it is reduced by at least half, and coats the back of a spoon.
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