Muhammara

Back in the days of owning a cooking school, I was always looking for a reliable yet tasty appetizer that would come together quickly (always important when your joint is BYOB). I first tasted this Middle Eastern roasted red pepper dip at a local restaurant that specialized in Turkish dishes. In addition to their flaming cheese and Brussels sprouts, I’d always order a dip sampler with muhamarra, hummus, and tzatsiki (the holy trinity of dips IMHO).

This dip has fresh bread crumbs (don’t use dried) and toasted walnuts to give it some substance, and you’ll find that it holds up well against veggies or pita chips for dipping. You can also roast the peppers yourself if that’s your vibe, but a jar of already roasted will do the trick just as well.

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Muhammara/Middle Eastern Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Yield: 6

Author: Christine Van Bloem

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Roasted red peppers are warmed with just enough cumin, then balanced with tart pomegranate molasses and lemon juice to form a rustic, savory dip.

Ingredients

• 1 7 oz. roasted red pepper jar, drained
• 2/3 cup(s) bread crumbs, fresh
• 1/2 cup(s) walnuts, toasted
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice, fresh
• 1 tablespoon(s) pomegranate molasses
• 1 teaspoon(s) cumin, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• pita chips or veggies for dipping

Instructions

1. Place the roasted red peppers, bread crumbs, toasted walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt into a food processor or blender and process until coarsely ground. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil until the desired texture is reached. (I like mine coarse.)
2. Taste for seasoning, then transfer to a bowl and serve with pita chips or veggies for dipping. This will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.