In honor of it being Fall and the season of running from one potluck or holiday party to the next, I want to share a recipe that never fails me. It's extremely easy to make, and always gets compliments. It's a Syrian red pepper dip called muhammara. The only challenge with this is finding pomegranate molasses, which is more of a syrup than molasses. Some recipes recommend substituting lemon juice if you can't find it, but there is really no substitute for it's sweet-sour candy-like taste. I have not found it at traditional grocery stores, including PCC and Whole Foods, but it is easy to get at Middle Eastern markets. I called Goodies in Lake City to see if they carried it and the owner answered "Of course! We have three brands!"
Muhammara
One jar roasted red peppers (or roast two of your own, make sure to remove the skin)
2/3 cup fine bread crumbs (I use panko)
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Toss everything in the food processor and blend until the consistency of chunky hummus. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with sliced baguette or pita chips.
There are many versions of this recipe and most add in something extra: lemon juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, chopped onion, garlic, and of course they play around with proportions as should you. But this is the base, and it's fine the way it is.
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