17 January, 2018
Muhammara – Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip
Ingredients
- Red Bell Pepper || 1 large
- Walnuts, chopped, toasted lightly || 3/4 cup
- Sea Salt || 1/2 tsp
- Cumin || 1 tsp
- Red Pepper Flakes || 1 tsp
- Lemon Juice || 3 tsp
- Olive Oil || 8 Tbs
- Grenadine || 4 tsp || Must be high-quality, real grenadine
Steps
Roasted Pepper
- Clean, de-seed and slice the Red Bell Pepper into 3/4″ strips.
- Roast at 400F until blistered, let cool.
Puree
- In the food processor, combine all the ingredients (Roasted Pepper, toasted Walnuts, Salt, Cumin, Pepper Flakes, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Grenadine).
- Pulse, then puree until all the ingredients are combined and it reaches a texture you like.
- If it’s too soft, add some more Walnuts (or hold back some of the Olive Oil until you are sure).
- If it’s too thick, add more Olive Oil; or if taste demands, some Lemon Juice and/or Grenadine.
Notes
- Most recipes call for Pomegranate Molasses (store bought or homemade). But I always have plenty of high quality Grenadine to stock the bar (See Scofflaw Cocktail recipe) and I now prefer the flavor in the Muhammara. I have been known to reduce the Grenadine to thicken it up, but it seems an unnecessary effort.
- Most (all?) recipes call for some bread crumbs to thicken the dip. I have never found this necessary. (And without out the bread this is GF.)
- Note: you can char the unsliced Pepper on a flame of a gas stove. I have also used a jar of roasted Red Peppers, but don’t like the final texture as much.