Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Spread
from Dana Jacobi Author, Essential Best Foods Cookbook (Rodale Inc. April 2008) for the Market to Table program on July 26, 2008.
Alongside hummus and baba ghanouj, many stores now offer another Middle Eastern dip. Called muhammarah, this feisty, deep red dip goes well served with pita bread as part of meze. It is also delicious as a condiment with roast chicken and fish.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 slice whole-wheat bread, crust removed, toasted
½ cup walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice or 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
PREPARATION:
1. Coarsely chop the red pepper and place it in a food processor.
2. Break the toasted bread into 1-inch pieces and add it to the pepper. Add the walnuts, oil, pomegranate juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the mixture is a rough paste. Season the dip to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: If you use roasted peppers from a jar, drain them well. Using pomegranate molasses with them gives a thicker spread than adding pomegranate juice.