Muhammara is a Middle Eastern spread that tastes amazing on anything bread-y. Yeah, I did just say that :). I was first "introduced" to this when I randomly picked a vegetarian panini from a neighborhood cafe called Z&H. I think I had consumed so much meat the few days before that I decided to skip meat that day. And since then, it's what I always order when I eat at that cafe. I could tell what the ingredients on the panini were except for that red tasty paste which I later learned was muhammara. And so I put "make muhammara" on my to-do list but of course I didn't get around to it until much much later on. It turned out to be really easy to make. Well, I guess I have to travel to the source of the cuisine to know if this is authentic but it sure tastes good!! No, better than good! So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between, may I introduce you to the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
2 large red bell peppers
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
~2/3 cup (gluten free) breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 heaping tsp ground cumin
2 large garlic cloves
2 tsp pomegranate molasses*
~1/3 cup olive oil
*Pomegranate molasses is called for and is available at some grocery or specialty store. If you can't find it, use maple syrup.
METHOD:
Turn on the broil function of your oven, place the peppers on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil. Broil the peppers until they blister on all sides, turn them a quarter around every time, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the peppers and place them in a bowl, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel for about 20 minutes. Peel the skin off and seed them.
Mince the garlic and then mashed them into a paste with the salt using the back of a spoon or a mortar.
In a food processor, place all the ingredients except the olive oil and puree them into a smooth paste. With the motor still running, add the olive oil. If you plan to serve the spread immediately, use 2 Tsp. If you want to chill it, add more olive oil. I usually add about 1.5 Tsp to the spread and then pour olive oil on top to keep the spread in the fridge/freezer. This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of this very yummy stuff.
You can serve this as a spread with toasted pita triangles or as part of sandwiches. For some ideas, consider roasted eggplants or zucchini or portobello mushrooms, paired with caramelized onions and mild melting cheese, like this
The possibilities are almost endless so have fun trying different combinations! Bon appetit!
