Muhammara is a wonderful, rich, spicy dip usually served with lettuce leaves or pita wedges. You can buy pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern markets, but you can easily make it yourself. It is used often in Lebanese cooking. Just simmer 1 cup pomegranate juice, 1/8 cup sugar, and 1 Tblsp lemon juice in a saucepan until reduced and syrupy.Muhammara Ingredients:
2 cups sliced roast red peppers
2/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts
4 cloves garlic
1 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Lettuce leaves or pita wedges
Fire roast peppers before cutting into strips. Peppers should be cooked until tender and peeled. If you don't want to roast your own peppers, you can use a jar of roast peppers (drained).
Place walnuts in a food processor and chop until fine. Add peppers, bread crumbs, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt.
Blend until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil until blended. Place in a bowl and serve with lettuce leaves or pita wedges.
