Walnut Garlic Spread with Hot Sweet Peppers (Muhammara)
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
2 large sweet red peppers, roasted
1 Tbsp. water
2/3 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp. garlic
2/3 cup sourdough bread crumbs, toasted
2 medium red jalepenos, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Instructions:
Roast , peel and seed the red peppers and chop. In a food processor, grind the peppers and water to a paste and set aside.
Pound the walnuts with garlic, then stir in the bread crumbs and jalapenos. Continue mixing until all the ingredients are finely crushed and well mixed. Add in the red pepper paste and olive oil. Season with the cumin, red pepper flakes and lemon juice.
The whole dish can be made in the food processor if desired. Let the mixture stand in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Serve on pita points or crackers.
Recipe adapted from “Classical Turkish Cooking” by Ayla Algar.