Muhammara is a middle eastern roasted red pepper and walnut dip. It's a rich, nutty, and sweet cocktail party offering that's both paleo and whole 30 compliant!
¼cunfiltered extra virgin olive oilplus extra for drizzling
Suggested Vegetable Accompaniments
1jicamapeeled and sliced into sticks
½lbradishesthinly sliced
1headcelerytrimmed and sliced into sticks
2cucumberstrimmed and sliced into sticks
Instructions
Heat the pomegranate juice in a small saucepan over high heat until it starts to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, swirling occasionally, until the juice reduces to a syrup, 10-11 minutes. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Final yield will be approximately 2 tbsp. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast, shaking frequently, until the walnuts are golden brown and extremely fragrant, 4 minutes.
Transfer the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor. Add the red peppers, pomegranate syrup, garlic, salt, and a pepper. Turn on the food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms. Flip the motor to continuous processing and slowly pour in the olive oil. Continue processing until the walnuts are pulverized and the dip is smooth. Add additional olive oil if the dip seems too thick. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl using a rubber spatula. Drizzle with olive oil and chopped parsley and serve immediately. Alternatively, place two tablespoons of dip into 12 individual plastic cups, and top with a small drizzle of olive oil and sliced vegetables of your choice. Muhammara can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up the 4 days.