Donna Deane's Muhammara

It takes a particular breed of nut to roast peppers when it's 93 degrees out and humidity hangs in the air like the fug in the monkey house at the zoo. Am I such a nut? Apparently, dear reader, I am.

Here's the thing. I wanted to get rid of some walnuts that have been cluttering my pantry for far too long. Because, oof, I hate food clutter. I have a quarter cup of Arborio rice just sitting in the cupboard - it's been there for months - but I simply haven't been in the mood for risotto (who is, in the summer?) and haven't yet gotten around to insalata di riso (oh, but I should, if only for your sakes' - you must be told about insalata di riso) and so the rice sits there, irritating me to no end, staring at me every time I open the door like it's taunting me or something.

Anyway, the walnuts. I found a recipe in my file that combines walnuts and my new love, Aleppo pepper (I just like repeating Aleppo, Aleppo over and over in my head, it's quite addictive), and bread crumbs and red peppers  into a Middle Eastern condiment (huh, yeah, more on that in about a minute) which works well as a dip or a sandwich spread or simply as something you dip the end of your roast lamb kebab into as you eat. Just the ticket, I thought. Along with some cold cucumber spears, warmed pita bread, and perhaps a salad, I suddenly couldn't imagine a better summer dinner.

But about 15 minutes into roasting the peppers, I questioned my sanity. Who turns the oven on in weather like this? Come on now. I couldn't back out, though: we were hungry and there wasn't much else to eat in the house, and those darn walnuts were sitting on the counter looking so pleasingly doomed, so I gritted my teeth, mopped my brow and waited it out.

I'm glad I did. The muhammara, as the concoction is called, is like an Arab version of romesco - rusty-red, full of warmth from the pepper and spice and body from the nuts. We dipped our cucumbers into it, spread it on chewy pita, Ben might have even taken his fork to the stuff, though I'm not entirely sure (what I do know is he said, "oh my God, this is good" about five times), when suddenly it was gone. Gone. We ate an entire batch of this stuff for dinner. A condiment! For dinner. Am I the only one slightly shocked, appalled, impressed by this?

I read, the day after this astonishing display of gluttony, that Donna Deane - she of the apricot tart, the curried chicken salad, this muhammara (and countless other recipes that I haven't made my way through yet) - had been let go from the LA Times. I know I won't be the only one to miss her recipes.

Muhammara
Makes 2 1/3 cups

3 large red bell peppers
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1. Roast the red peppers on a rack over the burner on a gas stove or on a grill until blackened and blistered all over, about 10 minutes. Once they are roasted remove them from the rack to a paper bag and let stand until they are cool enough to handle.

2. Remove all the charred skin from the peppers, and remove the stems and seeds.

3. Combine roasted peppers, garlic, crushed cumin seeds, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses in a food processor and process until almost smooth. Add the walnuts and bread crumbs and process until chunky smooth.

4. Add the salt, Aleppo pepper and olive oil and process just until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Comments

[Sylvie]

What a wonderful dip and I agree with you Aleppo Pepper is wonderful. I sprinkle it on just about anything.

[Jennywenny]

How strange, I just tried making a version of this at the weekend and we had a similar experience, except maybe we made a bigger batch and we managed to last two days! I was much lazier though, I used jarred roasted peppers and didnt toast the walnuts, or bother with adding bread. The combination of the roasted peppers with the spices and walnuts is just wonderful though!

[jenny]

donna deane let go from the times??? noooooo!!! how sad is that?

on another note, I admire you for turning on your oven in 93-degree heat. I did the same last weekend when I was absolutely pining after an allegedly lovely peach cake. alas, my results were not quite so stellar as yours. in fact, this is the second confection I've made from this author that has not turned out properly. then again, I have extraordinarily high standards when it comes to baked goods ...

[deb]

This combines almost all of my favorite ingredients, and I can't wait to try this Aleppo stuff--I have to make it, um, when it's less hot out. You're a more dedicated person than me!

Also, 28 years? Ouch. I hope it was at least a generous buy-out, but when is it ever?

[Mercedes]

I like the comparison of muhammara to romesco- I'd never thought of that before. Aleppo pepper is wonderful stuff, isn't it? I used to go to this one restaurant in Damascus repeatedly just because they had such amazing muhammara, so I can totally believe you made a meal of it.

[Alexa]

This sounds like the stuff a friend's mom (she was from Tunisia) use to make when I was a teen in France. We would have it for the 4 o'clock snack with some homemade bread and we couldn't stop eating it until it was either gone or dinner time 3 hours later...
I'm going to try this recipe.:-)

[Mary Coleman]

Oh this sounds absolutely perfectly fabulous.
Got to make this asap!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

Muhammara was the first thing I made when I bought my first bottle of pomegranate molasses. I had no idea how to use the syrup, and I asked the owner of our local Lebanese market, who gave me a recipe for his mother's muhammara. I've been smitted ever since.

[Honeybee]

I can very much relate to the food clutter problem. I personnally have a awkward amount of barley in my cupboard and it bugs me every I see it. I suppose I should combine it with other grains and maybe make a salad but I have been too lazy to cook several grains in one go.

[Kathy Casey]

This sounds divine! Thanks!

[Alexa]

Just made it today. It's sooo good. Thank you so much for this great post.

[kickpleat]

wow, this sounds amazing!

[E for KC]

Wow this sounds fantastic! My husband is much of a walnut eater-I always have to hide them in things. This sounds like the walnut flavor might be subtle-just what I need.

[EB]

"fug in the monkey house at the zoo"? okay.... still chuckling....

[Anne]

I'm anti-food clutter as well. One of my favorite things about moving is the absolutely bare pantry and fridge. Glad you got rid of those walnuts in such a delicious sounding way.

[Rockandroll]

This was on Chocolate and Zucchini in April.

[Luisa]

Mercedes - it is SO wonderful. I keep itching to dump it in everything I make.

Alexa - you wasted no time! I love it. Glad you enjoyed it too!

Rockandroll - indeed! Her recipe uses cashews along with walnuts, and chile instead of (my glorious) Aleppo pepper. Have you tried it?

[shira]

Just wanted to let you know how much I like the new banner on your sight. And despite the fact that my Paris market is full of beautiful things, suddenly what I really want is a food processor to make that muhamarra. (You haven't tried it in a mortar and pestle, have you?)

[shira]

That would be site, sorry. These days, I still can't speak (much less spell)in French, and appear to be losing English literacy as well.

[Luisa]

Shira - thank you so much! I finally got down to brass tacks... :) And would you believe me if I told you I don't own a mortar and pestle? It's a source of some shame for me. But I imagine muhammara would actually work quite well pounded by hand. It'd be rougher and chunkier, but there's nothing wrong with that. If you try it, let me know!

[jean]

If you should ever be driven to make muhammara in very hot weather again, please be advised that it is also delicious made with roasted red peppers in a jar (you can get these at middle eastern stores and some supermarkets). What's more they come deseeded and peeled!

[Julie]

Love the new banner and picture! Very nice.

[Oakley Rhodes]

Oh, I'm going to try this tonight!

[Lindy]

Gorgeous. And far saner than this hot jam!I think I've lost my mind entirely.

[Haley]

We'd like to invite you to participate in our July berry recipe contest. All competitors will be placed on our blogroll, and the winner will receive a fun prize! Please email me, haleyglasco@gmail.com, if you're interested. Feel free to check out our blog for more details: http://blog.keyingredient.com/2008/06/06/key-ingredient-cooks-kitchen-recipe-contest/

[jdg]

my wife has been craving this since we moved away from san francisco and that place on clement street that had the most amazing muhammara. you'd think we'd be able to find something to do it justice here in detroit among the largest middle eastern population outside of the middle east, but as of yet no such luck.

looking forward to trying this, although pomegranate molasses will take a trip to a specialty food store. . .that probably already has premade muhammara.

thanks!

[Luisa]

Jim - which place is that? I'm planning a trip to SF this fall and am collecting restaurant tips - I've got your Top Ten Things list bookmarked already :). In any case, I think pomegranate molasses is a good thing to have in your pantry - I use it s p a r i n g l y, like half of what a recipe usually calls for (because it can tip a recipe to cloyingly sweet in a flash), but a little bit here and there is wonderful. Enjoy!