As the world slowly begins to return to a new sort of normal this last week has seen a flurry of catering and special event inquiries hit our kitchen. As a growing social enterprise this is great news but in all honesty it has come as a bit of surprise. After nearly a year and a half of little to no large group gatherings which pre-pandemic had kept us quite busy with catering orders, it was a little surprising to suddenly see a number of requests all at once! So, as with many businesses during the pandemic who were forced to pivot (us included!) this forced me to revisit this type business on the fly and update our “old” style model of catering and offerings. While most of these gatherings are still happening outdoors, the fact is they are beginning to actually happen again! So, from buffet offerings to catering platters of food, it was time to put pen to paper and start planning.
This led me to look at some recipes that had sort of gotten shelved for a while. When digging for ideas I came across one for one of my favorite dips/spreads that we were doing which I am definitely planning to offer again on our newly updated cold catering items menu. Its for a wonderful Syrian dip called muhammara which is a roasted red pepper spread that includes a bunch of wonderful flavorings such as pomegranate molasses, toasted walnuts, Aleppo pepper, and toasted bread crumbs. It has so much versatility and I have found it pairs wonderfully as a sauce for grilled meats, fish, vegetables or as a chip dip! It’s a truly amazing sauce! It require a little bit of effort, especially in the fire roasting of the peppers, but its totally worth it and once made it freezes beautifully so you can make a big batch and put some away for later use. We hope you enjoy!
Makes About 2 Cups
Unit Specification Ingredient Notes
1 Cup Walnuts
3 Red Bell Peppers
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder
1 Tablespoon Tahini
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
½ Cup Bread Crumbs Toasted
Salt To Taste
Method
1. In a dry saute pan or in a hot oven toast the walnuts until golden brown. Set aside to cool
2. Using a long pair of tongs, place the bell peppers over a hot flame on the stove and char until blackened on all side. Place peppers in a mixing bowl and cover to steam the skin loose
3. When cool enough to handle remove the skin from the charred peppers and set aside
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt.
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