Pomegranate, Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip / Muhummara

From Amy Riolo’s. The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook 

“This piquant sweet and sour dip has origins in Persia and is now popular across the Middle East and in Turkey.  Recently touted as a ‘beauty dip’ by American magazines for the skin enhancing qualities found in its three main ingredients - red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate - this recipe is quick to become a favorite of those who try it for the first time.”

Pomegranate juice and seeds were used in natural medicines for curing a wide variety of ailments; they appeared in records back to 1550 BCE.  They made their way to America with Spanish settlers in 1769, and are now grown in California and Arizona.  

INGREDIENTS: 

7 oz roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs or almond flour

1/3 cup walnuts

4 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

4 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (I used ~2)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt

1/4 cup EVOO

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the all the ingredients except the oil.  Pulse on and off until a thick paste forms.  Then, gradually pour EVOO into the running food processor.  Taste the purée and adjust the salt as needed.  Serve at room temperature. 

middle eastern syrian salad

https://thelemonbowl.com/syrian-salad/

Middle Eastern Syrian Salad
This flavorful Middle Eastern Syrian Salad is dressed with lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil and mint.

Course: SaladCuisine: Lebanese, middle eastern, syrianKeyword: how to make a lebanese saladPrep Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 10 minutesServings: Calories: 120kcalAuthor: Liz DellaCroce

Ingredients
6 cups romaine chopped
1 large tomato chopped
4 white radishes thinly sliced
1 red pepper diced
1 peeled cucumber chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint or 2 tablespoons dried mint
1 lemon juiced
2 cloves garlic grated/crushed
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons za'atar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Place your salad ingredients of choice in a large bowl.
Add fresh herbs.
Squeeze juice of one lemon around the bowl, carefully holding your opposite hand underneath to catch the seeds.
Grate garlic directly over the salad using a microplane.
Drizzle olive oil around the edge of the salad (this will help ensure the salad is dressed evenly as you toss.)
Using, hands, gently toss the salad together. Sprinkle with zaatar, salt and pepper to taste.