Red Pepper and Walnut Dip with Fennel Spears

Muhammara, a Middle Eastern dip with a spicy kick, is traditionally served with pita bread or roasted meats, but Chris Hanna likes it with the crunch of fennel.

Red Pepper and Walnut Dip with Fennel Spears
Photo: © Ngoc Minh Ngo
Total Time:
25 mins
Yield:
2 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 medium red bell peppers

  • 3/4 cup walnuts (3 ounces)

  • 1/4 cup crushed whole-wheat crackers

  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

  • Fennel bulbs, cored and cut in wedges

Directions

  1. Light a grill. Grill the red bell peppers over moderately high heat, turning with tongs, until they're blackened all over. Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and let them cool completely. Peel the peppers and discard the skins, seeds and cores. Coarsely chop the peppers.

  2. In a food processor, combine the peppers, walnuts, crushed crackers, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, cumin and Aleppo pepper and process until fairly smooth. With the machine on, add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and process until creamy. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the parsley. Serve the dip with the fennel wedges.

Make Ahead

The Red Pepper and Walnut Dip can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 days.

Related Articles