Spanish Missionaries brought pomegranates to California over 200 years ago. Today they are grown mostly in Southern California’s San Joaquin Valley. An inspiration for poets and painters alike, pomegranates symbolize fertility, abundance, and prosperity in Chinese, Greek, Persian, Roman, and Hebrew lore. In Christian art they often appear as a symbol of hope.
Muhammara is a classic Syrian and Turkish spread that is delicious on toasted flat breads or when used as an accompaniment to salads.
Ingredients:
• 2 red peppers, roasted and peeled
• 1 cup rustic bread, lightly toasted, shredded
• 2 small cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses*
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Place the roasted peppers bread, garlic and walnuts in a food processor or blender and pulse a few times until integrated. Add the remaining ingredients and process until relatively smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and lemon juice as necessary. Makes about 2 cups.
*You could also use Kumquat Ginger Syrup from La Vigne Products. This specialty company’s organic and biodynamic citrus grove in Southern California is also the source of wonderful Preserved Morrocan Lemons for your next cous cous.