Recipes Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Red Pepper Walnut Dip with Pomegranate Molasses {Muhammara}

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip with Pomegranate Molasses (Muhammara) is a versatile, savory-sweet dip that is delicious spread on pita, as a dip for veggies, or sauce for kabobs. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and… AMAZING!

Muhammara, or Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip with Pomegranate Molasses, originated in Aleppo, Syria, and its principal ingredients traditionally include red peppers, ground walnuts, breadcrumbs, spices, and olive oil. However, this recipe – inspired by popular local pub fare – omits the bread crumbs, and instead uses roasted carrots to thicken and extend the dip. Not only do the carrots keep this delicious savory-sweet dip gluten-free, but they give it a wonderful creaminess and infuse an earthy sweetness as well.

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Every year, our town hosts the Portland Book Festival [formerly Wordstock], a week-long literary celebration with a mission: to use the power of writing to effect positive change in people’s lives. Some years back, my sister-friend Dottie and I attended the annual Poetry Slam together, and afterwards decided to stop for a little late night nosh at the adjacent Bagdad Pub.

Dottie and I ordered something called “Three Faces of Eve,” [super-fancy hummus plate] and sat down to rehash the slam, poet by poet.

Forty-five minutes later, still no hummus plate. When we finally got our waitress’s attention and she (let’s call her Alice) went to check on our order, only to return frantic and apologizing all over the place. Alice said she had no idea what happened but the kitchen never got our order.

“Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” she asked us – at least seven times. In between apologizing, she kept up a steady train of chatter, trying so hard to be accommodating that it was driving us nuts. All either Dottie or I could think was, “It’s OK, we understand. Really. Just please stop talking.”

Finally, I told Alice what would really make me happy: I wanted the recipe for their roasted red pepper walnut dip. Which I love. LOVE. As in, I have been known to go to this pub solely for the walnut-pomegranate dip. (It is my favorite of Eve’s three faces.)

“Can you get the recipe for me?” I asked, smiling my best ‘you might just be able to salvage your tip’ smile.

“I dunno, but I’ll try.” She didn’t sound very confident, but it gave her something to do besides hover over us like a needy dragonfly.

Ten minutes later, Alice emerged from the back with a big grin, waving piece of white paper. My recipe! I was so happy I almost got misty. I had literally been wanting this recipe for years! I scanned it briefly before I returned to Dottie and our conversation, and it was a good thing I did! Because somewhere between the booth at the Bagdad and my front door, that little slip of paper completely disappeared.

Luckily, I have a knack for remembering printed text pretty well, so I wasn’t really panicked. I was pretty sure I had the complete list of ingredients memorized, including basic ratios. In the long run, losing it wasn’t entirely a bad thing, because it forced me to really work each this recipe out for myself, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results!

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip {Muhammara} is savory, sweet, smoky deliciousness! Spread on pita, dip in veggies, or sauce up kabobs! 🌻 #glutenfree #dairyfree #vegan #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #healthyrecipes #recipes Click To Tweet

5 from 6 votes

Muhammara (Red Pepper & Walnut Dip with Pomegranate Molasses)

Inspired by the Walnut-Pomegranate Dip on the "Three Faces of Eve" Plate at McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub in Portland, Oregon.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: appetizer, dip

Servings: servings

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound carrots peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1 large red pepper cored, seeded, and cut into eighths
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 cup walnuts about 4 ounces
1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sumac
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp regular red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 cup warm water

Instructions

Roast Vegetables

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cover a baking sheet pan with a Silpat mat or parchment paper and spread the prepared vegetables out in a single layer. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over vegetables and toss to coat. Season vegetables lightly with kosher salt and ground cumin.
Roast vegetable in preheated oven for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once vegetables are cool, remove peel from red peppers.

Toast Walnuts

Heat walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, or until nuts are golden brown and smell toasty. Walnuts burn easily in a skillet, so be sure to stir constantly to ensure even toasting until the nuts turn a rich, golden brown. Remove walnuts from skillet and set aside.

Prep Spices

In the same skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Turn off burner, add the cumin and paprika, and stir in hot oil until fragrant - just a few seconds. Allow to cool slightly.

Put it all together!

Put all ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Serve with warm pita triangles, celery sticks, carrot sticks, or whatever makes you happy.

Notes

As with many things, the flavors in this dip benefit greatly by having a little time to blend. It can definitely be eaten immediately after making it, but If you are making this for a party, I strongly suggest doing so a day ahead of time to allow the flavors to mingle and come together. Serve cold or at room temperature.

If you prefer your dips a little chunkier, reserve one carrot and a handful of walnuts until after you have mostly pureed the mixture, then throw the reserve nuts and carrot in and pulse for a few times to combine.

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Ingredient Notes:

Aleppo Peppers: Named after the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, Aleppo dried pepper flakes are traditionally used in Muhammara. Aleppo pepper flakes are about half as hot as crushed red chili flakes, and according to some, twice as flavorful. Aleppo pepper flakes can be found in specialty markets or online.
Carrots: Carrots are not a traditional ingredient in muhammara; however, this recipe uses carrots in place of breadcrumbs to thicken and extend the dip. For this recipe, I chose to roast the carrots before blending them into the dip, instead of simply boiling them as my original notes indicated. Not only do the roasted carrots pair perfectly with the walnut-pomegranate flavors to make this savory-sweet dip gluten-free, but they give it a wonderful creaminess as well.
Pomegranate Molasses: Probably the most unusual ingredient in this recipe, pomegranate molasses is a household staple in many Middle Eastern kitchens. It has a truly unique flavor, and can be used for glazes, salad dressings, and even barbecuing. You can find it at specialty stores or online. And before you even ask: no, here is no good substitute for it.

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Originally Posted June 2013.1

Old-Fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup {Slow Cooker}

June 6 By Renée ♥ 17 Comments

It may not be the prettiest of soups, but Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it’s delicious, too!

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup
[Look for my Sweet Skillet Cornbread and Pan-fried Maple Corn recipe later this month]

As you may have noticed, at least half the recipe content here on GHW is devoted to what I like to call “reasonably healthy and/or slightly lighter comfort food.” Within that category, if there is one thing I am known for making well, it is Soup.

When my kids were growing up, I made soup almost every week (Souper-Tuesday, anyone?!), and got quite adept at creating new and unique combinations. Soup – always an easy, economical way to repurposed leftovers – was also often the way I introduced new cuisines and foods to my kids.

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When you create a soup using the “handful of this, pinch of that” seat-of-your-pants method, you sometimes make a dud now and then, but the real problem arises when you make something wonderful, because it can be almost impossible to replicate it.

THEM: “Hey Mom, remember that new soup you made last month? The one with the eggplant and the weird licorice onions? Can you make that again?”

ME: “Um… Sure???”

So I’ve been working harder at documenting my soup recipes, starting with the traditional soups I’ve adapted from my mother’s kitchen.

Hearty, comforting, and always delicious, Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup has been one of my favorites since I was a child, when my mom used to make it for us in the week following every “ham holiday” (i.e., Easter, Christmas, etc.). I’ve made this particular soup four or five times a year for the last few decades, so I have this recipe nailed down pat!

I won’t call this recipe Completely fool-proof, because there is always that one cook… However, barring anyone who might try to substitute Skittles for split peas, this recipe is as close to fool-proof as you’re ever going to find.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup in a Slow Cooker

[Scroll down for ingredients and printable recipe]

1. Rinse peas and combine with remaining ingredients in slow cooker.

2. Give everything a quick stir, and then set slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4-6 hours. (I usually stir it about halfway through.)

3. After cooking for 4-6 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate to cool.

4. When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove any ham and return the meat to the soup. Discard the ham bone.

5. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

That is literally all there is to it! If you follow the directions and use the ingredients as directed, this recipe is virtually fool-proof.

IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTE: The type of ham bone you use will determine the underlying flavor profile of your soup. If you use a honey or glazed ham bone, your soup will be slightly sweeter. If you use a smoked ham bone (or ham hock), your soup will taste more smokey. Personally, I prefer my split pea soup on the sweet side, but it really is just a matter of personal preference.

5 from 1 vote

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it's delicious, too!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time4 hrs

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: split pea soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman