Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Spread)
A delicious rich red pepper spread with walnuts and a hint of spiciness. Make this
the day before serving to allow the flavors of the spices to mix. Stir well before serving.
Makes 1 cup or more
Ingredients
2 to 3 whole roasted peppers (from jar or roasted yourself)
2/3 cup bread crumbs (see below to make your own)
1 cup walnuts, toasted
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons clover agave nectar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more for added spice)
Directions
In a blender or food processor, combine the peppers and all the remaining ingredients. Taste, and add more spice or salt as necessary.
- Garnish with toasted pine nuts
- To toast walnuts, just place them on a toaster oven tray and toast for 5 minutes; watch closely or they will burn.
- Serve with pita triangles, fresh bread, crackers, chips, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, etc.
To roast your own pepper: Heat the oven to 525 degrees (or use your broiler if you have one). Place peppers on an oiled cookie sheet. Roast on the highest rack for about 30 minutes or until they turn completely black. It's not necessary to turn them. Remove them from the oven, and put them in a paper bag right away. Let them cool before handling them. The blackened skin will then just peel off after only about 10 minutes in the bag. Roasting peppers over an open flame is also a great way to do it (and you don’t need any oil). Use your gas range or grill. Use tongs and just turn over an open flame for about 10 minutes until charred. Proceed as above.
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Elegantly Simple Stuffed Bell Peppers
Use any combination of peppers for this elegant but simple recipe. It’s very versatile:
the flavor will change depending on which herbs and spices you choose.
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
1 cup water
6 bell peppers, preferably a variety of colors
Water or vegetable stock, for sautéing
2 medium-size yellow onions, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
One 16-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raw almonds, finely chopped or slivered
2 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice (or other grain, such as quinoa)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons raisins
2 to 3 tablespoons ground almonds
3 tablespoons oil, for brushing and oiling baking dish
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped mixed fresh herbs, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil 1 cup water to pour around peppers in pan.
Halve peppers lengthwise, leaving stems intact. Scoop out seeds. Brush cut sides with 1 tablespoon oil, place them cut side up in a shallow, lightly oiled baking dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, until the peppers are softer and easily pierced with a fork but still have their shape.
Heat a few tablespoons of water or stock in a large soup pot. Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes over medium heat, until onion becomes translucent. Add tomatoes and raw almonds, and sauté for another minute or two. Remove pan from heat and stir in rice, mint, parsley, basil, and raisins. Season well with salt and pepper, then spoon mixture into the peppers still on the baking sheet.
Pour 2/3 to 1 cup boiling water around the peppers, just enough to touch the base of each so they don’t burn. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Sprinkle ground almonds on top. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serve garnished with fresh herbs, if desired.
Compassionate Cooks Tip
When choosing peppers for this dish, look for full ones with a deep cavity to stuff.
*Oil-free, wheat-free, soy-free
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Decadent Chocolate Truffles
These are so much fun to make (kids can get involved), and when you coat the
truffles in a variety of ingredients, they become a beautiful, delicious dessert.
Yield: 50 to 60 truffles, or servings
Ingredients
1 8 ounce container nondairy cream cheese
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 cups nondairy semisweet or dark chocolate chips (or any high-quality chocolate), melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ingredients for coating truffles (see below)
Directions
In the large bowl of a food processor, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until well blended. Add melted chocolate and vanilla and stir until thoroughly combined.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. The longer you refrigerate the batter, the easier it will be to roll into perfect balls. However, it will definitely require elbow grease to scoop them out.
Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate again if the batter is too soft, especially if your kitchen is warm. Use a strong spoon or melon baller to create uniform sizes.
Once rolled, either send balls back to fridge or coat in any of the following:
* Finely ground nuts (pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds)
* Sifted cocoa powder
* Toasted or raw coconut
* Sifted confectioners' sugar
* Candy sprinkles (the sparkly kind)
Serving Suggestions and Variations
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To create a hard chocolate shell, refrigerate rolled truffle balls for at least 30 minutes (longer is fine, too). Melt some nondairy chocolate, either a good quality chocolate bar or chocolate chips, and dip each ball into the chocolate. Return to the refrigerator and let set for at least 1 hour.
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To change the truffle flavor, omit the vanilla and replace it with 1 tablespoon of another flavor. You can even get several flavors out of one batch by dividing the truffle “batter” into thirds when you first combine the ingredients, and then adding 1 tablespoon of whatever flavor you want to each mixture.
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For an elegant dinner party, prepare the truffles with the melted dark chocolate coating, then buy some edible gold and silver powder from baking specialty shops and dust over.
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For grown-up parties, add 1 or 2 tablespoons Kahlúa, Grand Marnier, cherry brandy, or another liqueur.
