Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Why I Love This Recipe
FEATURING: Red peppers and garlic.
A recipe you can easily double. It is great served with pita bread, chips, or crackers of your choice OR used as a dip for vegetables or sauce for pasta.
VARIATION: Make marinated peppers instead of a dip: stop after step 3 and cut the red peppers in long strips (let them sit a couple hours for the flavours to further develop).
Ingredients You'll Need
2 large red peppers, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1.5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1/2 lemon) or apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
A handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. With a small knife, cut around the stem of each pepper to remove it. Tip pepper over and tap to remove as many of the seeds as you can. Sprinkle a pinch of salt in the holes where you removed the stem. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 15-25 min, turning them halfway until they are blackened and blistered in a couple of places.
3. Remove the peppers from the oven, transfer them into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or put it in a paper bag. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, turn down the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a separate baking sheet and toast for 4-7 minutes,. Make sure to keep a close eye on them as they can burn easily. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
4. Peel the skins off the peppers and transfer them into the bowl of a food processor. Add in the garlic cloves, rest of the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and now-cooled walnuts. Process until smooth, but still chunky.
5. Taste for seasoning and add if necessary. Place the dip in a bowl and garnish it with fresh chopped parsley or coriander (optional) and a couple of walnut pieces.
