Butterbeans with red pepper - Muhammara
Muhammara is a spicy Levantine dip (which includes modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel, and sometimes parts of southern Turkey), made from red peppers and walnuts. It’s as lovely spooned into a cheese sandwich or served with grilled meat as it is as a dip.
Serve 6 /8
Ingredients
5 (850 g) red peppers or capsicums, quartered, seeds and stalk discarded (I have left the skins on the peppers for ease, but remove them if you don't like the texture)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
8 garlic cloves, peeled
8 picked thyme leaves
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
¾ tsp chilli flakes
¾ tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp walnut halves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
For the mash:
100 ml Olive oil
1 garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
2 X 400 g tin of butterbeans, drained and rinsed (475 g)
Method
Serve 6 /8
Ingredients
5 (850 g) red peppers or capsicums, quartered, seeds and stalk discarded (I have left the skins on the peppers for ease, but remove them if you don't like the texture)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
8 garlic cloves, peeled
8 picked thyme leaves
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
¾ tsp chilli flakes
¾ tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp walnut halves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
For the mash:
100 ml Olive oil
1 garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
2 X 400 g tin of butterbeans, drained and rinsed (475 g)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.
- Mix the peppers and oil and spread out on a large parchment lined baking tray.
- Roast for 15 minutes, and then add the garlic.
- Continue to roast for 15 minutes, until the skin of the peppers is soft and starting to blacken and the garlic is golden-brown.
- Place the peppers in a food processor, along with the garlic, thyme leaves, paprika, chilli flakes, vinegar, walnuts and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.
- To make the mash, put the oil into a small saucepan and place on a medium heat.
- Once hot, add the garlic clove and thyme sprigs and fry very gently for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic starts to caramelise.
- Discard the garlic, and set the sprigs of thyme aside, along with 2 teaspoons of the oil.
- Pour the remaining oil into a food processor with the butterbeans, 1 tablespoon of water and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Blitz until completely smooth, adding a little more water if you need to.
- Spread out on a large platter or a few plates, creating a natural rim around the edge, and spoon the red pepper sauce into the centre.
- Top with the crispy thyme springs and their oil.