Recipes with Julie Van Rosendaal: Pepper-palooza

If you like peppers, these recipes may just hit the spot.

Muhammara

Muhammara is a wonderful Syrian dip — it's also very popular in Turkey and Lebanon — and it's one of my favourite things.

I fell in love with it at Aida's Bistro on Fourth Street S.W., and though I've never been able to make it quite as good as they do, it's still pretty delicious and simple to make in the food processor.

Make sure your walnuts are nice and fresh. They can go rancid easily on store shelves or in your pantry (keep them in the freezer, if you like).

Don't worry about being too precise with your measurements. It gets even better after a day or two in the fridge and is great served with torn pita or any other flatbread.

• 1 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped. Save one or two halves for garnish
• 3 roasted red peppers
• ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs, optional
• 2-3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• ¼ tsp cumin
• Pinch Aleppo pepper or other red pepper flakes
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup olive oil, approximately

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the walnuts, red peppers, breadcrumbs (if you're using them), pomegranate molasses, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt until well blended.

With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the mixture lightens and loosens to the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the salt and pomegranate molasses, if needed.

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If you have time, refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavours to develop. Serve in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil — and at Aida's they put a walnut half on top.

Serves: About 4.

• LISTEN | Julie Van Rosendaal talks peppers with the Calgary Eyeopener. 

Grilled corn, pepper and black bean salad with jalapeño dressing

Roasted peppers are delicious in a salad, and a slightly smoky, charred jalapeño makes a delicious addition to any dressing — finely chopped or blended in. While the grill is on, you can toss on whole cobs of corn, and grilled slabs of zucchini, roughly chopped once cool, are delicious, too.

I grill a bunch of peppers and jalapeños while I'm at it, to store in the freezer or in the fridge, covered with oil, to use within a week or two. Grilled jalapeños and other chiles and peppers also make a great starting point for pickled peppers.

• 2-3 ears of corn, husk and silk removed
• 2 bell peppers or 3-4 pimento peppers
• As many jalapeños as you like, but you'll only need 1-2
• 1 cup cooked black beans or kidney beans, or about a 14 oz can, drained
• 1 avocado, pitted and diced, optional
• Handful of chopped cilantro, optional
• ½ cup crumbled feta, Cotija or goat cheese

Grilled jalapeño-lime dressing:

• 1-2 grilled jalapeños, skinned and seeded or chopped fresh
• ½ bunch cilantro, I like using the stems
• ¼ cup each mayo and plain yogurt or sour cream, approximately — I add a couple big spoonfuls
• Juice of half a lime, or 1-2 tbsp
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• ½ tsp cumin, optional
• Big pinch of salt
• Crushed Hula Hoops, Doritos, or corn chips, for garnish

Preheat your grill to medium-high and grill the corn, peppers or pimentos and jalapeños directly on the grill, turning as necessary until charred — the peppers should be blistered and almost blackened.

Set the corn aside to cool and put the peppers and jalapeño in a bowl, cover with a plate or piece of foil and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skin with your fingers and discard along with the stems and seeds.

Roughly chop the peppers and cut the kernels off the corn; put both into a wide bowl with the black beans, avocado, cilantro and feta.

To make the dressing, blend the grilled, seeded and skinned jalapeño (or use a fresh one) along with the cilantro, mayo, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, cumin and salt until smooth.

Taste and adjust salt and lime juice if needed, or add more jalapeños, mayo or yogurt to your taste. 

Drizzle the dressing to taste, over the grilled veggies, and toss to coat. Crush as many Hula Hoops or other corn chips as you like, and sprinkle on top just before serving.

Serves: About 6.