Muhammara

3 medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup crushed walnuts

3/4 cup breadcrumbs blended with cold water to a purée

2 tablespoons paprika (or 1 teaspoon chili powder for a very hot muhammara) or 1 small can hot pepper purée

a pinch of ground cumin

salt

1 tablespoon pine nuts sautéed in a little oil

Using a deep skillet, sauté the onions gently in the oil until soft and golden. Add the walnuts, the breadcrumb purée, the pepper (chili or purée), the cumin and salt to taste. Continue to sauté gently on a low heat until the ingredients are well blended – about 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and garnish with pine nuts.

Muhammara is eaten as a dip with bread. It can also be used as a spicy dip with kebabs, grilled meats and fish. The Lebanese also eat it as a spread on toast.

Baba Ghannouj

1 large round eggplant 

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

3 oz., 4 Tbs. tahina

2 oz., 4 Tbs lemon juice

salt, red pepper

olive oil

chopped parsley

slices of red bell pepper to garnish

Cook the eggplant in a hot oven or on a fork over the flame of a gas stove. When it is well cooked through and the skin is blackened, douse with cold water, peel and chop into small pieces. Mash two or three cloves of garlic to a paste with about the same volume of salt. Add eggplant, mash to a smooth consistency and blend the tahina and lemon juice to make the Arab version of this dish; omit the tahina for the Turkish version. Serve in a bowl with little olive oil on top and garnish chopped parsley, Tomatoe  and a dusting of red pepper or sumac.

Hummus bi Tahina

125 g (4 oz) chickpeas, soaked for a few hours

juice of 2 lemons

3 Tbs. tahina

2 garlic cloves, crushed

saltGARNISH

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. paprika

a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

Drain the chickpeas and simmer in fresh water for about an hour or until tender. Reserve the cooking water.

Process the chickpeas in a blender (or food processor) with the lemon juice, tahina, garlic, salt and enough of the cooking liquid to obtain a soft creamy consistency.

Serve on a flat plate, garnished with a dribble of olive oil, a dusting of paprika (this is usually done in the shape of a cross) and a little parsley.

Serve with warm pita bread for dipping. Serves 4-6.