Today is Progressive Eats Day and we’re celebrating all things citrus! I’ve made you some blood orange muhammara. It’s a Middle Eastern walnut dip that is hard to stop eating.
Instead of the usual one-two punch of lemon juice and pomegranate molasses, I’ve substituted blood orange juice and a blood orange reduction.
You may also enjoy my traditional Middle Eastern walnut dip recipe. For ease of browsing, you can find all my Appetizer Recipes in one place. Thanks for being here!
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Progressive Eats is one of my favorite times of the month. I try to think outside the box and really bring the theme home in new and delicious ways.
All these ladies push me to be better and more creative, and I love it! Thanks so much to Coleen for hosting this month and to Barb from Creative Culinary for coming up with this great concept.
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Progressive Eats Citrus Menu
Drinks
- Bubbly Blood Orange Campari Cocktail from Mother Would Know
Appetizers
- Muhammara with Blood Orange from Pastry Chef Online (you’re here!)
Bread
- Orange and Anise Scented Challah from OMG! Yummy
Main Course
- Chicken Milanese with Citrus Salsa from Healthy Delicious
Veggies/Side Dishes
- Citrus Salad with Honey-Tarragon Vinaigrette from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
- Lemon Rice – South Indian Rice With Lemon from SpiceRoots
Desserts
- Blood Orange Upside Down Cake from Creative Culinary
- Chocolate Hazelnut Orange Cake from Food Hunters Guide
- Meyer Lemon Mousse from The Redhead Baker
- Raspberry Topped Lemon Souffles from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Blood Orange Muhammara
This is the second time I’ve made muhammara. The first was from a recipe in Judith Finlayson’s most excellent and encyclopedic The Chile Pepper Bible.
The original version of muhammara gets tang and zing from lemon juice and pomegranate molasses.
What is Ras al Hanout
In this version, I subbed in blood orange juice and a blood orange reduction. I also added in some ras al hanout–a Moroccan spice blend that translates to “top of the shop.”
In other words, it’s a spice blend with all the best spices each individual spice shop carries.
The combination of slightly bitter, tangy blood orange juice and reduction along with the warm spices in the ras al hanout–mace, nutmeg, cardamom, saffron, ginger, turmeric, and more–really make this dip sing.
What’s in This Blood Orange Muhammara?
The base is:
- roasted red peppers
- toasted walnuts
- toasted pine nuts.
Think of it as a Middle Eastern pesto that uses peppers in place of herbs.
Other ingredients include:
- green onions
- 1 small spicy red pepper of your choice
- garlic
- blood orange juice
- blood orange reduction
- kosher salt
- ras al hanout
- cumin
- hot smoked paprika
- extra virgin olive oil
It has a bit of heat, a bit of smoke from the roasted peppers and the hot smoked paprika I decided to add, and it is decidedly more-ish. A wonderful appetizer before our citrus extravaganza!
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Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Blood Orange Muhammara Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz jar roasted red peppers , drained
- ½ cup walnuts , toasted
- ½ cup pinenuts , toasted
- 4 green onions , white and part of the green. I settled on about 3″ pieces
- 1 small spicy (or not so spicy) red pepper of your choice, seeded and cut into strips. Original recipe calls for finger peppers, but use what you can find. I used something called a Fresno pepper which wasn’t especially hot.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons blood orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons blood orange reduction (see notes)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ras al hanout
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika (to taste, or use 1/4 teaspoon cayenne)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of your food processor.
- Put on the lid and pulse until the consistency of chunky salsa.
- With the processor running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream until pureed. There will still be some texture from the nuts. You can leave it chunkier if you want, but I like it smooth. Your call.
- Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or so for the flavors to develop.
- Enjoy and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
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And there you have it friends.
Thanks for spending some time with me today. Enjoy the blood orange muhammara. Have a lovely day.
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I cannot wait to try this. Just at the moment when I’ve become a bit tired of hummus, you show me the way to a new and incredibly delicious-looking alternative. I have raz al hanout and most of the other ingredients – so what am I waiting for:)?
You’re going to love it! The first time I made it, I roasted my own peppers, but plopping in a jar of fire-roasted guys made really quick work of this dip. Delicious!
I’ve made muhammara before, but it’s been years. This is such a beautiful color, makes me want to dip ALL THE THINGS in it! I bet the blood orange flavor is really nice with the red pepper.
It really is so sunny and lovely! And now that I’ve made both the “original” with Pom molasses and this version, I would recommend either or both. So good!
What a great spin on the traditional recipe. So smart Jenni! So smart to sub in that orange reduction for the pom molasses. And Ras el Hanout is one of our favorite Tasting Jerusalem monthly ingredients. Versatile, exotic, and yet totally approachable to use in so many things.
Thanks, Beth! And welcome to the group–so great to have you in Progressive Eats!
I had gotten the ras al hanout for an egg dish awhile ago–I’m glad I brought it out for this–turned out so well. =)
I have that cookbook too, and really love it! Great addition of the ras-el-hanout. I add it to a LOT of things!!
Judith pretty much wrote a delicious encyclopedia, right?! And I am glad I remembered I had some ras al hanout. I really should break it out more often–so versatile and complex!
I’m with Theresa–this is a dip I’ve never experienced before! The color is spectacular and I’m sure the taste matches its beautiful appearance! Thank for the introduction.
Believe me, the first time I had it, which was only a few months ago, I could not stop eating it. When the opportunity came up to review Judith’s book and muhammara was one of the recipes I could make for it, I abandoned all thoughts of featuring a dessert–so good, Liz!
I’ve never heard of this but it sounds amazing
I had never heard of it before I saw it at a local Mediterranean Deli and ordered it–I quickly realized it was the best thing ever! Both Judith’s original and this blood orange version are really good, Theresa! Totally worth making!
Jenni!! I love this! Oh how much I love this. I can’t wait to try it.
You are going to be so happy, Ansh! =)