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Turkish Red Pepper & Walnut Spread

Prep Time:  25 minutes

     Cook Time:  10 minutess

     Serves:  6

This dip is also called acuka (pronounced ah-djoo-kah) and is frequently found on buffets and appetizer spreads in Turkey.

Ingredients

  • 2 large red peppers
  • ½ to ¾ tsp. cumin seeds
  • Scant ½ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup panko-style breadcrumbs
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 to 2 tsp. coarsely chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp. smoked or hot paprika or Aleppo peppers
  • ½ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Place red peppers on a hot grill near the flame (or under your oven’s broiler), turning occasionally, until all sides are charred and blistered. Remove to a covered bowl and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off skins (don’t worry about getting every bit of char off the flesh; a little is delicious). Now pull out the cores, scrape out the seeds, and coarsely chop.
  2. Toast cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet, shaking frequently, until fragrant. Then grind with a mortar and pestle or in a clean coffee grinder.*
  3. Combine all ingredients except olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processer. Use the pulse button to coarsely chop ingredients. Scrape down sides of work bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the olive oil in a slow stream while you continue to pulse the machine. You want to end up with a rough puree, not a smooth one. Makes 1 heaping cup.

Notes

Suggestions To give this an upscale Wisconsin spin, replace the walnuts with hickory nuts (and toast them a little in a hot oven to intensify the flavor). Serve as a spread with pita bread, crackers, vegetables, kebobs, etc. Tip: Although whole seeds provide the most robust flavor, if you don’t have a way to grind them, you can toast an equivalent quantity of pre-ground cumin—just watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.