Red Pesto

Over the last few months I have been making a 'killer' red pesto which I use more like a dip.  Spread on plain dry biscuits or slices of baguettes, it really is delicious - and oh so easy!  I like to use my own roasted peppers by putting slices of red pepper under the grill, blackening the skin, popping in a plastic zip top bag for 5 minutes and then peeling the skin off.

Ingredients
50g sun dried tomatoes
75g roasted peppers
50g blanched almonds (or plain cashews!)
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method
Put the tomatoes, peppers, almonds and garlic in a food processor and process to a paste.  Stir in the Parmesan and oil and season with salt.

It is still quite chunky but oh so delicious.  You should try it!

Harissa Spread

A pretty spicy but sweet spread to be used in recipes or in sandwiches. If kept in refrigerator, will keep for 3-4 days. (Looks like pumpkin soup doesn't it?)

*Taken from Karen Martini's 'Where The Heart Is'*

Ingredients
1 bulb garlic
1 large red capsicum
10 large red chillies (I used 8 medium-sized)
1 tbs cumin seeds
3 tsp caraway seeds
150ml tomato passata
5 pinches salt flakes
2 tbs castor sugar

1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil

Method
Preheat oven to 160C. Place garlic, capsicum and chillies in a baking dish and roast for 20 minutes. Remove chillies, place in a bowl, cover with plastic film and leave for 10 minutes. Continue roasting garlic and capsicum for a further 10 minutes. Place capsicum in a bowl, cover with plastic film and leave for 10 minutes. Remove seeds and skin from chillies and capsicum.

Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add cumin and caraway seeds and toast for 2 minutes. Grind the seeds in a mortar and pestle.

Squeeze garlic pulp out of skins and combine with capsicum, chilli, caraway, tomato passata, salt, sugar and olive oil in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Makes about 1 cup