The O-town Scene

May 19, 2011

The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY

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COOKS and BAKERS Do you have an incredible recipe you’d like to share? Be a Scene Local Eats contributor! E-mail Editor Cassandra Miller at editor@otownscene.com Local Eats Local Eats features spotlights of area restaurants and recipes by area residents. To contribute a recipe, e-mail editor@otownscene.com When you dip, I dip, we dip Right now many of us are feeling the springtime blues. Tired of rainy days, I find myself longing for shorts and sandals, road trips and long, humid nights. Food is always a seasonal indica- tor, and it’s been far too long since I have tasted garden fresh tomatoes or wondered what to make with a bag full of my parents’ zucchini. We are still weeks away from most fresh, local produce, so many of my menus this month re- volve around recipes that cross the divide between cold- and warm-weather dishes. Soups and cas- seroles are way off of my radar. Instead, simple meals that incorporate more vibrant colors and flavors help reflect the season’s mood. The recipe below is a traditional spicy Middle Eastern dip that is eaten with pita bread. It tastes fabulous alongside grilled zucchini, egg- plant, fish or kebabs, so it’s the perfect barbecue night dip. I have played with this recipe to add more color and texture. How much chili powder, 12 O-Town Scene May 19, 2011 or fresh chilies, can be adjusted to suit your own taste. _ Hope Von Stengel Muhammara Middle Eastern Dip INGREDIENTS 3 medium onions, quartered 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup olive oil + 1 Tb + 1 tsp 3/4 cup crushed walnuts 2 slices of hearty bread 1 Tb paprika 1 large red bell pepper, halved DIRECTIONS 1 fresh jalapeno (or any hot pepper), chopped and deseeded 1/4 tsp. cumin 1 tsp salt 1 Tb pine nuts dash oregano Coat onions and red bell pepper with 1/4 cup olive oil and cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn onion and pepper and cook another 20 minutes. Break bread into small pieces with a dash of dried oregano, and saute in skillet with 1 tsp olive oil until lightly toasted. Blend breadcrumbs with 1 or 2 Tb cold water and garlic clove in a food processor until pureed with cooled onion and bell pepper. Saute walnuts, jalapeno, salt and cumin for 3 minutes in 1/4 cup olive oil in large(ish) skillet. Add onion-breadcrumb mixture, stir well and saute on low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in paprika. Add more salt if needed. Remove from heat. Saute pine nuts in 1 Tb olive oil. Place dip in a bowl and garnish with pine nuts and dash of paprika. Enjoy! Hope Von Stengel has been a vegetar- ian chef, writer and cooking instructor for nearly 10 years. She can be found in the kitchen at My Father’s Place in Em- mons on Thursday nights and seasonally at a local yoga retreat.

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