Roasted Bell Pepper and Lemon Confit Spread

Red bell peppers, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, lemon confit in salt, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

After you have removed it from the jar, decide for yourself how you’d like to prepare this. For instance, warming it very lightly in a sauté pan or microwaving on a low setting will bring a comfort-style to your palate. For refreshment on a hot day, serve cold. Both work wonderfully! This dish’s similarities to our roasted carrots and cumin spread find themselves in the culture and history of spreads as an appetizer or as an accessory to a main meal. Its Mediterranean spirit and flavor shine through a typical luscious texture from puréed hummus with a punch of acidity in the lemon confit.

While the origin of any type of spread is up for debate, one thing is for certain, each tasty ingredient provides a clue as to where the dish is from. It is well known, for instance, that for hundreds of years the Egyptian culture relished this form of cuisine. Concurrently, the Greeks and their venerable tzatziki are equally bound. And guacamole, that creamy delicacy, was birthed when the the Aztecs began crushing their native avocado. The Mediterranean world is infamous for their numerous spreads including: hummus, baba ganoush, and many others. The United States provided a “modern” contribution to the trend in the 1940s with the introduction of the potato chip, which served to literally “scoop” all variety of spreads. We also put our unique spin on the spread: our well-known “dip” which doubles as an ice-breaker at social gatherings and meals.

After you have removed it from the jar, decide for yourself how you’d like to prepare this. For instance, warming it very lightly in a sauté pan or microwaving on a low setting will bring a comfort-style to your palate. For refreshment on a hot day, serve cold. Both work wonderfully!

Toasted bread is one of our favorite ways to serve this dish, which also doubles as a dip. When we enjoy it as a dip, we use homemade fries or the aforementioned potato chips, and of course we include crudité in this lineup. It’s also fabulous when paired with an entree such as pasta, grilled fish or any poultry or meat of your choosing. Further, just a tablespoon in your salad dressing completely changes the scenario. If you have some fresh Burrata or quiche, spread this spread on top and experience an entirely different culinary journey. Its versatility is impressive!

Enjoy a Provençal rosé with this – perfect as a “middle man” with the creamy and citrus accents – or a cold Sauvignon blanc. Depending on when you start dipping or spreading, a cold gin cocktail is lovely, as is a return to France with our national Pastis!