Muhammara

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6
2. Put the peppers on a baking tray, drizzle with half the oil and roast for 20 mins
3. Carefully turn each pepper over, putting a crushed garlic clove under each one
4. Add the walnuts to the tray and return to the oven for another 10 mins, then remove and leave to cool
5. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, pull out the stalks and seeds (don’t worry if a few remain)
6. Peel the garlic
7. Reserve a handful of the walnuts, then tip everything else from the tray, including the juices and remaining olive oil, into a food processor
8. Add the pomegranate seeds, if using, the sugar, cumin, chilli and lemon juice, and blitz until it’s in between chunky and smooth
9. To serve, chop the reserved walnuts and sprinkle over, with a few pomegranate seeds if using