Pilpelchuma - Libyan Chili Paste

Spicy, garlicky pilpelchuma may be my new favorite condiment. From the Libyan Jewish tradition, it’s made with dried peppers, Aleppo pepper flakes and plenty of fresh garlic. 

Despite living right next door to Libya in Egypt, I must confess that I knew very little about its cuisine so when our Sunday FunDay host chose Libyan food as our theme this week, I had to resort to googling. 

I discovered that there is a lot of overlap in dishes from both countries, for example, hummus, shakshouka and couscous. Like Egyptians, Libyans are also fond of lamb, mutton and harissa. 

Discovering that pasta dishes were popular during my search also took me down the rabbit hole of Libyan history where I found out that Libya was an Italian colony for almost three decades starting in 1911, until the British took control during World War II. During that war the country was the center of various battles and control shifted between the allies and the axis forces several times, making it a very dangerous place for the local Jewish population. 

Jewish Libyans were persecuted, forced into labor, sent to concentration camps and killed outright. Those who could afford to emigrated. According to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, the Jewish population fell from 25 percent to now zero in current day Libya. 

Pilpelchuma, also called filfel chuma or maseer, is a recipe from the Jewish Libyan diaspora, those who survived the war and managed to make a life elsewhere, so I decided to make this spicy paste for my post. 

Pilpelchuma  - Libyan Chili Paste

This recipe is adapted from one on Lin’s Food but a simple search turns up myriad renditions. They all seem to have dried peppers, garlic and caraway though. You'll need a small processor and a way to grind the spices into a powder but this delicious paste is really easy to make.

Ingredients - makes 1 cup or 240ml 

15 dried red chili peppers, any sort 

1 1/2 teaspoons whole caraway seeds

1 1/2  teaspoons whole cumin seeds

15 medium-sized garlic cloves

1/3 cup or 80ml olive oil plus extra for covering before storage

1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper flakes or sub regular paprika (not smoked)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon white sugar

Method

Cut the dried chili peppers into 2-3 pieces and put them into a small heat resistant bowl. Cover them with boiling water then cover the bowl with a saucer and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. I got distracted by another project and mine soaked for a couple of hours. 

Toast the cumin and caraway seeds in a dry pan over a low flame. Shake the pan occasionally so they don’t burn and remove them from the stove as soon as they look a little darker and smell fragrant. 

Leave the seeds to cool for a few minutes then grind them to a fine powder in a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. 

Use tongs to remove the soaked chili peppers from the water, leaving any seeds that fall out behind. Put them in your food processor. Peel and trim the hard ends off the cloves of garlic. 

Put the garlic in the food processor with the chili peppers and half of the olive oil. 

Process for one minute, scraping down the bowl of the processor occasionally. 

Now add in the rest of the oil, the pepper flakes (or paprika), the ground spices, lemon juice, salt and sugar.

Process till smooth. 

Store in a sterilized jar, topped with a little more olive oil, in the refrigerator. Replace the oil each time you use a little of the pipelchuma so it stays fresh. This will last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Ideas to use pipelchuma: 

1. Toss with roast potatoes
2. Add a dollop to hummus, scrambled eggs or pasta
3. Thin with a little more oil and lemon juice for a spicy salad dressing
4. Stir through yogurt or sour cream to make dip or a topping for cooked fish
5. Marinate chicken, beef or lamb before grilling
6.  Stir through cooked greens, like collards, spinach or Brussels sprouts

Enjoy! 

One of the reasons I like to take part in group posts with a theme is the opportunity they often present to learn something new so many thanks to our host, Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures! Check out all of the Libyan recipes below. I'm looking forward to trying a few!

• Bureek Tajin from A Day in the LIfe on the Farm
• Ejja - Libyan Frittata from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Libyan Harissa Paste from Cook with Renu
• Libyan Lamb Stew with White Beans and Spinach from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Macroona Imbakbaka (Libyan Minestrone) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew from Palatable Pastime
• Mbakbaka (Spicy Libyan Pasta) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pilpelchuma - Libyan Chili Paste from Food Lust People Love
• Sharba Libiya - Libyan Mint and Lamb Soup from Pandemonium Noshery
• Tajin Sfinari bil Zaytun/ Libyan Lamb Casserole with Carrots and Green Olives from Sneha’s Recipe

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Brown Sugar Nectarine Muffins #MuffinMonday

These Brown Sugar Nectarine Muffins are the perfect snack or on-the-go breakfast, not too sweet and filled with healthy fruit. Your family will love them! 

Seasonal fruit-filled muffins are one of my favorite things to bake. I always feel just a little more virtuous when I know my ingredients are mostly sourced locally and I’m fortunate that my nearby grocery store proudly displays the origin of their produce. 

A couple of years ago, I ordered a box of Georgia peaches from the The Peach Truck – you’ve probably seen their ads on social media lately – and while the peaches were wonderful, they had come a good distance to get to me. Also, the minimum order is 25 lbs. I must have lost my mind to think three people could eat 25 lbs of peaches!

I made pie. I made jam. I made spicy chutney. We ate COUNTLESS peaches! Finally, I cut them off the pits and froze sliced peaches with a little sugar in Ziploc bags. I learned my lesson though. Never ordering from The Peach Truck again! At least not alone. Perhaps someday I’ll share a box. 

Besides, I really do prefer nectarines with their smooth skins. Just me?

Ingredients for 6 muffins

3/4 cup or 94g all purpose flour

1/4 cup or 50g brown sugar, plus extra for topping

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ripe but firm nectarine (about 6 oz or 170g whole)

1/3 cup or 80ml milk

1/4 cup or 57g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with baking cups or grease the pan with a little oil or butter.

Discard the pit from the nectarine and cut it into small pieces. Set aside six pieces to top the muffins. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir in the big pile of chopped nectarines and separate the pieces, coating them all with the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg and vanilla. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold until just combined. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Top each with the reserved piece of nectarine and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top of each muffin. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool. 

Enjoy!

It’s the last Monday of the month and that means it’s Muffin Monday! How is June almost over already? Check out the lovely muffins my blogger friends are sharing with you. 

• Brown Sugar Nectarine Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Sausage Pancake Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Sourdough Brownie Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Zucchini Carrot Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

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Summer Squash Gratin

This summer squash gratin with bacon elevates simple crookneck squash from fine to fabulous with a topping of Parmesan, breadcrumbs and pine nuts.

Crookneck yellow squash is one of the summer crops I most look forward to although, oddly, they’ve been turning up in my supermarket more often year round. I guess they are being shipping in from somewhere but I always think of them as a southern summer vegetable so I mostly wait for the appropriate season to buy. 

Like asparagus, it takes away from their specialness when they are available all the time! Ditto peaches, nectarines and watermelon. Those are never as sweet as the local summer ripened fruit. 

Summer Squash Gratin

You can substitute zucchini for the squash if you can’t get them. This is the perfect recipe for when there’s a zucchini glut!

Ingredients

3 1/2 oz or 100g smoked bacon

2.2 lbs or 1 kg crookneck squash

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 oz or 100g freshly grated Parmesan (or gruyere)

1/2 cup or 70g fresh breadcrumbs 

1/3 cup or 35g pine nuts

Canola or other light oil for greasing the casserole dish

Method

Remove the ends of the squash and slice them into circles. 

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy in a large skillet. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the rendered fat.

Brown the squash in the bacon fat. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. We want some nice color on both sides.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and lightly grease a casserole dish with oil. 

Once the squash has browned, tip all batches back into the skillet with the garlic and crispy bacon. 

Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese and breadcrumbs, then top the squash with them. 

Sprinkle on the pine nuts.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the gratin is well golden on top.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing fresh garden harvest recipes. Many thanks to our host, Renu of Renu Cooks. Check out all the lovely recipes below.

• Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Blender Salsa from Palatable Pastime
• Sweet and Spicy Rhubarb Chutney from Cook with Renu
• Caprese Skewers from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Fruit Salad with Rhubarb Syrup, Mint and Basil from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Baby Potatoes In Green Gravy With A Twist from Sneha’s Recipe
• Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Bruschetta from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Summer Squash Gratin from Food Lust People Love

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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