Red pepper paste

Red pepper paste comes in spicy and sweet (also labeled mild) varieties. It is used, much like tomato paste, to add depth to various dishes and sauces, as well as to make muhammara (walnut and pepper dip). You can make your own from roasted red peppers (either sweet or spicy, depending on the recipe): puree in a blender and then cook slowly in a nonstick skillet, until a paste forms.