Harissa

North African condiment of peppers and spices.

Harissa is a spicy North African condiment that is added to recipes and slathered on just about anything. This was my first time making it myself and it was well worth the effort. It is potent even though I used milder peppers. A little goes a long way. It perks up any dish. I slathered a bit of mine in a pita with a yogurt-lemon-garlic sauce to tame the heat in my chicken shawarma sandwich. The variety of chilies used gives it a more complex and satisfying flavor than choosing only one, in my opinion.

I placed them in tiny 4 oz mason jars with olive oil on top to preserve both the flavor and color. It is said to last 2-3 weeks in the fridge and can be frozen. It can also be canned but I don’t know if this particular recipe would be suitable for it. The recipes for canning I found didn’t excite me.

This is an adaptation of Suzy Karadsheh’s recipe on her website themediterraneandish.com. She is an Egyptian American and accomplished cook and businesswoman. Her recipes are a true Mediterranean delight.

My batch of harissa was made with the following ingredients.

4 Guajillo Peppers

4 Pasilla Peppers

3 Ancho Peppers

12 Chili de Arbol

12 oz Roasted Red Peppers

5 Tbsp Tomato Paste

8+ Garlic Cloves (I have a habit of adding extra garlic to almost everything.)

4 tsp Ground Coriander

4 tsp Ground Cumin

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Cayenne

1 Tbsp Salt

4 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4+ Tbsp Olive Oil

Remove any stems and seeds from the dried peppers. It’s easier now than after they are rehydrated.

Put the dried peppers in a heat safe bowl and pour boiling water over them until they are covered. Let sit for a half hour or more.

Drain the jar of roasted red peppers and take the excess moisture off of them and the other peppers.

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend well. Drizzle extra olive oil as it’s processing through the feed tube to create a paste.

Store in jars with olive oil on top.

Enjoy!