HARISSA
This fiery pepper paste from North Africa is stirred into seafood stews, soups, herb salads, and vegetable dishes; tossed with black olives; and used as an ingredient in sauces for brochettes, tagines, and couscous. We also love it as a sandwich spread; an addition to mayonnaise or hummus; or thinned with good olive oil to use as a topping for white-fleshed fish.
Toast in a small, dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan often to prevent burning, until very aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes:
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Transfer the seeds to a plate and let cool, then grind to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle or in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Transfer the ground spices to a small bowl and stir in:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons smoked hot paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated on a rasp grater
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
The harissa will be very thick and dry. To store, transfer the paste to a small jar and top with a thin film of:
- Olive oil
It will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 months.
When the pungent heat of harissa is stretched and bulked up with roasted pepper and tomato, the result is more of a dipping sauce or spread.
Prepare version I and transfer to a food processor. Add ½ cup drained jarred roasted red bell pepper and 1 canned whole tomato. Process until smooth.