Homemade Harissa

Adapted from Amy Scattergood and Wednesday Chef

Which dried chiles to use? From Amy Scattergood: “Although you can make harissa out of virtually any dried chile that suits your personal heat index, most traditional harissas use chiles that are only about as hot as anchos or pasillas. Guajillo and New Mexico chiles, according to cookbook author Paula Wolfert, are the closest to the peppers of Nabeul and Gabès in Tunisia. Use one or both, or add a few chipotle chiles into the mix: The smokiness of the chipotles adds a terrific earthy note. Or, if you like more heat, add a generous handful of chiles de arbol or even some red-hot Thai chiles — the flavors will mellow a bit, though not that much.” For the total of 4 ounces dried chiles, I used a mix of 2 ounces negro, 1 ounce ancho and 1 ounce chipotle chiles.

My other changes were adjustments to personal taste; I used much less garlic than the 4 cloves originally recommended, as I didn’t want it to overwhelm (and a single clove of the stuff I get at farmer’s markets is usually quite strong). And I added a little cumin, because I love it here. Finally, Amy recommends only using half your roasted red pepper but I always use all of it. We already know I’m a wimp about heat, but the final harissa doesn’t suffer any mildness because of it, just an extra boost of flavor. The recipe below includes these adjustments.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

1 large red bell pepper

4 ounces dried chiles (see suggestions above)

3 sun-dried tomatoes, dry-packed

2 clove garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander (1 1/2 teaspoons seeds, toasted and ground)

1/2 teaspoon ground caraway (or 1 teaspoon seeds, toasted and ground)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or 1 teaspoon seeds, toasted and ground)

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for storage

Roast your red pepper: You can do so in a 350°F oven, turning it every 15 minutes for a total of 45 to 60, until it’s deeply roasted on all sides. Some people prefer to do this over a gas flame, but be sure you cook it long enough that’s it truly soft inside, so it will blend well. Set aside to cool — you can do this in a bowl with foil or plastic over it, but I find it’s just as easy to peel a well-roasted pepper even if it’s cooled right on the tray, without the added steam. Once cool enough to handle, peel and seed the pepper.

Meanwhile, place dried chiles and sundried tomato in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes, until well-softened. Drain and with gloved hands, if you don’t like living on the edge, remove the seeds and stems from the chiles. The sundried tomatoes can be used as-is.

Place roasted red pepper, rehydrated chiles, tomatoes, garlic, salt and spices in a blender or food processor with 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend until it becomes a thick paste; a little water may be necessary to help this along. Store in the fridge, topped with a thin layer of olive oil. Use on everything.

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