Moroccan Harissa Recipes

MOROCCAN HARISSA ROAST CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Tear open the New Mexico and guajillo chiles and discard the seeds and stems. (You may leave the seeds in if you prefer a spicy harissa.) Tear the chiles into large pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over the chiles and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
• Put the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet and cook, swirling often, over medium heat, until the seeds are fragrant and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the spices to a blender and add the oil, garlic, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, then puree until smooth. Using tongs, add the chiles to the blender along with 1/2 cup of their soaking liquid (discard the rest) and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes on high. Season the harissa with pepper and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 3/4 cup of the harissa until each floret is evenly coated. Spread the cauliflower onto a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with a little more vegetable oil. Roast, tossing halfway through, until the cauliflower is tender and the harissa has begun to caramelize, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the remaining 1/4 cup harissa on the side for dipping.

MOROCCAN HARISSA CHILI PASTE RECIPE WITH FRESH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Wash both kinds of peppers. Discard all the seeds and white membrane inside the sweet red pepper and most of the seeds in the hot chili.
• Coarsely chop the sweet red peppers. Use gloves while chopping the hot chili peppers.
• Place all ingredients, except the oil, in a deep heavy-bottomed pot and add about 1 cup of water. Cover and let simmer for 15- 20 minutes.
• Blend all ingredients to a paste and transfer to a saucepan or frying pan. Place over medium heat and add the oil.
• Keep stirring until all the water has evaporated and the sauce looks like a thick paste. Set aside to cool completely.
• Place the harissa sauce/paste in sterilized jars and keep in the fridge for up to a few weeks.
• You could also freeze all or some of the harissa. Pour it into a Ziploc and flatten it so portions can be broken off. Or use ice cube silicone trays; when frozen, transfer the cubes to a plastic bag.

MOROCCAN SPICED LAMB WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or grill pan. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the bread into 1/4-inch thick slices. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and lightly grill on 1 side. Cool and store in a sealed container until ready to use.
• Combine the harissa, sour cream, half of the lemon zest, and half of the lemon juice in a small bowl.
• If more lemon is necessary, add the rest of the zest and or juice. Put into a squeeze bottle for easy assembly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat lamb racks generously with the spice mix, salt, and pepper. Be cautious with the pepper since there is pepper in the spice mix. There should be an even coat of spices around the lamb. Heat a couple tablespoons olive oil in a very large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add lamb racks and sear over high heat to form a crust on both sides. Remove from the pan, transfer to a baking dish and finish in the oven for 8 minutes or until medium rare. Remove from the oven and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
• Assembly: Slice the lamb into 1/4-inch thick slices as close to the bone as possible. Place a piece of lamb on top of a baguette slice. Add a drop of the harissa (remember it is spicy), and then finish with a thin julienne of dried apricot and a sprig of chervil. For additional seasoning, add a sprinkle of salt and a drop of extra-virgin olive oil.
• In a shallow saute pan, toast all of the spices over a medium heat. Allow to cool and then grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder.

MOROCCAN HARISSA

Steps:

• Mince the chillies, roast capsicums, preserved lemon and garlic by hand or in a food processor.
• Mix with the coriander (cilantro), cumin and salt until well combined.
• Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, then transfer to a preserving jar and cover with oil. Store indefinitely in the refrigerator.

MOROCCAN OLIVES WITH HARISSA RECIPE

Steps:

• Soak the olives in a bowl of water for a few hours or overnight; drain. (Or, if the olives are hard, soften them by soaking in boiling water for 15 minutes.) For better infusion of the marinade, make one or two small incisions in each olive (or gently crush them to crack the flesh of the olive).
• While the olives are soaking, make the harissa if it's not already prepared: Remove the seeds from the chile peppers then soak in hot water for a half hour or until tender enough to mash. Drain. Lightly toast the seeds in a skillet (just until fragrant) and grind them with a mortar and pestle. Add the softened chile peppers, garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil to the mortar and grind to a paste. Thin as desired with additional lemon juice and olive oil. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until needed.
• Seed the preserved lemon and cut it into thin strips.
• Combine the preserved lemon with the drained olives, parsley. lemon juice and as much harissa as desired.
• If you like, a little additional olive oil or garlic can be mixed in to the olives.
• Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours (overnight is best) before serving. The olives will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Leftover harissa may be stored in the fridge as well for use as a condiment with other foods.

HARISSA - MOROCCAN HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.
• Place over high heat and let the water come to a boil.
• Remove from heat and let sit for about an hour.
• Drain the chiles and place in a blender or food processor along with the salt and garlic.
• Blend the mixture and add the lemon juice, bit by bit, to keep the mixture moving. ( If the peppers don't seem to be blending, add additional lemon juice as needed.).
• Once the mixture is thoroughly blended, remove and place in a small glass jar.
• Stir in the cumin and smooth the mixture down.
• Pour enough olive oil over the "harissa" to completely cover the top.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Makes about 1/2 cup.