Three Chile Harissa Recipes

HOMEMADE 3-CHILE HARISSA

Steps:

• Place árbol, guajillo, and ancho chiles in a large heatproof measuring glass. Pour boiling water over to submerge, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until chiles are very pliable and cool enough to handle, 15-20 minutes. Drain; remove stems and seeds and discard (wear gloves for this part if you have them).
• Toast cumin and coriander in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing constantly, until very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add garlic, and pulse until spices are broken up and garlic forms a paste. Add chiles and pulse until chiles form a coarse paste. Add lemon juice, vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, and salt and process until mostly smooth but mixture still has a little texture. With the motor running, stream in ½ cup oil. Process until oil is incorporated.
• Transfer harissa to a bowl. Pour remaining ¼ cup oil over top.
• Harissa can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill.

THREE-CHILE HARISSA

Steps:

• Place guajillo and chipotle chiles in a large heatproof bowl and pour in boiling water to cover. Let chiles soak until softened, 40-45 minutes; drain.
• Grind nigella seeds and coriander seeds in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a food processor and add garlic, cumin, salt, and Aleppo pepper and pulse until garlic is very finely chopped. Add chiles and pulse until they are chopped. Add oil and vinegar and pulse just until incorporated (mixture should have the texture of a coarse paste).
• Harissa can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

HARISSA

Steps:

• Break up chili peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and discard. Wear disposable gloves if working with medium-hot or hot peppers.
• Place chili peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well, then dab dry with paper towels.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over very low heat and cook garlic until soft but still pale, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to the food processor together along with the chili peppers.
• Toast caraway seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds in the skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Crush them in a mortar and add to the food processor. Process while slowly adding remaining olive oil, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Season with salt.
• Spoon harissa into a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil so the surface is covered and the harissa won't dry out. Seal and refrigerate.

HARISSA AND WHITE BEAN CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and diced jalapeño, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just start to soften in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, 6 to 7 minutes, lowering the heat if the onions threaten to burn. Stir in the harissa, cumin, oregano and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pot, until combined, about 1 minute.
• Add the white beans and broth, season with salt, and raise the heat to bring it to a gentle boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then cook until the broth thickens and the beans become soft and creamy, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes. Smash any remaining whole tomatoes against the side of the pot. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted. Squeeze in the lime halves, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls and top each with a spoonful of yogurt, followed by the avocado, cilantro, feta and jalapeño rounds. Serve with the lime wedges.