Spicy Harissa

Harissa is North Africa's famous fiery condiment. At Savoy Peter Hoffman uses sweet, rich ancho chiles to make the paste less incendiary. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

Yield:
MAKES 3/4 CUP
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 4 ancho chiles

  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. In a small skillet, toast the cumin and coriander seeds over moderate heat, stirring, until the seeds are lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

  2. Put the chiles in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool. Remove the stems and scrape the seeds from the chiles. In a food processor, combine the anchos, parsley, cilantro, garlic and the toasted cumin and coriander seeds; process until smooth. Add enough of the olive oil to make a very loose paste.

Make Ahead

The harissa can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days.

Originally appeared: April 1997

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