Harissa

By Brenda Langton

This is a spicy emulsified Moroccan harissa sauce is made from a few simple ingredients. Often it is made dry, but here is the creamy version. It’s a great condiment that can really elevate a dish. Use harissa on fish, sandwiches, stews, roasted potatoes and grilled portabella burgers. This sauce will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. Yield: approx. 1 quart. Photo credit: evenfallrestaurant.com.

Ingredients

4 Medium fresh red bell peppers (OK to substitute jarred peppers, but rinse first)
15 medium cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons ground caraway
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons chili pepper flakes (or less, to taste)
2.5 cups sunflower, olive or grape seed oil

Instructions

Cut peppers in half, remove seeds, place on an oiled sheet tray, not too crowded.

Put in broiler for 5-6 minutes, turning and moving peppers as needed to cook all of them. Skins should be about 70-80% blackened. Next, shut off the broiler and put the tray in the oven for 4-5 minutes to continue cooking (sometimes the bottom part of the pepper doesn’t always cook through with the broiler method).

Place peppers in a container with lid to steam the skins off of the flesh. Peel after a few minutes when cool.

With skins and seeds removed, place peppers in a blender. Add all other ingredients except oil. Blend on low to medium speed. When smooth, add the oil drizzled in slowly.