Harissa recipes

Rose Petal Harissa

This is rich-tasting and mighty spicy, so use it sparingly.

Dried rose petals and rose water are available at Mediterranean markets.

Make ahead: The dried chiles for the harissa need to soak for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. The harissa needs to cure in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving; it can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

3 ounces dried guajillo chile peppers, stemmed (not seeded)

1½ ounces dried ají amarillo chile peppers (also sold as ají mirasol), stemmed (not seeded)

Boiling water

2½ tablespoons caraway seed

2 tablespoons cumin seed

1 tablespoon coriander seed

1½ teaspoons fennel seed

3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried rose petals (see note)

10 to 12 tablespoons lime juice (from 4 to 6 limes), or more as needed

¼ teaspoon rose water (see note)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing

1 to 1½ tablespoons kosher salt, or more as needed

Combine the chile peppers in a medium pot, adding enough of the boiling water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and weight the chiles with a smaller pan to ensure they're all submerged. Allow them to sit, covered, for at least 2 hours or until they are soft. (Depending on the chiles, it might not take that long; just make sure the skins are soft.) Drain; reserve the soaking water.

Combine the caraway, cumin, coriander and fennel seeds in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they are toasted and fragrant and some of them begin to pop. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Once the spices have cooled, transfer them to a food processor; pulse until the spices are ground almost to a powder. Add the garlic and rose petals, and pulse about 10 times to form a dry paste.

Working in two batches, and wearing gloves if you're sensitive to spice, add half of the soaked chiles to the food processor, along with any water that comes along for the ride. Add half of the lime juice and half of the rose water; pulse until the chiles are finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides and top of the food processor bowl as needed. (This might take 3 or 4 minutes total, so be patient. You're looking for the texture of small-curd cottage cheese.) If the mixture seems too thick, add some of the reserved cooking/soaking water, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture moves easily in the food processor.

Once the chiles are finely chopped, add half of the oil and half of the salt; pulse until well incorporated. Transfer to a container with a tightfitting lid; add the remaining chiles, lime juice, rose water, oil and salt; add the processed mixture to the container.

Taste, adding some lime juice and/or salt, as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day before using. To store long-term, scoop the harissa into pint-size jars, pour a thin layer of oil on top and refrigerate.

Makes 2 generous cups

Nutrition | Per tablespoon: 35 calories, 0 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 105 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar

Adapted from "A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories" by Renee Erickson with Jess Thomson (Sasquatch Books, 2014).

Roasted Pepper and Tomato Salad With Tuna and Black Olives

This is an oven version of selata mishwiya - literally "grilled salad" - a classic opener to many Tunisian meals.

Serve with plenty of bread and a small dish of harissa drizzled in olive oil.

2 medium red bell peppers

1 medium green bell pepper or 2 sweet Italian green peppers

3 medium-size ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 clove garlic (unpeeled)

Salt

1 teaspoon harissa, plus more as needed

½ small lemon

3 ounces tuna packed in olive oil, preferably Ortiz Bonito del Norte brand, drained

24 pitted whole black olives

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise (see note)

Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiling element; preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Brush the peppers and tomatoes with oil and arrange on the baking sheet, along with the garlic. Broil for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them from time to time, until the vegetables are charred in places and very tender, and the garlic is soft. Transfer the vegetables to a wide, heatproof bowl; cover tightly with foil and let cool in their own steam.

Once they're cool enough to handle, peel and seed the peppers and tomatoes, reserving the juices. Pinch the garlic from its peel.

Finely chop the peppers and tomatoes and place in a mixing bowl, reserving the tomatoes' juices. Add the softened garlic, salt, harissa and a splash of the reserved juices, tossing to incorporate. Taste and add more harissa, as needed (we used another teaspoon).

Place in a wide salad bowl, drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of oil and squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the vegetables. Arrange chunks of the tuna and the olives on the top, and arrange the hard-cooked egg quarters around the edges.

Variation: Add a ½ teaspoon of caraway seed, along with the salt, for a punch of anise-tinged nuttiness.

Note: To hard-cook eggs, place them in a large steamer basket set over or inside a pot with several inches of barely bubbling water (medium heat; the water should not touch the eggs). Cook/steam for 13 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let sit for 10 to 13 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath to cool. Peel when completely cooled.

Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition | Per serving (based on 6, using 2 teaspoons Rose Petal Harissa): 150 calories, 7 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

From food writer and cookbook author Jeff Koehler

Spicy Tunisian Seafood Pasta

Four of Tunisia's most beloved ingredients - harissa, tomato concentrate, seafood and pasta - come together here. The amount of harissa to add depends entirely on just how spicy your harissa is and just how spicy you want the final sauce. Stir it into the sauce a little at a time, tasting until just the right level of heat is achieved.

20 mussels, cleaned (see note)

1½ cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 large whole large shrimp, peeled with tails on

12 ounces cleaned calamari (squid) or cuttlefish, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small sweet Italian green pepper (also called Italian frying pepper), or ½ medium green bell pepper, cored, de-ribbed, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 plum tomato, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces

8 ounces small peeled shrimp, defrosted if frozen

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Homemade or store-bought harissa (see note)

Salt

14 ounces dried spaghetti

Combine the mussels and ½ cup of the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover; once the water's boiling, cook/steam for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that do not open. Let cool.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the large shrimp and cook, turning them over until pink and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Add the calamari and cook until it is just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the green pepper and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, and cook for 1 minute, then add the small shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and some harissa (to taste; start with 1 tablespoon). Add the remaining 1 cup water; once the liquid is barely bubbling, cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain off the liquid from the mussels, strain and reserve. Twist off the empty half of each shell and discard.

Taste the sauce and add more harissa, as needed (in testing, we added ½ tablespoon more). If the calamari are not completely tender, add a touch of reserved mussel liquid and cook them a bit longer. Taste the sauce and add salt, as needed.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add a generous pinch or two of salt, then add the pasta. Cook, stirring from time to time to keep the pasta from clumping together, until al dente following the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse, shaking off any water that clings to the pasta.

Toss the pasta with the sauce. Divide among individual warmed bowls. Arrange the reserved shrimp and mussels on the top of the pasta. Serve warm.

Note: The mussels you buy should be glistening. Immerse them in a bowl of water and ice cubes for 30 minutes before you cook them; lift them out of the water to avoid reintroducing any grit. If you're not going to cook them right away, rinse them in very cold water and refrigerate in a loosely covered bowl. Chilled mussels should be shut tightly; if any of them are not, or they have broken or cracked shells, discard them.

Serves 4

Nutrition | Per serving (using 1½ tablespoons Rose Petal Harissa): 640 calories, 52 g protein, 79 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 395 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar

From food writer and cookbook author Jeff Koehler