Illustration by Lauren Baldwin
HISTORY
A bright red smear of an ingredient, harissa is a pepper paste with attitude. From the Arabic arasa, meaning “to pound,” harissa can be as simple as a smashed-up mixture of dried chilies, garlic and olive oil. But like so many seemingly simple things, harissa can also meander into the complex, with as many different recipes as there are households to make it. Variations on the theme add coriander, dried mint, rose petals and preserved lemon to the standard recipe.
New World spice traders bringing peppers from North America to the Maghreb region of Africa in the 16th century are credited with paving the way for the peppery spread. Now ubiquitous in countries like Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, harissa cozies up to couscous and swirls in stews.
WHAT TO BUY
A plethora of shelf-stable harissas dots the shelves of fine food stores. Entube and Dea both make respectable versions packaged in tubes like oil paints. Entube’s is more floral, while the Dea version brings the heat. Both store well for months in the fridge.
HOW TO PREPARE
Its versatility means harissa can play well with everything from burgers to wings to roasted vegetables. The piquant peppers make a great marinade for chicken thighs — throw them on a sheet tray with some carrots and onions for a quick, flavor-loaded dinner. Mixed into hummus or simply cut with a glug of olive oil, harissa proves itself a worthy condiment for dipping fresh warm flatbread or, let’s be real, pita chips. Ian Merryman, of the soon-to-open Tiny Victory, treats his harissa recipe more like a traditional hot sauce, thinned with cider vinegar and destined for braised pork. It’s got the same kind of good-on-everything quality that’s made Sriracha such a star, but with more nuance.
Harissa Hot Sauce
By Ian Merryman, chef/owner of Tiny Victory
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 yellow onion (rough chop)
1/4 pound Fresno chilies
6 dried guajillo peppers
3 dried chilies de arbol (rehydrated)
1 Thai chili
5 small garlic cloves (smashed)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
Salt to taste
White wine (for deglazing)
Lightly toast the cumin, coriander and fennel on low/medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool and then pulse in a spice grinder until you form a powder.
Roast the Fresno chilies over an open fire (if possible) and put in a bowl. Cover and rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Clean off the charred parts of the pepper.
Sweat onions and garlic in a small stock pot over medium/high heat. Deglaze the pot with white wine and add all other ingredients.
Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until dried peppers are fully rehydrated.
Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. The consistency should resemble something similar to commercial sriracha or a little bit thicker. Feel free to add more vinegar to your taste and preferred consistency.
