That's where we ate tonight...sitting in our living room. We had...
A beef stew of the Algerian Jews: beef slow-cooked 'til meltingly tender with a pile of grated onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and harissa(a North African chili paste).
A salad of romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, mini sweet peppers, onions, daikon, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese, tossed with a dressing of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and fresh mint.
Kesra, the country bread of Morocco, a round, yeasted flatbread with a coarse crumb and thick crust, made with wheat and a little corn.
It was very tasty. We are pleasantly full. There are ample leftovers. (Yay leftovers!)
We ran pretty late this afternoon, trying to get errands done. Thankfully, its a pretty easy dinner to make. But there was one thing I decided to simplify: the harissa. I am a big fan of taking the time to soak dried chilies in hot water. Its what I do when I make my chili. There wasn't time this afternoon. So I made an Easy Harissa...
Easy Harissa
2 ounces ground New Mexico chile powder
1 ounce ground hot New Mexico chile powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons water
1 ounce ground hot New Mexico chile powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons water
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste results. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Should keep for at least a month. Makes over a cup.
You may cover the top of the paste with additional EVOO, to help it store longer. If you want a hotter harissa, you may use a hotter chile powder or add a little cayenne pepper. This version is not terribly hot, but that is the way my wife prefers it.
No comments:
Post a Comment