Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Tunisian Hot Chili Sauce - Harissa ; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber

* Exported from MasterCook *

Tunisian Hot Chili Sauce - Harissa

Recipe By :MONICA BHIDE
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Condiment LowCal (Less than 300 cals)
LowerCarbs Vegan

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 ounces dried hot red New Mexico chili peppers -- (about 18)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil -- plus more as needed
7 garlic cloves -- peeled (7 to 8)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon coarse salt -- or to taste

Cut off stems and soak peppers in warm water until soft; drain and squeeze
out any excess water.

Grind peppers in a meat grinder, as North Africans do. Or place them in a
food processor, processing with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the garlic
cloves, cumin, coriander and salt. The consistency should be a thick
puree, the color of deep red salmon. Transfer to a jar, add the remaining
olive oil, cover and refrigerate.

Let the mixture sit for a few days before using, until the harissa becomes
less opaque. Use sparingly, because it's very hot.

Makes about 1 cup or 16 servings

I love harissa, the lovely red chili sauce that comes from North African
cuisine. I use the condiment to excess in stews, soups and sandwiches, as
a topping for pizzas, a flavor booster for pastas and even on french
fries. It's addictive - for me, anyway.

Harissa is prepared with chili peppers, coriander, cumin and olive oil,
with regional variations. Fair warning: It is super-hot and spicy. You can
make it milder by using milder peppers, but the heat is part of its charm.

When I asked on Twitter and Facebook about people's harissa habits, the
number of exclamation points in the typed responses seemed to echo the
sauce's heat intensity. Chef Janis McLean enthusiastically suggested it as
"a go-to flavor boost in aioli," the garlic- and olive-oil-based sauce.
"Instant yum!!" Cookbook author Patricia Tanumihardja told me she "fell
hard for harissa" when she made a Moroccan stuffed [cFavorite] dish,
seasoning its date and almond filling with the paste.

Blogger Lisa Rosen said she incorporates harissa in everyday cooking. She:
Smears it on sandwiches, including plain [2Favorite] sandwiches. Combined
with cheddar or Muenster, it "makes a grilled cheese transcendent," Rosen
said.

Spreads it on whole [2Favorite] before roasting ("only if my kids aren't
eating" it, she writes, acknowledging they don't share her taste
preference). Rosen also uses harissa as a dipping sauce for grilled
[2Favorite].

Uses it "on all kinds of vegetables - over couscous sorts of dinners."
Joan Nathan shares my love of harissa. Author of the cookbook "Quiches,
Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France" (Knopf,
2010), Nathan sampled harissa in France and in Israel.

Nathan advised being frugal with very hot harissa. "Use a scant tiny
teaspoon of it and stir it into other things, like mayonnaise or
dressings," she said.

While Nathan sometimes makes harissa from scratch, "there are some great
brands on the market, especially Pereg Gourmet," Nathan added. "It has
lots of red peppers, lots of garlic and cilantro, among other things."

Source:
"Detroit News"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"July 2012"
Yield:
"1 cup"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 85 Calories; 7g Fat (72.6% calories
from fat); 1g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol;
124mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1
1/2 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 926642 0 0 0 0 0