So I’m raising the temp inside to match by making some Harissa! 🌶️ Harissa is traditional North African chile paste condiment that you can use in or on just about everything. There’s a million recipes online for this, I cobbled a handful together to try this out this time.
The nice thing about living in the Southwest is how easy good chiles are to find. I grabbed these at my neighborhood Albertson’s. I started with 20 Arbol, 5 Guajillo, and 1 Ancho chile. Each of these has their own unique flavor, but all of them bring the heat. Depending on your tolerance, you’ll need to adjust these quantities.
Soak your chosen chiles in hot water to reconstitute them. Once they’re properly hydrated, gather the rest of your tools and ingredients. It’s so easy from here on out!
Hydrated chiles from above, 1 tbsp toasted cumin seeds and 2 tsp toasted coriander seeds, 2 tsp smoke paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 5 (or more!) smashed cloves of garlic, juice from 1 large lemon, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3/4 cup olive oil. Add all the ingredients to the blender of your choosing.
After blending thoroughly into a paste like consistency, store in a (Mason) jar in your fridge. It should last just fine for up to 6 months, but it won’t last that long in this house! I’m already planning my next batch when my preserved 🍋 are ready!
