Green Harissa Recipes

GREEN HARISSA

Steps:

• Place the chiles, garlic, ground coriander, cumin, salt mint and cilantro into a blender or food processor. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit of the olive oil. Store in a bowl or jar in the refrigerator with the remaining oil poured in a layer over the top.
• Make sure that the surface is covered with a layer of oil each time you use some. When you run out of Harissa you can use the oil to add flavor to fried or baked dishes.

GREEN HARISSA CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Under the hot broiler, char the bell peppers and jalapenos to blacken the skins evenly. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover to cool. Wipe off the skins with a paper towel and seed the peppers.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and add a bit more oil if necessary. Add the garlic, onions, coriander, cumin and some salt and pepper. Cook to soften, stirring occasionally.
• Add 1 cup of the stock with the peeled peppers to a food processor and pulse to puree the peppers. Add the puree to the cooked onions and slide the chicken back into the sauce to finish cooking.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat, adding a little water or stock if the sauce is too thick.
• To serve, prepare the rice pilaf. Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. Toast the broken pasta pieces to brown, then add the rice and the remaining 2 cups stock, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff the pilaf with a fork.

GREEN HARISSA

Steps:

• Lightly toast cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, 2-3 minutes; let cool. Purée seeds with jalapeños, scallions, garlic, oil, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. DO AHEAD: Harissa can be made 5 days ahead. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of harissa. Cover and chill.

HARISSA-ROASTED GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. On a baking sheet, toss green beans with oil and harissa until coated; season with salt and pepper. Roast, shaking pan once halfway through, until beans are browned in spots, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds before serving.

MIDDLE EASTERN GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GREEN HARISSA AND FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Cook's Note: To roast garlic, cut off the top third of each garlic head, drizzle with EVOO and wrap in foil. Roast in a 400 degree F oven until tender.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins and combine with the softened butter, EVOO, rosemary, chile and lemon zest. Loosen the skin all over the chicken, then rub the garlic mixture onto the meat under the skin. Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper. Put the chicken in a baking dish, cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Sprinkle the chicken with two-thirds of the Za'atar Spice Blend and roast for 1 hour 15 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 500 degrees F and roast for 15 minutes more to crisp the skin. Let the chicken rest until cooled, then cut it into quarters.
• Meanwhile, heat a griddle or grill pan and grill the naan until warm. Brush with melted butter and cut in half.
• Divide the chicken quarters among plates and sprinkle with the remaining Za'atar Spice Blend and the lemon juice. Serve with the naan and Green Harissa.
• Combine the sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Cook's Note: The spice blend is great on chicken, beef, lamb, eggplant and anything grilled. You can make extra and store it for weeks. Sumac is available in larger markets and Middle Eastern markets.
• Puree the cilantro, EVOO, cumin, chile peppers, garlic, spinach and lemon juice in a food processor until fairly smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH GREEN HARISSA

Steps:

• Remove the leaves and trim the stem of the cauliflower, leaving the core intact. Place the cauliflower core-side down on a work surface. Starting in the center of the head, slice from top to bottom into four 1-inch (2.5 cm) steaks. Place steaks on a rimmed baking sheet and any florets that break loose in a bowl. Drizzle the oil over the steaks and florets and generously season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire, or heat a gas grill to high. Carefully wipe the preheated grates with a lightly oiled paper towel. Using a grill brush, scrape the grill grates clean, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel again. Allow a small cast iron skillet or grill basket to heat for 5 minutes before cooking.
• To make the harissa, blister the tomatillos, onion, chiles, and garlic in the preheated small cast-iron skillet or grill basket over direct heat, until charred and softened on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes for the tomatillos and chiles, a bit longer for the onion and garlic. Set aside to cool.
• Stem and seed the chiles, peel the garlic, and place them both in a food processor. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, parsley, arugula and spinach, vinegar, lemon zest, and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the cauliflower steaks (in a grill basket, if desired) over direct heat, rotating them around the fire as needed to prevent them from blackening before they're cooked, until deeply charred on the exterior and just tender at the core, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Grill any loose florets in a grill basket, tossing often, until browned and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Serve the warm steaks on a pool of harissa and garnish with the crispy bits of florets and a sprinkle of flaky salt.