Mo’s Harissa

from Wild Flavors by Didi Emmons

Ingredients
•2 red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
•1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces, or 1 small bunch arugula (added when pureeing)
•6 plum or vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces, or about 25 cherry tomatoes, halved
•7 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
•1 handful dried red chiles, 1 large ancho chile, or 1–2 tablespoons chile flakes
•1 small bunch cilantro leaves and stems, chopped (about 2 cups)
•10 ml (2 teaspoons) ground cumin
•5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
•Pinch ground cinnamon
•15 ml (1 tablespoon) honey
•79 ml (⅓ cup) red wine or cider vinegar
•118 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
•Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 135° C (275° F). Oil a large sheet pan.
Arrange the red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic on the oiled sheet pan in a single layer. Bake them for 1 hour to dry them out.
Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and cook until they are smoky and brittle, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, you could put them in the oven with the peppers and tomatoes for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.)
Combine the roasted vegetables, chiles, cilantro, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and honey in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
With the machine running, slowly pour in the vinegar and then the oil, followed by a cup of water, and process until the mixture is fairly smooth. Season the harissa with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Store in a container with a tight sealing lid. It will keep for up to one month.

About the author

Denise Landis had been employed as an archeologist for seven years before a food editor hired her to test some recipes from a cookbook manuscript. This short stint led to longer assignments, and two years later she began testing recipes for the New York Times. She has been a professional recipe tester and editor for over 25 years, is the author of a New York Times cookbook, and has written for numerous publications. She is a member of the New York Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier.

Denise Landis

Denise Landis is the founder & CEO of The Cook's Cook.

Mo’s Harissa

Ingredients

Preparation

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