WineLovers Discussion Group

A friend of mine just returned from Tunisia and brought back some pre-made harissa (can). What do I do with it?

Drew

Drew,
Several possibilities, but recently we marinated pieces of chicken in harissa (pre made) and yogurt and baked until done. Couldnt make enough of it!
-Shaji

Harissa is a spicy red pepper condiment. So, you can just put a dollop of it on a plate (next to some grilled merguez sausages, say) or blend with any other liquid/paste to alter its flavor (try mix with olive oil and spread on toast, or mix with pesto and apply to pasta).

On another board, someone asked the same question: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/542838

What Jeff and Shaji said.

Use it as you might Spanish paprika, for instance.

One good way is with pommes Frits...mix up a bit of Harissa (amount proportion depending on how much heat is wanted) with mayo/aioli as a dip. Incredibly tasty!

Oh man. Find a Moroccan cookbook and pick a recipe at random!!

Or Google recipe harissa...

I recently bought something a little unusual, a dry powdered version of harissa. You get heat from it but you also get Moroccan flavors, maybe cumin and some other stuff as well.

Add a little to this or that ....does wonders ! Am making my own as I find the tinned varieties metallic tasting. Have had some jarred that were better. Like any other spice pastes there are many variations from chile, garlic , olive oil only to the same with coriander, cumin and caraway.

I like it mixed with mayo on sandwiches. Works particularly well with roast beef.