This bright vermilion hot chili paste is a traditional Moroccan seasoning. Harissa is aromatic and flavorful, not just hot. The fire-roasted peppers, smoked paprika, and toasted cumin give it smoky undertones.
The dried hot peppers we call for are ones we think are readily available, but if you have other dried red-colored hot peppers you like, use them. We recommend that when you’re handling hot peppers you use latex gloves and be careful not to touch your face.
Yields about 2 cups
Time: 45 minutes
2 cups water
3 dried red New Mexico hot peppers or darker red Pulla hot peppers
6 dried àrbol hot peppers (small, bright red)
2 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
¾ teaspoon ground roasted cumin
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon (here) or 2 teaspoons lemon zest
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bring the water to a boil. Remove the stems and gently squeeze the edges of the dried hot peppers to split them open. Shake out all the seeds and discard. Heat a dry skillet (nonstick is good) and toast the hot peppers for 3 to 5 minutes, until they begin to darken and give off a strong fragrance. Stir or shake to make sure they don’t burn. Don’t deeply inhale the aroma or you’ll irritate your throat and start coughing; it’s OK to cover the skillet. Put the toasted hot peppers in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Cover the bowl and set aside to soak for 20 to 25 minutes.
Fire-roast the bell peppers on a grill or directly over a stovetop burner until the skins are blackened and blistered. Put them in a bowl, cover, and set aside to steam and cool down. When the peppers have cooled, scrape off the blackened skin and then halve the bell peppers and remove the stems and seeds.
In a food processor or blender, combine the roasted peppers, garlic, salt, spices, lemon juice, preserved lemon or zest, and olive oil. Drain the soaked hot peppers well and add them. Purée until smooth. Add more salt to taste.
Store harissa in a glass jar or bowl with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. The paste thickens as it cools. Each time after you’ve spooned out some harissa, to preserve it, drizzle a little olive oil on top, cover tightly, and return to the refrigerator.
Add some harissa to any dish that needs a bit of excitement. It can be stirred into soups, stews, sauces, and dips, and drizzled or spooned over vegetables, and used as a garnish.