Makes about ¾ cup
Although the sauce is now easy to find in stores, there’s a richness and aromatic quality to homemade harissa that makes it worth the time to prepare your own. If you can’t find red jalapeño chiles use green ones and let them sit around for a few days to turn red.
1 large red bell pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 red jalapeño chiles, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler. Broil the bell pepper, turning it with tongs, for 15 minutes, or until the skin is uniformly charred and the flesh softens. Transfer the pepper to a heavy, resealable plastic bag and allow it to cool. Peel the pepper under cold running water, and discard the peel and seeds.
While the pepper cools, place a dry skillet over low heat and toast the coriander and cumin for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Scrape the spices from the skillet into a food processor.
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned.
Place the bell pepper and vegetables in the food processor, and add the lemon juice and tomato paste. Process until a smooth paste forms, season with salt to taste, and scrape the mixture into a storage container.
Note: The harissa can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.