Chef John's Harissa Sauce
- Ready In:
- 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 6 fresno chili peppers
- 1 habanero pepper
- 29.58 ml vegetable oil
- 1.23 ml caraway seed, to taste
- 1.23 ml coriander seed, more to taste
- 2.46 ml ground cumin
- 2.46 ml dried mint
- 4.92 ml kosher salt, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 14.79 ml extra virgin olive oil
directions
- Preheat oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place red bell peppers with cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet. Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add Fresno and habanero chiles and cook uncovered over medium heat until vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes; drain and set aside to cool. Remove seeds and membranes from chiles (wear gloves); set aside.
- Shake coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet over medium heat untl you start to smell the spice, about 2 minutes. Use a mortar and pestle to crush toasted seeds; add cumin, mint, and salt, and crush until finely ground. Transfer spices to a blender and add roasted bell peppers, chiles, garlic, lemon juice, and vegetable oil; puree until smooth. Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil at the end, blending for only a few seconds.
-
COOK'S NOTE:
- If you have a gas stove, you may use an open flame to roast the red pepper. Turn heat to medium high and roast pepper over the flame, turning occasionally until the skin has blackened and blistered, 8 to 10 minutes. Place peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam. When cool, strip and discard skins. Substitute any red chiles for Fresno chiles.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
ElizabethKnicely
Meadville, Pennsylvania
29 year old wife and mother of 3 who is obsessed with meal planning.