Harissa

Harissa, the basic seasoning paste of Tunisia, is served with kebabs and couscous, and appears on the table in a small dish. It is also delicious on crusty bread spread with hummus. It is to be used sparingly as a condiment, and also works as part of a marinade. Harissa is sold ready-made in tubes or small cans; the best comes from Tunisia.

For more ways to work harissa into your diet, get our Wheat Berry Salad with Harissa and Pistachios recipe, our Spicy Carrot Hummus recipe, and our Harissa-Pancetta Breakfast Pizza recipe.

• 1 1/2 pounds roasted, seeded, and peeled red bell peppers
• 1/4 pound fresh hot red chiles, seeded and trimmed
• 1 cup sweet Spanish paprika
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 to 8 peeled garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup ground caraway seed

1. 1Combine bell peppers, chiles, paprika, olive oil, garlic cloves, and caraway seed. Purée in the bowl of a food processor until smooth and thick, adding salt to taste. To use as a sauce, whisk 1 tablespoon harissa with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped flat parsley, and enough water to make a pourable sauce.

Photograph courtesy of JOAT/Shutterstock.