We often end up buying pantry staples from the store because making our own can seem complicated and time consuming. Yet processed food can be energy-intensive to produce and often has questionable ingredients in order to keep it shelf stable. This beautifully simple homemade harissa is a great example of how making your own can be quick and easy, leaving you with a lighter carbon footprint and a condiment that tastes far better than its store-bought equivalent.
For the uninitiated, harissa is a fiery and fragrant Middle-Eastern condiment, that can be used to transform timid sauces and marinades into flavor bombs with it’s warming aromatic heat and toasted spices. And for the bold, can be used as a condiment all on its own to spice up vegetables and meat alike. The recipe couldn’t be simpler and stores forever in the fridge, meaning you get real bang for you effort (in more ways than one). There are endless uses for harissa, but two favorites uses are to spice up a honey and fennel seed marinade for roasted eggplant, and to add to sheep’s milk yogurt to created a fresh, punchy sauce for vegetables, meat, or even fries. All three recipes below!
Homemade Harissa
Makes about 1 cup (250 ml) | Equipment: A small food processor
Make this and you’ll never go back to the store-bought version again!
Ingredients
5 plump, fresh garlic cloves, halved lengthwise, green germ removed if present
3/4 cup (185 ml) sunflower oil
2 tablespoons Italian tomato paste
4 tablespoons toasted cumin seeds, ground (see note)
3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons sweet or hot paprika
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Method
1. In the bowl of the food processor, mince the garlic. Add the remaining ingredients and process to a thick paste. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for several months.
NOTE: Toasting cumin helps intensify its exotic flavor. In a small saucepan or skillet, dry toast the seeds over a medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a plate to cool. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the seeds to a fine powder.
Roasted Eggplant with Harissa, Fennel Seeds and Honey
4 to 6 servings | An electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle; a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet
We could write a love poem to the beautiful and elegant eggplant with it’s burnished purple skin and creamy meaty flesh that becomes smoky and earthy under intense heat. Paired with harissa, fennel seeds and a touch of honey, it is all at once heady, spicy, sweet and aromatic. Worthy of being at the centre of any plate.
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons Homemade Harissa
1 plump, fresh, garlic clove, halved lengthwise, green germ removed if present, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons intensely flavored honey, such as mountain or buckwheat
6 tablespoons (100 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 large eggplant or 2 small, slender ones (about 1 pound; 500 g total)
Fresh, minced, flat-leaf parsley or mint, for garnish
Method
1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a small saucepan or skillet, dry toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a dish to cool, then grind to a fine powder in the spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the harissa, garlic, salt, ground fennel seeds, honey and oil until well combined.
4. Trim the ends of the eggplant but do not peel. Slice the eggplant in half lengthways. Slice each half lengthwise into 5 slices,, then crosswise into 4, to make bite size pieces (remembering that they will reduce in size when they lose moisture during roasting). In a large bowl, combine the eggplant and the harissa dressing, and toss to coat evenly.
5. Spread the dressed eggplant evenly on the baking sheet taking care not to over crowd the pan. Place in the oven and roast until golden brown, about 25 minutes. For even browning, toss the eggplant once or twice during roasting. Serve warm, garnished with mint or parsley.
Harissa Yogurt-Sauce
Makes 2 cups (500 ml)
This borderline addictive condiment goes well with practically anything. It is refreshing with a touch of spice and completes any roasted, steamed or raw vegetable, is perfect as a dip for classic or sweet potato fries or as a garnish on soups and stews.
Ingredients
1 cup (250 ml) sheep’s milk yogurt (preferably from a sustainable source)
1 plump, fresh garlic clove, halved, green germ removed if present, and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Homemade Harissa
Method
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Let sit for at least 15 minutes for the garlic to mellow.
Nourish the Planet is a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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