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04/13/2017 12:01 AMOne of my co-workers, Michele, mentioned recently that she was headed to The Spice & Tea Exchange in Guilford recently to pick up, among other items, some harissa.
Harissa is a North African spice mix that imparts a flavorful, spicy Mediterranean flavor to meats, vegetables, egg sandwiches, french fries, and a wide range of other foods. While the specific ingredients in harissa, and the amount of each ingredient, can vary from one purveyor to the next, the spice mix often includes a blend of dried chiles, garlic, caraway seeds, sea salt, coriander and cumin seeds, and some kind of paprika, usually of the smoky variety.
Michele planned to use hers in a recipe for Chicken Couscous from Dory Greenspan published in her classic cookbook, Around My French Table.
The blog on Food & Wine recommends several other ways to use the spice, including mixed in hamburgers that are then topped with a harissa mayonnaise; on roasted vegetables; as a rub on pork, lamb, or chicken legs; mixed into store-bought hummus; mixed in tomato-based pasta sauces; on chicken wings, and on a breakfast sandwich. Check out these variations, along with links to recipes at www.foodandwine.com/blogs/9-ways-use-harissa.
In addition to selling the harissa, the Spice & Tea Exchange also offers several recipes using harissa on its website www.spiceandtea.com, including this one for Harissa Roasted Chicken & Chickpeas. It calls for the chicken to rest overnight in a marinade, so be sure to plan ahead for that.
Harissa Roasted Chicken & Chickpeas
From the Spice & Tea Exchange
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons harissa seasoning
1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoon lemon juice, divided
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon salt
2 pounds chicken leg quarters
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1 pound baby carrots
15 oz can chickpeas
Fresh parsley or mint, chopped (optional topping)
Couscous (optional side)
Directions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.
1. Make a harissa paste by mixing the harissa seasoning, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, and the olive olive. Mix until a smooth paste is formed.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the yogurt, and ½ tsp salt, and pour that mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade. Grease an oven-proof skillet, and then add onions, baby carrots, and chickpeas on the bottom. Rest the chicken on top.
4. Roast the dish at 400 F for 45 minutes, checking to make sure the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165 F. Baste the chicken and vegetables in pan juices.
5. Top with fresh parsley or mint and serve with a side of couscous, if using that.
This should serve about four to six people.