Harissa is a North African pepper paste that is usually fiery hot and used as a tableside condiment for spicing up the broth in stews and tagines. At Rendezvous, we make a milder version using ancho peppers. It still has a bit of a kick, but is moderate enough to use as a sauce for finished dishes as well as a tableside condiment.
To make the harissa:
4 dried ancho peppers, seeds and stems removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2t ground cumin
2t ground coriander
1/3C good olive oil
2t soy sauce
2t balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
water
Soak the peppers in hot water for one hour until they are very soft. Drain them and place them into the food processor with the rest of the ingredients and purée all together while adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper and the consistency with a splash of water if necessary.