Harissa – A cook named Rebecca

This harissa chicken recipe was in the Food and Wine magazine issue for March 2020 and I just had to make it! I’m so glad I did because it is delicious!

Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste, the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers or serrano peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.

I purchase it in a tube, however; I’ve seen it also in jars. Here’s a link to the brand and tube I buy. You can order it online or I am seeing it in grocery stores, like my local HEB now, so it is available in larger stores. https://amzn.to/2TGdxP8

so good. simple harissa chicken

Food and Wine Magazine had dried edible rose petals scattered over the finished chicken. i didn’t have any, but they made a beautiful presentation.

I wanted to serve these with something creamy to absorb the wonderful dishes. I thought about scalloped potatoes would be perfect and they were.

The potatoes were delicious. I used Yukon gold potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and lot’s of thyme in this recipe. Oh, don’t forget the onions too. Here’s a link for the delicious potatoes. you won’t regret making them. https://the2spoons.com/easy-cheesy-scalloped-potatoes/

so good. simple harissa chicken

Here’s the recipe for the chicken. Enjoy!

Harissa Chicken

Print Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccon

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp harissa paste, divided
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tsp grated garlic
1 tbsp black pepper, divided
4 10 oz chicken leg quarters
2 large shallots, halved
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
1 small lemon, halved
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp paprika

Method

Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, thyme leaves, grated garlic, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Place chicken quarters in a large ziplock plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in upper third of oven. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Scatter shallots, garlic, and lemon halves, cut sides down, in a heavy-duty roasting pan or 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Add thyme sprigs. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper; arrange chicken, skin sides up, in a single layer in roasting pan. Add 1/4 cup water to pan.
Roast chicken in preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, 30 to 35 minutes. Turn broiler to high. Baste chicken with pan juices, and sprinkle chicken with paprika. Broil, basting chicken with pan juices every 2 to 3 minutes, until thermometer registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a channeled cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze 1 roasted lemon half and 6 roasted garlic cloves into pan juices; reserve remaining lemon half for serving and remaining garlic cloves for another use. Mash shallots and garlic with a fork. Pour pan juice mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid; discard solids. Whisk in remaining 2 teaspoons harissa paste. Pour accumulated juices from cutting board into harissa mixture in bowl, and stir. Pour pan juice mixture onto a serving platter, and top with chicken. Serve immediately with reserved lemon half.

I’m still cooking Mediterranean this morning with this breakfast dish. If you haven’t tried Harissa, you must.

It is a fiery North African paste that is orangey-red in colour. It’s a mixture of peppers, dried red chillies, garlic, caraway seeds, ground cumin and coriander, tomato purée, salt and olive oil. It can be used as a condiment or as an ingredient in cooking and provides a real boost!

Here’s a picture so you’ll know what to look for. I found it at HEB, you can find it at Whole Foods and other grocery stores that sell a good variety of foods and it may be in a jar.

If you can’t find Harissa you can make it with 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 6 garlic cloves minced, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground dried Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine in a bowl and microwave until bubbly, about a minute, stirring halfway through. Cool to room temperature. Harissa is great on vegetables , eggs, meats, soups and even sandwiches.

More cooking from Mediterranean inspired recipes! This recipe is light with just using very little extra virgin olive oil, steaming the potatoes and the Harissa and cilantro adding so much flavor. I love this! Here’s the recipe.

This recipe is light with just using very little extra virgin olive oil, steaming the potatoes and the Harissa and cilantro adding so much flavor. I love this! Here’s the recipe.

Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Harissa

Print Recipe

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
8 Oz Red potatoes, unpeeled,cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 Oz Cremini mushrooms, button are fine too, halved if small or quartered if large
1/2 Onion, chopped fine
1/2 Cup Plus 2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper
1 Garlic clove, minced
12 Large eggs
2 Tbsp Harissa, plus extra for serving
2 Tbsp Cilantro, fresh and chopped

Method

Heat 2 tbsp oil in 12 inch non stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add potatoes, mushrooms, onions, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated and potatoes are golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Beat eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons water together with fork in a bowl until thoroughly combined and mixture is pure yellow.
Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the egg mixture, constantly scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet until eggs begin to clump, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and gently and constantly fold eggs until clumped and slightly wet. Off the heat gently fold in potato mixture. Drizzle with the harissa and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately, passing extra harissa.