"harissa" news and stories

Harissa is a North African spice blend that usually contains coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger and chiles. It's got a spicy kick that's excellent in marinades or when added to a vinaigrette. You can buy it in ground form, as a jarred condiment or as a paste, and its bold flavor gives Gail Simmons' grilled chicken an exciting spin. After a bath in a harissa marinade, the chicken is grilled on a hot cast-iron grill pan, then sliced and served topped with a cooling cucumber yogurt dressing.

Try Gail's Grilled Harissa Chicken with Cucumber Yogurt Dressing.

Though Thanksgiving is yet over a month away, eager foodies have already started plotting the year's most indulgent feast. And for such mouthwatering inspiration, we thank our friends at norecipes.com for this Cinnamon Harissa Turkey recipe. Omitting gravy, Marc brined the turkey in water, brown sugar, cloves, salt and pepper before applying a rub with cinnamon, sumac, cumin, coriander and harissa to create a gloriously golden, moist and spicy-sweet bird.

Marc created an entire West Asian Thanksgiving meal last year, accompanying the heritage turkey with a Fiery Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce, Tahini Mashed Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts Caramelized with Pomegranate Molasses and more. And though we were wowed by his creativity, we wonder how far we'd be willing to stray from old family recipes.

Would you be open to shirking tradition and creating an exotic Thanksgiving meal this year? Tell us how much you're willing to deviate in the comments!

[Via norecipes.com]

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Spice things up the Tunisian way with a harissa made with garlic and chili paste.

Starbucks takes its first steps towards being healthier and greener with a new menu and more eco-friendly water faucets.

Impatience Inspected: How long will you wait for a table?

Cherries are in season in parts of the country, which means it's time for cherry-flavored salad, sauces, mojitos, margaritas, clafouti and ice cream sandwiches.

Shrimp and cocktail sauce gets a new twist with a mixture of avocado, corn and mango.

Seven teas to keep you ice-cold all summer long.

Be still, our sugar-loving hearts -- a butterscotch pudding recipe that takes less than 20 minutes to make.

What Tabasco is to Avery Island, harissa is to Tunisia. This brick red tomato, garlic and spice paste is stirred into stews, served as a condiment for elaborate couscous dishes, and used as a rub for meat. Though originally Tunisian, it's ubiquitous in Moroccan and Algerian cooking as well, and tends to show up wherever North African food is served, whether at a Parisian kebab joint or a Manhattan merguez sandwich stand. I like to use it to spice up bean dishes, mix it with a little mayo for a sandwich spread, and stir it into yogurt as a dressing for cold lamb.

You can find harissa in cans or bottles at many North African and Middle Eastern markets, or you can make your own. Mediterranean food expert Clifford A. Wright has a good recipe on his website, using guajillo chiles easily found in Hispanic markets.

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• I have never eaten crab. I'm not a big fan of seafood in general (I do like clams, scallops, haddock, and fish sticks), and I especially hate lobster (I gag just typing the word). But for those of you who like soft-shell crab, some recipes: Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs With Parsley Mayo;  Soft-Shell Po Boys; and Crabmeat Salad in Avocado Halves.
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