GREEN HARISSA CANNELLINI WITH SPICE-CRUSTED CARROTS
Serve these flavour-packed veg dishes as a side to your roast lunch, or turn them into a plantbased Easter centrepiece.
Serves 8 to 10
dried cannellini beans 200 g, soaked overnight and boiled in unsalted water for 45 minutes to an hour (or one can of cannellini beans) vegetable oil 5T small carrots 600 g, with tops trimmed to 2 cm, thoroughly washed and scrubbed (or 600 g large carrots cut into 7 cm batons) green harissa paste 3 T (see right) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste full-cream yoghurt ½ cup
Italian parsley 20 g, roughly chopped lemon juice a squeeze red harissa paste 1 T mixed with 1½ T olive oil (see right, optional) freshly grated lemon or orange zest 2t
For the spice rub: salt 1t sugar 1T
English mustard powder 2t smoked paprika 1t chilli flakes 1 good pinch cumin seeds 1t ground coriander 1t freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 If you are preparing your own beans, put them on to boil while you make your spice mix. In a small bowl, mix the salt, sugar, mustard, paprika, chilli flakes, cumin, coriander and pepper. 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pour the vegetable oil into a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Toss the carrots in the oil, then toss with the spice mix. Spread the carrots out on the baking tray so that they are more or less in a single layer. If your tray looks too loaded, spread some carrots on another tray. Roast for 15–20 minutes until just tender and deeply coloured in places. (If you like, you could also fry the carrots in a cast-iron pan in two batches until they are cooked and deep brown in places, about 6–8 minutes for each round.) 3 In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the cannellini beans and the green harissa paste. Season with salt and black pepper. 4 To assemble, spread the yoghurt over the middle of your serving platter. Scatter the cannellini beans over the yoghurt allowing some yoghurt to show. Sprinkle over half the chopped parsley. Spread the spice-crusted carrots over the top of the beans and season with some flaked sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Drizzle over the red harissa paste if using. Scatter the remaining parsley and the lemon or orange zest over the dish and it is ready to serve warm or at room temperature.
RED HARISSA
This is a fierce North African chilli paste with a thousand spicy uses. We use it for a flavoured butter, stirred through crème fraîche and smeared on roasted lamb or brinjals.
caraway seeds 1½ t coriander seeds 1½ t red chillies 100 g, seeded garlic 4 cloves salt ½t sundried tomatoes ¼ cup, soaked olive oil ¼ cup
1 Dry-toast the caraway and coriander seeds in a small pan until fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. 2 Put the fragrant seeds into a spice grinder and grind as fine as you can.
3 Place the chillies, garlic, salt and sundried tomatoes into a food processor and purée to a paste, slowly drizzling in the olive oil. Press into a jar and cover with oil to prevent oxidation. 4 This harissa should keep well in the fridge for a week. You can also freeze it in small bags for later use.
GREEN HARISSA
This versatile paste can be stirred through bulgur wheat or served with lamb or chicken. Add to grilled brinjals and lamb for a quick supper.
cumin seeds 1T coriander seeds ½T green chillies 1½, seeded and sliced (optional) spring onions 2, sliced garlic ½ t crushed
Italian parsley ¼ cup coriander leaves and stems ¼ cup lemon juice 2T extra virgin olive oil ½ cup fine sea salt ½t
1 Lightly toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring often until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Allow to cool. 2 In a food processor, purée the seeds with the chillies, spring onions, garlic, parsley, coriander and lemon juice. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and finally the salt until you have a smooth paste. To store, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the harissa. Cover and chill.