Homemade harissa sauce sparks ordinary grilled chicken
We grill several nights a week for the better part of six months a year. To keep things fresh, I employ a variety of spice rubs, marinades, barbecue sauces and basting sauces. Lately, a spicy red harissa sauce finds its way onto everything I want to grill, from chicken and fish to pork chops and eggplant.
I've made numerous harissa sauces since my days as a test cook at Cuisine magazine. For one issue, we explored the flavors of Morocco. My affection for this highly aromatic cuisine never wavers — there are always preserved lemons in my refrigerator, orange and rose water in the pantry, and seasoning blends in the drawer. I usually stock several versions of harissa in jars in the fridge.
Like salsa or chimichurri, harissa proves a great condiment to serve alongside grilled meats and vegetables. Harissa, says Robert Carrier in his classic cookbook “A Taste of Morocco” (published in 1987), is a “fiery condiment based on hot red peppers, olive oil and garlic.”
Harissa also can be added to stews and soups and to flavor couscous and other grain side dishes. It enlivens scrambled eggs, sandwiches and green salads.
I like the simple combination of olive oil, garlic and spices from Cuisine magazine to use as a condiment. An adapted version of the recipe follows here; a high-speed blender will do the best job of crushing the seeds. My 2019 version gets enriched with fire-roasted red bell peppers, which add body along with a hint of sweetness. I've had good results with several dried, mild red chile options in the sauce, including Korean gochugaru, sweet imported paprika and ground New Mexico chiles.
When harissa is destined for marinating meats and poultry, I add a touch of Greek yogurt for tang. If I'm serving the harissa as a condiment, I skip the yogurt and reduce the fresh garlic a bit so it's not overpowering. (I must confess that in a time crunch, I doctor store-bought harissa with yogurt, tomato paste and olive oil.)
My harissa seasoning sauce adds terrific flavor for marinating chicken, pork, turkey and lamb. Marinate poultry or meat for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours for bone-in cuts) so the flavors permeate nicely.
Use a charcoal grill fired with hardwood charcoal and a few wood chips to add a smoky flavor that beautifully complements the harissa. If using a gas grill, add a packet of soaked wood chips over the burner. Then grill with the marinade still clinging to the meat, over medium to mediumlow heat to keep things moist and to prevent burning.
Harissa
Adapted from Cuisine magazine
In a high-speed blender, add 1⁄2 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, 9 cloves garlic, 1⁄2 cup fenugreek seeds, 3 tablespoons crushed red peppers, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and 1 1⁄2 teaspoons each salt, ground cardamom and ground coriander. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a small jar. Pour olive oil over the surface of the sauce to cover it completely.
Makes: about 1 cup.
Shortcut harissa marinade:
Combine a 6.7-ounce jar of harissa sauce (such as Trader Joe's Traditional Tunisian Harissa) with 1⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons each olive oil and tomato paste. Makes: about 1 cup.
Harissa Seasoning Sauce And Marinade
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Makes: about 2 1⁄2 cups 2 medium-large red bell peppers 1 large lemon 1⁄4 cup olive oil 1⁄4 cup ground mild, red New Mexico chile powder or gochugaru (or sweet paprika with1 / 4teaspoon cayenne)
3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, optional
3 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander 1⁄2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
Put bell peppers directly over a gas burner (or 6 inches from the broiler element) and roast, turning often, until the skin blisters and blackens on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put peppers into a bowl; cover with a towel and let cool. Rub off the blackened skins; rinse the peppers. Discard the core and seeds. Roughly chop the peppers and put into a blender.
Use a rasp grater to zest the lemon into the blender. Cut the lemon in half; squeeze the lemon juice into the blender. Add remaining ingredients. Process until mixture is very smooth.
Transfer to a jar with a tightfitting lid. Sauce keeps in the refrigerator at least 2 weeks.
Nutrition information per tablespoon: 19 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 0 g protein, 115 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Harissa Grilled Chicken
Prep: 15 minutes Marinate: 2 hours to overnight Cook: 40 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
For the juiciest grilled chicken, use chicken parts with their bones and skin intact. If using boneless chicken, reduce marinating time to 1 to 2 hours and reduce grilling time to 20 to 25 minutes.
1 1⁄2 cups maple, cherry or apple wood chips for grilling 3 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts such as thighs, breast halves, drumsticks, wings 1 cup harissa seasoning sauce and
marinade, see recipe Chopped fresh cilantro, chives or a combination Put wood chips in a bowl of water; let soak several hours or overnight.
Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the harissa seasoning sauce. Use clean hands to thoroughly coat all sides of the chicken pieces. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Prepare a charcoal grill and let coals burn until they are at medium heat and covered in gray ash (an oven thermometer will register 325 to 350 degrees). Or, heat a gas grill to medium hot. Drain wood chips and sprinkle over the hot coals. Or, set on a double thickness of foil on the grate over the gas burner. Cover the grill to heat the grill grates thoroughly.
Use tongs to arrange chicken, skin side down, in a single uncrowded layer on the grates. Cover grill; cook without turning, 20 minutes. Gently loosen chicken and flip. Move pieces around as necessary to adjust for hot spots and so chicken cooks evenly without excess browning. Cover the grill; cook until the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with herbs and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 332 calories, 22 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 142 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 4 g sugar, 35 g protein, 420 mg sodium, 4 g fiber