Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste whose main ingredients are roasted red peppers, serrano peppers and other hot chili peppers. Spices and herbs such as garlic paste, coriander seed, or caraway are added, as well as some olive oil for preservation. Although countries like Tunisia and the Barbary coast are the origins of Harissa, the smoky flavor of the spices is somewhat reminiscent of the American Southwest. In Libya and Algeria, Harissa is used to flavor anything from goat to fish, soups and stews, couscous and vegetables.
I enjoy writing gear reviews from time to time. Passing along information about equipment I use seems almost second nature. When I was asked to try a spice that was well suited for wild game, I was somewhat skeptical. I have never written a food review and wasn't sure it was my thing. But, I love food so I thought I would give it a go. Earl and Gloria Fultz created cHarissa, a Moroccan-influenced food seasoning thats a milder version of harissa, which uses the very hot jalapeño pepper commonly found in Moroccan cuisine. Instead, cHarissa uses cumin and cayenne pepper to pump up the heat.
Earl sent a sample package and my wife Bonny, a southern cook par excellence, wasted no time. She began by lightly brushing boneless chicken breasts with olive oil, then coating lightly with cHarissa Authentic Moroccan Spice Rub - with a kick! She placed them in the fridge while preparing yellow moroccan rice. Roasted summer veggies rounded out the menu. When it was time, Bonny took the chicken out and coated it with cHarissa Authentic Moroccan spice paste. This is a thick, oily paste packed with peppers. A little goes a long way and the consistency made it easy to coat the meat. Bonny placed the breasts in a skillet to brown them, then lowered the temp and slow cooked them for about an hour. She served it with a cucumber dill sauce made with a little honey from my friend Brad Hole.
Dinner was amazing! The harissa spice shares the same flavor profile as southwestern or spanish foods. Bonny reported cHarissa was easy to use and almost fool proof in the amount used. Because it resembles southwestern spice so closely, Bonny has used it in several other dishes. One of my favorites so far was chili. She already has an excellent recipe, but adding Harissa, both the dry rub and paste, it was over the top. The smoky flavor added another dimension that was welcome.
Unless you live in New York or New Jersey, you aren't going to find cHarissa in a store near you. Check out their website at www.charissa.biz at read their story. Earl and Gloria are a cute couple and have an interesting story. You can buy all of their products online and the prices are more than reasonable. Oh, and in case you were wondering, you can also find Brad Hole’s Honey Hole Honey at www.honeyholehoney.com!
