For Lorilei

[Gail]

Don't know if you've already seen these, but I pass them on just in case.

Red Pepper Spice - Harrisa
FROM THE LANDS OF FIGS AND OLIVES, Habeeb Salloum and James Peters. 1997. INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons caraway seed -- ground
5 cloves garlic -- crushed
1/2 cup cayenne pepper -- ground fresh
1/4 cup cumin
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid; refrigerated. Unknown shelf-life.
Serving Size : 1
(From http://members.tripod.com/~Djebbana/recipes.html)

MORROCAN RED PEPPER SAUCE
(Harissa)

Makes 1 cup

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil

Using a mortar and pestle, crush the spices, salt and garlic together to form a paste. Heat a frying pan,
add the olive oil and spice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, for five minutes. Serve with couscous dishes.

(From The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors, contributed by Eva Zane, from her book Middle Eastern Cookery.

[lorilei]

Well, Gail, you're a virtual library of information. The recipes sound /close/, and I might try them to see how they compare flavor-wise...

The harissa I had in Tunisia had real "substance" to it -- it was made with dried (but not ground) peppers and resembled an olive pate in consistency. I brought back a pound of the spice blend (which you simply mix with olive oil and lots of garlic) when I returned to the states. But, of course, I'm running low at this point.

If only I could figure out exactly what kind of peppers they used, I might be able to recreate it. But, thus far I haven't come close enough http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Thanx for getting me a bit closer to a solution!

Lori