Homemade Harissa (Spicy Red Pepper Sauce) Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, serrano peppers and other hot chili peppers and spices and herbs such as garlic paste, coriander seed, or caraway as well as some vegetable or olive oil for preservation. Try rubbing this chile paste on meats or fish before searing or grilling, or stir a small spoonful into some mayonnaise for a sandwich spread with a kick. Mix a small amount with olive oil and toss with steamed veggies or couscous.

Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Yields: 1 1/2 CUPS Harissa Sauce

Ingredients

 2 whole roasted red peppers, seeds removed*  1 garlic clove, peeled + smashed  2 dried ancho chilies  Juice of half a lemon  1 dried chile de arbol  Salt, to taste  2 chipotle chiles in adobo  2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil  1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Place the dried chiles in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over top the chiles. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes until the chiles are softened. Reserve chile water. 2. Once chiles are softened, cut top off the chiles and remove the seeds from inside. Add to the bowl of a food processor or blender, along with the chipotle chiles in adobo, garlic and lemon juice. 3. Purée, slowly pouring in the olive oil to thicken the sauce. If desired add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved chile water to thin the sauce a bit. Season to taste with salt and extra lemon juice. 4. The Harissa will keep refrigerated for a few weeks.

*To roast your own red peppers you can either broil them in the oven or place them directly on a gas top burner and char all sides of the pepper. Once all sides are charred remove the pepper from the broiler or stove top and place in a bowl and cover. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, remove and peel the charred parts away. Slice and use.

Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin A and C, two very powerful antioxidants that may help to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases and several cancers. They contain small amounts of vitamin K which is important in bone health. Red bell peppers contain both lycopene and beta- cryptoxathin which lower the risk of certain cancers. Red peppers have more vitamin C than oranges and are also high in beta-carotene. As the pepper gets riper, it gets not only a better taste, but it also gets more nutritive value. A red pepper is actually a fully ripened green pepper with a milder flavor.