Tunisian Harissa

A few years ago we were fortunate to have a guest chef from Tunisia spend a few days in our kitchen. Baroui Karoui arrived with his own special spice mixture, some frozen ouarka leaves, dates, books, and a special giant restaurantsize couscousière. What is most important, he brought great energy and enthusiasm, and an open mind. We traded recipes and stories over beer and pizza. This recipe is his version of harissa, that zippy hot condiment served in North Africa as a sort