Harissa

I love this spicy Moroccan chilli paste. It sits in the middle of the table whenever I’m eating Moroccan style at home. Actually, it ends up on a lot of food and is a great marinade as well as a fantastic flavour booster for braises. It is great with tagines and barbecued fish, poultry or meat, or just on a roast chicken sandwich. It is hot, so check how you handle it before you spread it all over your food. The original is made with dried chillies, so if you want to tone it down a bit you can add fresh large red chillies, which are not that hot. The second version will be hot, but not as incendiary as the first one, and it will taste fresh, as it is not made with dried chillies. The barbecued red capsicums (peppers) make it a bit smoother and also add a nice charred flavour. You can blend it if you wish, although I think these first two versions should be fairly rustic.