Roasted Potatoes with Harissa
These little guys are a mouthful full of bold flavor. They’re spicy and crispy and creamy and perfect as a hot appetizer. Make sure you serve the sauce on the side and if someone is sensitive to pepper, just have them eat only the potatoes.
The harissa recipe is modified from El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine recipe to make it easier to make .The roasted potatoes follows American Test Kitchen’s cooking method.
Harissa Ingredients
1 red bell pepper
2 roma tomatoes
¾ tsp ground cloves
2 ¼ tsp ground fennel seeds
¾ tsp ground cumin
2 Tbl hot smoked paprika
3 Tbl hot chile powder
2 Tbl crushed red chile flakes (I use Aleppo)
6 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 orange
2 Tbl sherry vinegar
2 Tbl tomato paste
¼ c water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Harissa Directions
Turn on the broiler. Make sure the oven rack is as close to the broiler heat source as you can get it without the vegetables touching the heating element. Add the two tomatoes and bell pepper to a broiler-safe pan. Slide them into the broiler. When the tops blacken, flip them over to blacken the other side.
Put the tomatoes directly into a food process (no need to peel them). Put the bell pepper on a plate or in a bowl and cover it with Saran wrap. After it cools, remove the skin of the pepper. Cut out the stem. Slice the pepper in half and remove the seeds. Add it to the food processor.
In a frying pan, heat 3 Tbl of oil to a shimmer. Add ¾ tsp ground cloves, 2 ¼ tsp ground fennel seeds, ¾ tsp ground cumin, 2 Tbl hot smoked paprika, and 2 Tbl hot chile powder. Stir it. The spices will darken and give off a glorious toasted smell. Pull them from the heat. Do not burn them.
Add the spices to the food processor with 2 Tbl crushed red chile flakes. Slice of the dry end off of 6 cloves of garlic. Lay a knife flat on top and give it a good whack with the exterior of your fist. Peel the garlic and add it to the food processor.
Squeeze 1 orange in the food processor along with 2 Tbl sherry vinegar, 2 Tbl tomato paste, ¼ c water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper.
Run the food processor until it’s smooth. Taste. Add salt if needed.
Harissa Notes
I never have paprika much less smoked paprika in my spice rack so I use chipotle. It gives the same smokey, sweet flavor although it does punch up the heat factor.
Chile powder – I always use NM red chile. I find the regular grocery store chile powder lacks flavor.
Roasted Potatoes Ingredients
2 ½ lbs yukon gold potatoes
1 Tbl + 1 tsp salt (divided)
5 Tbl oil (divided)
2 Tbl minced garlic
2 Tbl chopped cilantro
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Roasted Potatoes Directions
Heat oven and a baking sheet to 450.
Cut the potatoes in 2” wedges/cubes and put them in a large sauce pan with enough water to cover the potatoes in 1” of water. Add 1 Tbl of salt. Heat it to a boil then reduce to a simmer. When a paring knife can glide through the exterior of the potato, but meets resistance in the middle of the potato, remove it from heat and drain the water. It’ll be about 5 minutes.
Add the drained potatoes to a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt, 4 Tbl oil, 2 Tble minced garlic, 2 Tbl chopped cilantro, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp of Aleppo pepper to the potatoes.Use a rubber spatula and stir until the exteriors of the potatoes are coated with a starchy paste.
Remove the pan from the oven and put the potatoes in a single layer. Drizzle 1 Tbl of oil on top of them. Put them in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Flip them over and about 10 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy.
Notes
I used new potatoes because that’s what I had from my dealer. If you can’t find Yukon Gold, I recommend using russet potatoes because of their high starch content.
