Our gardens are exploding. Weather they’re porch pots, city plots or full on farms, the greens are a-coming and we can add this to the list of things to-do with their bounty. This being green harissa cauliflower.
The internet is ablaze with conversations around the need for more Black and POC voices in the food world. I heartily agree, and in examining my own bookshelf, I couldn’t help but be drawn back to the Red Rooster Harlem cookbook by Marcus Samuelsson. First, because the recipes inside are all worth the hype that proceeds the author. Second, because it reads like a love letter to Harlem, the predominantly black, wonderfully vibrant community to which the book and cuisine pays homage.
I implore you to pick up a copy for yourself, and should you find yourself in NYC, ride the rail up to Harlem and indulge in the sights, smells and tastes all around you. No regrets will be had.
As I tried to pick which of the post-it tabbed recipes to make, the green harissa chicken caught my eye. I’ve made harissa before (remember this oh-so-awesome flatbread?) but I’d only see it in red. This was green, so let’s mix it up!
One snafu when making the recipe true to Marcus- I didn’t have the Thai or Anaheim chilies it needed. I know, is it even the same recipe? But we’re still in quarantine, stay-at-home, social distancing life here, and the grocery store to which I embarked last weekend (Trader Joe’s) only had jalapenos. So jalapenos it was, which actually made the whole thing less spicy and probably more palatable to the masses (or at least the little ones around your table). Anyway, only one grocery store stop per trip out these days!
Besides that, the rest I did as I was told when it came to the sauce. Oh, wait…no, I added less oil. Aaaand added the pepitas. Besides those things, I followed the recipe as indicated. Tossed in roasted cauliflower, it reminded me of the karnabeet (another very worth side!) and would make a great cold or warm, mayo-less green harissa cauliflower to take to any summer, socially-distanced barbecue.
Green Harissa Cauliflower
Harissa gets a redo with this green harissa cauliflower, inspired by Red Rooster Harlem to make a perfectly spicy and healthy side dish
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 TB olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 shallots, sliced thinly
- 5 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and diced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup toasted pepitas
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Step 2 Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and spread on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 TB olive oil and the salt. Roast for 40-50 minutes until the florets are slightly brown.
- Step 3 While the cauliflower cooks, make the harissa sauce. To a dry skillet over medium heat, add the thyme, coriander, cumin and caraway seeds. Toast about 5 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind and combine.
- Step 4 To the same skillet, add 2 TB olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic and peppers and spices, and cook over medium-high heat until soft.
- Step 5 Transfer the pepper mixture to a food processor. Puree and stream in the remaining olive oil. Puree until smooth. Toss the cauliflower with the harissa sauce and top with toasted pepitas.
