Dinner with Friends Part 2

Part of the chicken dish requires making your own spice mix for it and a Moroccan hot sauce. Here are the recipes for both.

RAS EL HANOUT

1/2 tsp. anise seed
1 tsp. fennel seed
8 whole allspice berries
8 cardamom pods-seeds only
8 whole cloves
15 whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 Tbs. sesame seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
1/2 tsp. cumin seed
pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes
pinch of ground mace (can be left out if you don't have it)
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind fine the first 11 ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the rest of the spices with the spice mixture until combined well. Place in a tightly jar in a cool dark place up to six months. Makes about 1/4 cup.

HARISSA (MOROCCAN HOT SAUCE)

1 teas. cumin seed
1/2 teas. coriander seed
1/2 teas. caraway seed
4 hot red dried chlies--stemmed but not seeded, rough chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teas. coarse salt, or to taste
1 medium red bell pepper--roasted, peeled, and chopped coarse (you can roast it yourself or use jarred roasted red pepper)
1 teas. tomato paste
1 Tbs. olive oil

Toast whole spices and chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant, then cool. With an electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind seeds and chiles fine. Transfer ground spices to a small food processor and add garlic and salt. Grind mixture to a paste. Add roasted pepper, tomato paste, and oil. Process to a coarse puree. This will keep, covered in a jar in the refrigerator for weeks. Serves as a condiment with the couscous and tagine. Makes 1/2 cups.

Note- I will probably double the recipe when I make this next time. Everyone loved it and there wasn't a drop left! Also great with eggs!