Black Olives With Harissa Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb Oil-cured black olives
• (preferably Moroccan)*
• 1 tsp Cuminseed
• 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds
• 2 x Warm red dry chilies*
• stemmed but not seeded (about 2 inches in length)
• 2 x Garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp Coarse salt
• or possibly to taste
• 1 med Red bell pepper
• roasted (procedure follows) and minced coarse
• 1 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. *Available at Middle Eastern or possibly Mediterranean markets
2. In a colander rinse olives under cool water 1 minute and in a large bowl cover with cool water.
3. Soak olives 4 hrs to remove excess salt and drain well.
4. Make harissa: In a mortar with a pestle, an electric spice grinder, or possibly a cleaned coffee grinder grind seeds fine.
5. If using mortar and pestle, add in chilies, garlic, and salt and lb.
6. to taste.
7. If using a spice or possibly coffee grinder, transfer seeds to a small food processor and add in chilies, garlic, and salt.
8. Grind mix to a paste.
9. Add in pepper and oil and lb.
10. or possibly puree to a coarse paste.
11. In a large bowl stir together harissa and olives and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 6 hrs or possibly overnight.
12. Olives may be prepared 1 week ahead and kept chilled, covered.
13. Serve olives at room temperature.
14. To roast peppers:Using a long-handled fork, char peppers over an open flame or possibly on a rack set over an electric burner, turning, till skins are blackened, 4 to 6 min.
15. (Or possibly to broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 min, 15 to 20 min, or possibly till skins are blistered and charred.)
16. Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, till cold sufficient to handle.
17. Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end.
18. Cut off pepper tops and throw away seeds and ribs.
19. Makes about 3 c..