What to do with Harissa....

I've had this jar of Harissa in my pantry for some time. Got it at Williams Sonoma. I've never been sure what to do with it so, of course, I googled "Cooking with Harissa" and here's what I found. Some really great ideas. Click on the link and go to Chow Hound

Here's what all the ChowHounds said:

What to do with spicy red pepper harissa?
I have a whole jar of this and it is very spicy. I have rubbed a little on before grilling chicken, but what else could I do with it?
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ejpnyc Jul 27, 2008 09:49AM
9 Replies so Far

Confronted with the same dilemma, I made these carrots-marvelous!http://www.cuisine.co.nz/index.cfm?pageID=22356The link above provides a few ideas and the carrot recipe (like the dip was a great idea) for future uses.
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HillJ] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/uploads/3/6/9/282963_sandwich_tiny.jpg"> HillJ Jul 27, 2008 10:35AM

There's a recipe on this site for harissa-marinated tri-tip.
Here are a bunch if ideas from a previous thread on this topic, sorry I don't know who to credit I just pasted them into a Word document:
Mix it with oil packed tuna and chickpeas or white beans for a fantastic salad.Mix it with chicken or tuna salad for great sandwiches. Add avocado to the sandwiches if you have it.Mix it with yogurt and use as a marinade for fish or chickenStir into bean and lentil soups or scrambled eggs.
I make a Moroccan style room temperature carrot salad. Simmer slices of carrots in water with a bay leaf, drain and combine with olive oil and harissa while still warm, then refrigerate. Serve at room temperature, garnished with any of the following: chopped mint, chopped cilantro, olives, feta cheese, chopped preserved lemon.
Make yourself a Paris style street sandwich: Grill merguez (Moroccan lamb) sausage. Serve on toasted baguette smeared with harissa.
Marinate chicken pieces in olive oil, cinnamon, salt, cayenne and sugar. Brown pieces, then roast till done. Serve with harissa. (Paraphrased from epicurious.com.)
Tunisian specialty Leblebi (a chickpea stew garnished with hard boiled eggs & tuna). Here's a link - just scroll down a bit http://chef2chef.net/news/club/vol9/recipe-club-v9-093.htm
I love a little in a bloody Mary, great flavor and a nice change of pace.
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GretchenS] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/uploads/2/0/5/3502_P_for_card_tiny.JPG"> GretchenS Jul 27, 2008 03:14PM

re: GretchenS
Spread the Harissa on some toast for a fried egg and bacon sandwhich.
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EricShawnSmith] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/uploads/0/8/5/61580_rock_drummer_e_tiny.jpg"> EricShawnSmith Jul 27, 2008 07:46PM

re: EricShawnSmith
OMG that sounds good!
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GretchenS] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/uploads/2/0/5/3502_P_for_card_tiny.JPG"> GretchenS Jul 28, 2008 09:59AM

Tunisian, Algerian or Moroccan?
If the latter two, it's a great condiment with grilled sausage, merguez obviously but others as well. Hell, as a condiment on anything grilled, really.
Boiled potatoes tossed with harissa are great. Green beans. In mashed potatoes. Dilute with pasta water and toss with macaroni. Grilled sweet peppers and onions plus harissa make for a -great- quiche.
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tmso] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/images/avatar-tiny.gif"> tmso Jul 28, 2008 07:38AM

I've used it on an excellent Middle Eastern surf n turf. Marinade shrimp and lamp chops in it, thinned down with oil if it's too spicy (test beforehand - each one is different). Grill the shrimp and meat, season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and serve with a dipping sauce made of more harissa and vinegar or, for a cooler version, harissa and yogurt.
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katecm] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/images/avatar-tiny.gif"> katecm Jul 28, 2008 02:06PM

On Iron Chef the other day a chef (winning challenger) boiled zucchini srips and combined them with some harissa and chilled. Then served topped with feta. Judges really liked it.
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C. Hamster] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/images/avatar-tiny.gif"> C. Hamster Jul 28, 2008 02:34PM

I like blending a teaspoon or so in with white bean dip to give it some extra spice.
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PandanExpress] cssbody=[user_tooltip]" alt="" src="http://chowhound.chow.com/images/avatar-tiny.gif"> PandanExpress Jul 28, 2008 03:16PM

Thanks everyone. the harissa I have is VERY spicy--so a little goes a long way.It's a small jar, but I think it will last long ebeough to try a lot of what has been suggested here.