Instructions: Dont remember the recipe, but did get this recipe for Harife from one of my hot luck guests which sounds pretty close, and is just wonderful the longer it sits. My thanks to the Ifrahs for the recipe notes, which I have quoted liberally.

Harife has no exact quantities, just ingredients.

Having said that, all ingredients are followed with the quote "to desired proportions"

rehydrated red peppers (pick your own heat level)

olive oil (extra Virgin-our preference)

cilantro

garlic

We usually make an half gallon jar, so these are my proportions (more or less). The hotluck batch was a mix of ancho, thai, cayenne, and arbol peppers.

Now the procedure: Usually we both de-seed and de-stem the rehydrated peppers, but this time we left the seed and placenta intact and just pulled the stems off after they had rehydrated.

In a large food processor grind the peppers, add a little olive oil to make it gooey scoop this goo into a large bowl.

Grind the garlic and add a little olive oil to make it gooey. scoop the garlic goo into the bowl with the pepper goo. stir the goos.

trim the stems and fiberous stuff from the cilantro. grind the cilantro in the food processor-( no oil no goo in this step).

stir the goos and cilantro together drizzle olive oil into the bowl to semi liquify the goos.

pour the pre-harife goo into a jar and top (literally) with olive oil.

cover jar with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator.

let age about one week, if you can wait that long!

A North African (Tunisian) twist on this, is harissa. Jusy leave out the cilantro and garlic and stop the process after you have pepper goo.

This is, generally served with couscous and mixed in with the broth by the individual to his/her taste and then poured over the semolina.

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