I was introduced to harissa, a spicy North African chili paste, when I first devoured Ben Poremba’s Moroccan Shredded Carrot Salad at Olio. Since then, this spicy aromatic salad has been on my list of inspirational Just Five dishes for a long time.
Harissa is made from ground chilis, garlic and aromatic spices that is as versatile as it is pungent and nuanced. It’s great on anything from eggs and meat to flavoring soups and stews and is available at most international grocery stores or specialty food shops (or try making your own harissa with this recipe).
The original salad uses cilantro and mint, but I opted to cut the cilantro since a number of people have a scientifically proven aversion to the stuff. I also bulked it up a bit with a handful of arugula and used multicolored carrots for a fun pop of color.
Carrot-Orange Salad with Harissa Inspired by a recipe from Olio’s Ben Poremba 4 servings
2 oranges
2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 carrots)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp. harissa
Pinch kosher salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups arugula or mixed greens
• Supreme 1 orange by peeling and removing the pith with a sharp knife and then slicing between the membranes. Add the orange sections to a large bowl. Slice the other orange in half and supreme 1 half in the same manner as before, adding the segments to the bowl.
• Toss the shredded carrots and mint in the bowl with the oranges. Set aside.
• Juice the remaining orange half in a small bowl and whisk together with the harissa and a pinch of salt. Continue whisking and drizzle the olive oil into the dressing until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the carrot and orange mixture and toss to coat.
• Place a handful of arugula into 4 plates and divide the carrot salad evenly between the plates. Drizzle any remaining dressing over the salads and serve.
This article appears in January 2015.