November’s grey skies and plummeting temperatures can make it a slog of a month to get through, but then I think of all the cozy comfort food I get to eat, and then the second-to-last month of the year doesn’t seem so bad.
While I tend to reach for rich and hearty soups, stews, and pastas, there’s just something about a plate of tasty meatballs that makes me so darn happy. Whether they’re simmered in an aromatic tomato sauce, glazed with sweet and sour goodness, or coated in a creamy mushroom sauce, I’m all in - every single time. My favourite version as of late is this recipe for chicken meatballs bathed in a spicy harissa sauce. Talk about flavour! The meatballs are super juicy and incredibly fragrant, and all you need is a little jar of harissa paste to make this meatball magic happen.
If you’ve never cooked with harissa before, you’re in for a real treat. So what exactly is harissa? The short answer is it’s a blend of hot peppers, various spices, and oil. The word harissa comes from Arabic, meaning “to crush”, “to grind, or puree”. It can be a paste, which in turn is the base for flavourful sauces, stews, and curries. Harissa is also a sauce which is used like a condiment in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. Harissa ingredients vary from country to country, even neighbourhood to neighbourhood, but the base ingredients are hot peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Next come the spice add-ins which can be anything from cumin, coriander, caraway, and perhaps even dried mint. The peppers used to make harissa are on the hot side, which makes it perfect for enhancing meat and fish dishes, or even adding a little oomph to sauces and couscous.
You can make your own harissa sauce (be sure to wear gloves when chopping hot peppers), or you can purchase a paste like I do. Harissa paste can be found in larger supermarkets, online, and in specialty grocery stores. Because the spice level can vary from brand to brand, I like to start with smaller amounts then increase if I need to.
I added harissa paste to both the meatballs and the sauce, but if you want to add to just one of these, that would be fine too. Ground chicken is the base for these meatballs but ground lamb or even turkey would work. The finely chopped dried apricots add sweetness and the toasted almonds add a pleasant crunch. Of course fresh herbs and plenty of garlic are a must as well. The rich tomato sauce has flavour for days, and I like to tuck in some chickpeas for extra protein and fibre. The dish is garnished with feta and I like to swirl a bit of yogurt in for a final flourish.
Served with buttered couscous and warm pita bread, this dish of meatballs is a warming hug of a feast. Winter may be coming, but we’ll always have meatballs!
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