Lentil Carrot Harissa Hummus served with Pita

YIELD

1 quart

HARISSA INGREDIENTS

14 ea dried New Mexico or Guajillo chiles

18 oz (~6 ea) roasted red peppers (jarred is fine)

2 ea chipotles in adobo

4 T tomato paste

8 cloves garlic

2 tsp caraway seed, toasted and ground

4 tsp coriander, ground

4 tsp cumin, ground

3 tsp paprika, smoked (if you don’t have smoked paprika, add ⅛ tsp liquid smoke)

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 T salt and pepper

8 T sugar

4 T lemon juice

4 T olive oil or canola oil

METHOD

1. Remove stems and seeds from dried chilies. Place in pot and add water to cover. Boil until chiles are soft. Drain but save the liquid.

2. Combine all chiles with the remaining ingredients except the oil in a blender.** Add in oil slowly while blending. Use some of the remaining chili liquid to create a smoother consistency. Taste and adjust accordingly. Portion in deli containers and freeze until needed. **Note: You can use a food processor for this, but it’s not quite as smooth.

LENTIL CARROT HARISSA HUMMUS INGREDIENTS

4 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into 2" pieces

1 cup red lentils

½ cup white beans

1 cup oil

½ cup harissa

¼ cup honey 1 T salt and pepper

To garnish: crispy lentils, crispy chickpeas, cilantro, etc.

METHOD

1. In a medium pot, boil carrots for 30-40 minutes until very soft. In another pot, cook lentils (overcooking is ideal since it leads to a smoother texture). Once cooked carrots and lentils are cool, add to a blender or food processor with remaining ingredients. Blend until completely smooth, adding oil or water if necessary.