[1] Homemade harissa paste. Here’s a template to make your signature recipe (photo © Slow Burning Passion).

[2] A classic Tunisian dish, shakshouka, punches up the tomato sauce with harissa (photo © A Better Happier St. Sebastian).

[3] Hot harissa ports easily to American cuisine, such as this baked squash with maple syrup and pomegranate arils (photo © Cava).

[4] How popular is harissa? In England, it’s become a flavoring for English Cheddar (photo © iGourmet).

[5] You can find harissa paste in cans, jars, and tubes (photo © Silk Road Spices).

Like hot and spicy foods? Try harissa, a North African hot paste and sauce originally from Tunisia. It contains peri peri chiles, serrano chiles, garlic, coriander, caraway, and other spices.

This “unofficial condiment of Tunisia” is extremely versatile. In Tunisia, Morocco and across North Africa, harissa flavors almost all of the local cuisine:

 
It’s also served with bread. Harissa is both a flavor enhancer and a condiment used for dipping and spreading.

While you can purchase harissa in jars, it’s easy to make at home (see the recipe below), where you can adjust the amount of heat with the type or the number of chiles.

We use smoky chiles: chipotle (dried, smoked red jalapeño) and/or the mild ancho (dried, smoked poblano).

For serious smoky heat, look for smoky bhut jolokia chiles, a.k.a. ghost chiles (the different types of chiles). Harissa is meant to be hot.

Beyond heat, harissa delivers a depth of flavor not provided by hot sauces, including sriracha.

Don’t like a lot of heat? Make red bell pepper sauce instead, and add a pinch of heat: chile flakes or hot sauce to taste.
 
 
USES FOR HARISSA PASTE

Harissa has a place in every meal, from breakfast to dinner. You can even add a bit in a fruit salad for dessert.

 
 
RECIPE: HARISSA PASTE

Seasonings vary widely, but caraway, coriander, and cumin are cornerstones.

Dried chiles are a key ingredient in harissa. You can use any combination you like.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. REMOVE the stems and seeds from the chiles. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add the chiles. Cover the pot and let the chiles steep until soft, about 20-30 minutes. Drain (you can reserve the water to add flavor to other dishes, from boiled potatoes to poached eggs).

3. STORE in a sterile jar, for six months or longer in the fridge. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the color from oxidizing. Each time you use some paste, add another layer of olive oil before returning to the fridge.
 
 
 

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Gluten-free reporter Georgi Page-Smith tries sprouted-grain pancakes from Pamela’s.

I was fortunate enough to receive the full suite of Pamela’s sprouted grain pancake mixes for review, including 6 Grain, Buckwheat, Buttermilk, Non-Dairy, Grain-Free and Protein varieties.

Sprouted grains have gotten more attention recently for their lower levels of carbohydrates and increased levels of protein and nutrients, including vitamin C, folate and minerals like iron.

While initially a bit skeptical about what to expect from the taste and texture of these ultra-healthy alternative mixes, I was pleasantly surprised. Kudos to Pamela’s for not resting on their plentiful laurels.

My sampling commenced with the Buckwheat mix, because in my very slim book buckwheat is the king of flours. Typically hearty, nutty and virtuous-tasting, it is my go-to in many forms: hot cereals, pancakes, waffles and cookies.

Again, Pamela’s did not disappoint. The expectation for these mixes, based on their sprouted grain origins, might be that they will be “grainy,” dense or extremely fibrous. This is simply not true.

The flavor as well as texture is very light and refined with a rich, full, well-rounded flavor. Pamela’s Buckwheat pancakes were also delightfully fluffy. For extra fluff you can separate your whites and egg yolks as I did, whipping the whites into stiff peaks before folding in; but it’s probably not necessary.
 
 
THE WAFFLE OF MY DREAMS

On two separate occasions I attempted to adapt the Pamela’s mixes for use in a waffle iron. With the Buttermilk mix the waffles were tasty, but a bit floppy. The flavor of the mix was nevertheless delicious and should not disappoint classic pancake fans.

The 6 Grain mix was similarly not my ideal waffle texture-wise, when I strictly followed the recipe on the box.

However, when I substituted half of the oil in the recipe with butter, and half of the water called for with almond milk and a little extra liquid (I used orange juice and for thrills also added grated orange zest and chopped pecans) for a runnier consistency…I got the waffle of my dreams!

Crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside the waffles were perfect, the flavor only enhanced by the virtue of eating a sprouted grain. They are also sturdy enough to freeze for later toasting for a breakfast on-the-go, that still allows you to revel in waffle delight before facing the day.

[2] The author’s favorite: Buckwheat pancake mix (photo © Pamela’s Products).

With Pamela’s, I can say with confidence that it’s worth trying the whole range to find the one that suits you best.

Pamela’s products are available at most large grocery chains nationwide, at e-tailers, on the Pamela’s Products website.

—Georgi Page-Smith
  

[2] Brown turkey figs (photo courtesy Melissa’s).

In 2006, the discovery of figs in an 11,400-year-old house near the ancient city of Jericho established figs as the world’s oldest cultivated crop—toppling the previous contenders, wheat and barley.

Who knows what evidence will be found going forward, but for now, figs wear the crown.

The figs were from a type of fig tree that was not pollinated by insects. Such a parthenocarpic tree won’t reproduce unless. Human intervention is required, to grow more trees from a cuttings.

Voilà: earliest known instance of agriculture, the practice of farming, which in includes cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops*.

A parthenocarpic tree doesn’t produce seeds to reproduce, but a benefit is that its fruit is prevented from falling off the tree. This allows it to become soft and sweet instead of falling to the ground, often before it reaches its sweet peak.

That sweeter fruit may be why man—or rather, woman—continually planted shoots from the trees.

How did prehistoric woman figure that out?

“It’s generally women who do the gathering in hunting-and-gathering societies,” says a Harvard anthropologist, Ofer Bar-Yosef. “And years of experience would tell them exactly how the plants behaved…” [source].

But, he notes, observation and experimentation are a very slow process, perhaps requiring experimentation by generations of women.

 
On the other side of the world, millet was domesticated about 10,000 years ago in China, followed by rice [source].

The 2005 discovery now places figs on the top of the podium of the world’s oldest domesticated crops—by roughly 1,000 years, and 5,000 years earlier than previously thought.
 
 
THE DAWN OF AGRICULTURE

Previously, agriculture was thought to begin after 9500 B.C.E. in the Fertile Crescent, the land in and around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that is now include Mesopotamia, and the Levant†.

It’s a Near East-centric view that doesn’t include what might have been happening in the rest of the world. Some highlights [source]:

 
Here’s the full chart of plant domestication.
Here’s more about the dawn of agriculture.
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*Agriculture also includes the rearing of animals to provide food, wool and other products.

†The Levant is the name given to the western Fertile Crescent, a large area in southwest Asia. Its perimeters are south of the Taurus Mountains, with the Mediterranean Sea as the western boundary, and the north Arabian Desert and Mesopotamia in the east. The historical area comprises modern-day Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

“Levant” is an English term that first appeared in 1497. It originally referred to the “Mediterranean lands east of Italy.” Among other popular foods, Levantine cuisine gave birth to baklava, balafel, kebabs, mezze (including tabbouleh, hummus and baba ghanoush), pita and za’atar, among other dishes that are enjoyed in the U.S. and around the world.
 
  

We have two favorite mustard brands: Maille, the venerable mustard house of Dijon, France, which makes Dijon in dozens of flavors; and Colman’s, the fiercely hot, Chinese-style mustard (the different types of mustard).

We love mustard—great flavor, virtually no calories—and have written it into many recipes and our 10 favorite ways to use mustard.

Even if you don’t want mustard flavor, it can work in the background to perk up so many recipes. Our favorite uses:

 
As a recipe helper, just a spoonful of mustard helps to:

 
And when we’re stuck for a sauce: Dijon mustard, plain Greek yogurt and some seasonings.
 
MUSTARD RECIPES

You can find lots of recipes on Maille.com.

Although we haven’t tried it, there’s a recipe for carrot cake and a mango cocktail, both of which use Dijon mustard.

For some real heat, look at this collection of recipes from Colman’s. Add some heat to mac and cheese, soup, even gingerbread.
 
 
THE CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES FAMILY

Your healthcare providers want you to eat more cruciferous veggies.

Cruciferous vegetables—also known as brassicas—are superfoods that comprise the Brassicaceae family of vegetables. These nutritional powerhouses are also packed with cancer-fighting* phytonutrients, powerful antioxidants.

The family includes

[2] Use mustard to make a crust on salmon or other proteins. Mix it with yogurt and herbs for a mustard sauce (photo courtesy Kitchen Galanter).

[3] A match made in heaven: soft pretzels and spicy mustard (photo courtesy Ringhand’s Mustard).

[4] Anything fried can be paired with mustard or mustard sauce (photo courtesy Betty Crocker).

[5] Want fries with that? Mustards and other sauces at Le District | NYC.

Eat up: Cruciferous vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Consume them raw or lightly steamed to get the maximum amount of antioxidants.

Just don’t overcook them! You can eat overcooked carrots or potatoes, but overcooked broccoli and Brussels sprouts are not so pleasant.

“Cruciferous” derives from cruciferae, New Latin for “cross-bearing.” It is so named because the flowers of these vegetables consist of four petals in the shape of a cross.

Here’s a book you may enjoy: Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables: Kale, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and More.
 
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*Studies have shown the ability of cruciferous vegetables to stop the growth of cancer cells in the breast, cervix, colon, uterus, liver, lung and prostate.

[2] If you want to bake your own ciabatta, here’s a recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.

[3] Premium dried oregano from Rancho Gordo.

We love good bread. Buttery or cracker-dry, fine or rustic crumb, plain or seasoned, tall or flat, soft or crusty, made with any type of flour, with or without inclusions (cheese, dried fruits, nuts…): All are welcome.

If you’re a bread lover, you’re likely a crouton lover, too. Can there be too many croutons served with salad or soup?

Maybe, but the bar is high.

When we saw this photo from MorningStar Farms, we were decided that our lunch would be salad with a topping of croutons. Big, garlicky ones, like crunchy garlic bread.

You don’t have to toss them on the salad. If you prefer, serve them on the side.

RECIPE: HERBED CROUTONS

You can make croutons in whatever size and shape you like—even using cookie cutters for hearts or other shapes. The ingredients are similar; only the size of the bread varies.

For jumbo croutons, look for an oblong loaf so you can cut biscotti- or mini-biscotti-size slices as shown in the photo. We used a ciabatta loaf.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F, with a rack positioned in the center.

2. ADD the oil to a saucepan, along with the the garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes; discard the garlic.

3. TOSS the bread cubes in a bowl toss with the seasoned oil. Spread them onto a jelly-roll pan (a baking sheet with a rim) and bake them for 8 minutes.

4. SPRINKLE the croutons with the parmesan and bake them for another 7 minutes, or until they are golden brown (if you’re not using cheese, simply bake for the additional 7 minutes). Remove from the oven.

5. TASTE a crouton and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper as desired. Cool. Croutons will keep in an airtight container for a week. for tossed green salad.

 
Ingredients

 
 
10 USES FOR CROUTONS

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*Stuff with a protein salad: chicken, crab, egg, tuna or shrimp salad.