Volume 3

Spring/Summer 2024

THE PERPETUAL PROCESS

When my work week comes to a close and I head home to put my kids to bed, I regularly feel a sense of relief and accomplishment but also a bit melancholy. Although we are often working towards our weekend, there is something about the path we forge to get there that I miss once it’s arrived. Similar to the anticipation of a long-awaited trip or preparing for an exciting event or party, once you arrive at your weekend, it can feel like it’s over even though it’s actually just begun. It’s all about the process of arriving at that final destination that keeps me motivated and inspired. For me, at least, the most thrilling part of an outcome is the journey we experience getting there. 

Throughout the creative process, we encounter numerous obstacles and detours. Sometimes these difficulties are of our own making and other times it is out of our control. No matter the case, they are inevitable as well as valuable. There have been countless times I have made a mistake that then led me to realize a different and often better way of doing something. We’ve all certainly experienced the value of retreating from a challenging moment to then return later fully willing and capable of accomplishing the task at hand with confidence and clarity. Although process is often a personal and singular experience, it can also be a shared exploration.

With this, our third volume of Digest, we want to honor and recognize the entire process of creating this sweet little publication. Entirely built on relationships and the value they possess in our existence as humans as well as creators, Digest is the outcome of countless collaborations and partnerships. If it weren’t for a casual brainstorming conversation years ago with a dear friend in his living room, Digest wouldn’t exist in the form it does today. If it weren’t for our co-collaborator and friend, Eric Fisher, the stunning photographs and engaging layout of Digest wouldn’t be the same. If it weren’t for our talented and dedicated staff working all the time to keep our vision alive, time would not allow us to produce this as well as attending to all the other demands small business ownership and parenthood require. If it weren’t for all the endlessly gifted folks who supply us with everything from vegetables to table linens and the countless things in-between, we wouldn’t have the thriving and dynamic space that we share with all of you today. It’s these relationships that are the foundation of our business and our lives—and it’s the process of cultivating these relationships that has become the heart and soul of The Corson Building. 

To be able to have the time and space to engage in the process of doing this work is a privilege and an honor and something that we try not to take for granted. The moment an idea is born, the true process begins of nurturing that idea into maturity. We’re so grateful for all the folks who continue to support and encourage us along this meandering path we’re traveling on. We’re additionally thankful to them for helping us arrive at our destination; taking a brief moment to breathe beforewe begin the journey all over again.

-Emily Crawford Dann 

INGREDIENT

Rhubarb

Rhubarb might not be on the top of everyone’s favorite ingredient list, but we sure do love it. It is one of the first things the early spring provides, and the arrival of those blushing crimson stalks may be enough to make a cook cry a tear of joy at the end of a long winter.

A perennial vegetable belonging to the knotweed family, Rhubarb is a harbinger of spring. Sometimes called the pie plant, rhubarb is celebrated for its vibrant pink stalks during the time of year when most other edible specimens are still sleeping. Native to southern Siberia, it got its name from the Russians who grew it along the Rha River (now known as the Volga). 

Rhubarb has been used medicinally for centuries and was traded alongside tea as a cure for stomach aches and fevers. The medicinal variety hails from Central Asia and was imported by British apothecaries. The leaves (which are not edible) are filled with oxalic acid and were originally used as a detoxifier as well as to bring shine back to tarnished or burned pots and pans. As the cost of the medicinal variety escalated, the British decided to attempt to grow their own and in the process, developed the variety more inclined to culinary purposes. This variety quickly found a happy home in the Victorian kitchen.

Pleasantly tart, rhubarb is like green apple with a slight vegetal pungency akin to celery. Without copious amounts of sugar or honey, the ruby shoots of the rhubarb plant are quite sour. Common dessert-centric preparations include poaching it in a sugar syrup, roasting it with citrus juice, honey and ginger or classically pairing it with strawberries. 

Although we frequently use it in sweet applications, it also lends itself nicely to savory dishes due to its natural tang which is not dissimilar to sorrel. It can be a welcome contrast to richer ingredients such as duck, pork or lamb. Sliced razor thin, rhubarb stalks can be served raw in a salad or as a garnish but should be paired with ingredients like nuts, cheese or a honey sweetened vinaigrette which can help to balance its bracing acerbity. We also enjoy pickling rhubarb and pairing it with a creamy, rich chicken liver pate or as an accompaniment to most cheeses but particularly a pungent blue or a luscious ripe triple cream brie.

It’s not uncommon to find a robust rhubarb plant in many grandmother’s gardens. Jars of rhubarb jams and marmalades as well as rhubarb pies, crisps or tarts have been common dishes on the American and European springtime table for generations.  Rhubarb grows well in cooler climates and needs a hard freeze to regenerate. The first rhubarb of the season is usually forced, or hothouse grown arriving sooner than the garden varieties. 

Cooking this beautiful garden specimen can be a little tricky. When rhubarb is cooked, its fibers begin to melt, and it is quick to fall apart. We find that to preserve any color or texture of the plant it must be cooked quickly, thereby yielding cohesive portions and a potent flavor. Poached briefly in simple syrup or a brief, high-heat roast in the oven after being tossed with a little sugar or honey, vanilla bean, citrus zest and perhaps some herbs from the garden yields a deliciously sweet version to accompany ice cream, yogurt or a simple cake. If poached in simple syrup, the biproduct of the poaching—the syrup itself—is one of our most prized concoctions when working with rhubarb. We love to mix the vibrant pink syrup with sparkling water or wine for a refreshing aperitif. It’s also a great addition to a spirit-based cocktail like a springtime daquiri of rum, lime and rhubarb syrup.

Be it in your garden or procured at your local farmers market or grocery store, we encourage you to embrace this often-avoided vernal treat. Visually stunning, it will brighten the color palate of your ingredient list and its vibrant tartness will enliven any dish it finds a role in. 

Poaching is a great way to prepare rhubarb for myriad uses. Additionally, it yields the most delicious syrup for drinks or for drizzling over ice cream, yogurt or fresh fruit. 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1–2-inch segments 

Combine sugar with 1 ½ cups water in a pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the rhubarb pieces to the syrup and simmer for only a couple minutes otherwise the rhubarb will overcook and fall apart. Strain the rhubarb from the syrup and set both aside to cool. Once both are cooled store the rhubarb in the syrup until needed. 

Poached Rhubarb

Uses for poached rhubarb:

  • As an accompaniment to panna cotta or rice pudding

  • On a cheese plate

  • With yogurt and granola

  • Mixed with fresh strawberries as a shortcake topping with whipped cream

  • Combine with citrus segments and serve on top of a piece of warm toast with ricotta

  • On top of vanilla or lemon curd in a tart

We often incorporate dukkah into our desserts year-round but we really love pairing it with the pink stalks of spring’s most distinctly tart gift, rhubarb.

~ For the Jam ~

  • zest & juice of ½ grapefruit

  • 150g sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 vanilla bean, split

  • 1 pound rhubarb

  1. Dissolve the sugar in citrus juice with zest, vanilla & salt

  2. Set aside ½ cup rhubarb and add the remaining to sugar/citrus mixture stirring often for 15-20 minutes. 

  3. Add remaining rhubarb to jam once pulled from heat.

Rhubarb Dukkah Bars

Makes 16 Servings

~ For the Dukkah ~
Makes 2 cups

  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts (roasted and crushed)

  • 1/2 cup white sesame seeds (toasted)

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (toasted and crushed)

  • 4 tablespoons coriander seeds (toasted and lightly crushed)

  • 4 tablespoons fennel seeds (toasted and lightly crushed)

  • 1 tablespoon flakey sea salt

Combine all the nuts and seeds together in a bowl.  Store remaining dukkah in a jar or container with a well-fitting lid for other uses such as a hummus topping, with yogurt and fruit, or as a crunchy zesty addition to literally any salad. 

~ For the Base/Topping ~

  • oil/nonstick spray

  • 1 ¼ cups dukkah

  • 1 cup (8oz) Butter

  • 1 ¼ cups (156g)  AP

  • 1 ¼ cups (125g) Oats 

  • 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar

  • 1/4 cup Sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  1. Preheat oven to 350º

  2. Brown the butter. Set aside.

  3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda & dukkah

  4. Drizzle in butter and mash with spatula.

  5. Spread 3 cups of the base/topping into a prepared 8x8 pan sprayed with both nonstick spray or bushed with oil and lined with parchment paper pressing down to form crust. 

  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until starting to turn golden brown.

  7. Once the base has cooled, spread the jam leaving ¼ inch from the sides

  8. Place remaining crumble on top.

  9. Bake at 350 degrees and rotate half way

  10. 30-45 minutes or until golden brown

  11. Cool in pan and then chill before cutting.

WINE

Relishing Our Rosé

It’s the late afternoon now and Emily are making one final attempt to gain entrance to Clos Saint Magdeleine. While the façade of the winery is not particularly imposing, we find ourselves discouraged by the lack of response from the proprietors and the radio silence we’ve encountered during inquires we’ve made both over the phone and via email. Now, in this beautiful Provencal village of Cassis, we’re lofting up an in-person Hail Mary. 

Alas, it turns out that our visit to Saint Magdeleine is a bust. Our disappointment in being denied admission stems from our knowledge that their property is rumored to be one of the most beautiful in all of France and—perhaps more importantly—that they are the producers of one of the world’s great rosé wines. That’s right, in the midst of a global pandemic (it’s the Summer of 2021 after all), we’ve trekked halfway around the globe to drink delicious rosé in its heartland. This may seem like a bit of overkill considering that rosé is frequently underestimated as a fine wine and much of what’s imported to the US and consumed heavily in the warmer months isn’t worthy of much acclaim. But for Emily and me—and so many others these days—it’s evident that rosé at is finest is an ethereal beverage that deserves a seat at the table of the world’s most unique wines.

To unpack a bit about what makes a great rosé, let’s start with the basics. This type of wine can be produced in two ways: the first and most common way in rosé-centric regions like Provence is via direct press, whereby grapes are grown and selected exclusively for rosé production, often crushed as whole clusters, and then gently pressed until the juice reaches a desirable pale color. Some producers may also allow a few hours skin contact (maceration) before separating the juice from the must, which adds a richer color to the finished product. The second method, which is more common in areas where rosé production is a bit more of an afterthought is called saignée (French for bleeding). Here, as a by-product of making red wine, a small amount of juice is bled off early in fermentation. This helps increase concentration of the remaining juice in red wine production. Once this juice is separated, the producer can either dispose of it, use it to top off barrels of wine (ullage) – or make a rosé. These wines tend to be darker in complexion and lusher on the palette. Stylistically at their best, they’re unctuous, rich and dense and can make for intriguing wine pairings. When saignée rosé isn’t executed to perfection, however, the wines can be jammy, clunky and soulless. Both direct press and saignée processes can yield excellent results; the key to success, as always, lies in the passion behind the process.

With these production methods serving as a backdrop, it’s important to understand just how popular rosé has become both globally and in our domestic market. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), global consumption has more than doubled since the early 2000s. In 2002, global rosé consumption stood at around 13.6 million hectoliters. By 2020, this figure had surged to approximately 29.9 million hectoliters, which is a staggering increase. U.S. domestic consumption has certainly been one of the driving factors behind this exceptional growth. It’s not surprising, therefore, that every producer in the market seems keen to offer a pretty bottle of pink wine, often accompanied by either a minimalist hipster label (for the Natural wine fans) or an expensive marketing campaign targeting the lifestyle elite. As a byproduct of the rush to capitalize on this market expansion, we have seen a profusion of new offerings, but a lack of focus on the producers whose true passion is the production of extremely high-quality rosé.

From this sea of indistinguishable wine, the superior bottles inevitably emerge and simply exist on another plane. When sourcing these bottles, I find myself drawn to two small villages in Provence—Bandol and Cassis—that produce rosé of truly ethereal character. It’s important for me to note, however, that this is not some sort of revelation. Bandol has been especially famous for its rosé for nearly a century. That, however, is only part of the story. What’s perhaps more important is that within these two villages, where the impulse to rest on one’s laurels and ride a wave of success might be understandable, there are a small handful of vignerons who are committed to making their rosé even better, more naturally made from more sustainably produced grapes. It’s this passion and dedication that brings us back to Clos Saint Magdeleine.

 The wines of Cassis are just a bit different. The appellation is tiny—only about 200 hectares—and entirely within a stone’s throw of the Mediterranean. It is nestled into a gorgeous limestone bowl, with the south facing vineyards sheltered by the cliffs of the Montagne de la Canaille to the East and the Parc National des Calanques to the west. It’s tough to imagine a more picturesque setting. Throughout France, Cassis is probably most famous for its white wines, made mostly from Clairette, Marsanne and Uni Blanc. Its rosé, however, made from Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault is its true treasure. Often a vibrant, peachy pink, these wines are unique in that they’re stunning both when they first arrive in our market (usually around late May) and when you decide to revisit them a year or more later (presuming you’ve been disciplined enough not to drink your whole allotment!). While we covet the arrival of Clos Saint Magdeleine, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the incredible estate Domaine du Bagnol. It’s Bagnol, in fact that welcomed us with open arms on that sunny afternoon in 2021 and made us feel incredibly at home in their vineyards and cellar as they walked us through their passion for organic farming and low intervention winemaking. This was a family estate that oozed a love for their process and a tremendous respect for the land that they occupied. It was a pleasure to spend the afternoon in their company!

While Cassis flies a bit under the radar, Bandol has certainly found it’s proverbial day in the sun. This success, however, has caused an interesting development as even the most renowned producers of rosé are feeling the pressure to release their wines early and rush them to the market (particularly the American market) in time for the first warm days of late spring. As Véronique Peyraud-Rougeot of Domaine Tempier asserts, “It used to be like cooking. You’d have to taste it gradually to see how it’s coming along. Now, everyone’s too pressed.” That being said, there are a few stalwarts who have hung onto tradition and provide us with rosés of depth, richness and character. It’s no coincidence that these wines are often composed primarily of Mourvedre, the notoriously finicky red grape that has come to define the wines of Bandol. Perhaps the greatest example of this type of wine (and arguably the greatest rosé in the world) comes from the Portalis family at Château Pradeaux. We delight in the arrival of this extraordinary wine, and I always make sure to stow away a few bottles from each vintage to revisit a year or two (or even three) after its initial release. Etienne Portalis calls his wines “Rosés de Gastronomie” and their rich density on the palette and intense savory characteristics make them incredible food pairings. Their deep copper complexion is entirely unique for the region and a hallmark of a spectacular and utterly distinctive drinking experience.

As the hours of daylight reach their zenith in late June and the temps finally start to creep up into the 70s and 80s it’s only natural to reach for a bottle of ice-cold, bone-dry rosé to quench our thirst and stoke our seasonal revelry. This is a decision that I would never, ever want to discourage! Drinking a pale pink rosé on a hot day is one of life’s great pleasures. When we’ve scratched that itch, however, and we’re ready to think outside of the box, I truly want to encourage everyone to explore the wines of the great producers who offer their rosé as something more than an afterthought or a mid-summer lark. Producers like Bagnol and Pradaux are helping to elevate this style of wine to something ethereal and profound and it would be a shame to overlook them or simply lump them in with all the others following a trend. The theme of this volume of Digest is process and the producers that we’ve highlighted above have demonstrated their commitment to process in the creation of their extraordinary wines. With these wines as a centerpiece and not an afterthought at the summer table, you will certainly find a new avenue for exploration alongside the best of the vernal culinary treasures!

-Matt Dann 

EVENT

Ben’s Bread & DJ Charlie Kittens Brunch

While I’m fortunate to have a few strengths in the kitchen, I must admit, I’m still searching for a connection to working with dough. There is a part of me that would like to discover a passion for baking but at this point in my career, time has not allowed for that type of focused experimentation to materialize. As a result, this reality has allowed us to support and celebrate the talents and dedication of someone else who has found that breadmaking is their calling. 

We are lucky recipients of Ben’s delicious Table Bread each week and proudly serve it alongside our daily offerings at the restaurant. Our encounter with Ben Campbell and his naturally leavened sourdough started during the pandemic after our former bread baker decided to sadly close-up shop. Ben and his lovely wife, Megan were doing pop ups at various locations throughout the city while they were building out their soon to open brick and mortar space. Originally, it was Ben’s English muffins that hooked us. We would order them by the dozen and often finish them all within days slathered with butter and jam or occasionally with a poached egg and bacon if we found ourselves with the luxury of time in the breakfast making moments of our day. Eventually we ended up with a loaf of Ben’s sourdough. Lovingly crafted with all locally grown and milled grains, this loaf is special and clearly a labor of love and dedication to quality and integrity. We can’t imagine a better loaf to accompany our food. 

Throughout the process of getting to know his bread, we have thankfully become acquainted with Ben the person and are lucky to have worked on a few delightful projects and collaborations together. Our first was an exceptionally delicious Moroccan dinner with another friend, Mehdi of Villa Jerada. Our most recent partnership was a super fun brunch surprisingly void of Ben’s bread but laden with heaps of his team’s pastries and of course, his English muffins. 

It turns out that there are few things I like more than daytime food and really good soul music, so to be able to combine the two into an event at Corson felt like a daydream coming to life. In addition to the help of Ben, we called on our dear friend and my personal authority on all things music, Charlie Kitchings aka DJ Charlie Kittens, to spin some records while we served some tasty food. Charlie is gifted at many, many things but one of the things he excels at most (in my opinion) is curating a musical landscape that can help to define a moment. With his extremely large and diverse record collection, the possibilities are seemingly endless.  Charlie’s superior knowledge and keen ability to both expose us to artists and sounds we likely have never heard or reintroduce us to voices we have encountered in the past, allows the experience to become even richer than we could have imagined. 

Music and food don’t always go hand in hand. There are times when the soundtrack to a meal should merely be the conversation of that moment, when the act of togetherness need not be interrupted or overshadowed. The same can be said for the occasion when music could be dulled by the distraction of food or conversation. Then there are the moments when the two couldn’t be more compatible, when the music invigorates the food and the food elevates the music. To me these occasions are special, unique and assist in cementing that moment into a memory worth holding on to. It’s these instances that help to establish the importance of food and music as part of our cultural identity. It seems that we were able to accomplish this on that early spring day in March. A group of friends coming together to share their passions and create a distinctive experience for our guests and each other.

Food and music are intertwined into the fabric of our cultural tendencies. They’re both keepers of tradition and communicators of custom and history while continuing to pave the way for innovation and creativity. Establishing the importance of food and music together or individually, enriches our lived experience while also bringing us closer together. While we rarely all see eye to eye, it’s through these two outlets we can hopefully become more accepting of the many perspectives and paths a life can possess. 

PRODUCER

Foraged & Found Edibles

Precarious is the business of a wild food forager. What a tremendous amount of trust one must have to entirely rely on nature to provide the literal fruit so you can labor. A keen memory, encyclopedic mind of landscape and conditions as well as a watchful eye all contribute to the making of a skilled forager. Wild food is an abundant feature of our Pacific Northwest landscape and part of our local food culture. Innately organic and often healthier than any cultivated product, wild foods feed us and heal us. Our forests and seashores are peppered with many nutritious and delicious edible treasures, you simply need to know where to look (or at least know someone who does). Luckily for us, our longtime friend and skilled forger, Jeremy Faber has dedicated his life’s work to procuring the many delicacies this untamed nature provides. Tireless, enterprising and remarkably knowledgeable, Jeremy has an unwavering ability to supply us year-round with the most pristine offerings the fickle forests can provide.

Established in 2001, Foraged & Found Edibles is our go-to source for all things wild. Supplying most of our fellow restaurants and farmers markets in the Seattle area as well as many establishments on the east coast, Jeremy and his crew are the authority when it comes to nature’s volatile bounty. With a deep love for food, cooking and eating, Jeremy arrived to this profession from a cook’s perspective. Yes, he started out as a forestry major at The University of Vermont, but it was a phone call from the Culinary Institute of America only a few months into his undergraduate experience offering him a spot in their renowned culinary program, that ultimately called him. Having cooked with Jeremy many times, it is obvious how naturally he engages in his craft. With a tremendous appreciation for the natural world as well as a diverse and curious pallet, Jeremy brings out the best an ingredient has to offer. 

Although fungi tend to be the superstars of the wild food universe (and it may have been more appropriate to feature Jeremy in our fall/winter issue), our actual favorite feral foods are the verdant shoots of spring. Stinging nettles, watercress, wood sorrel and miners lettuce are some of the first beauties to arrive at a time of year when we are desperate for anything green. We rely on Jeremy every year to ease us into the abundance spring will eventually supply. 

On a recent walk in the woods together, he regaled us with the trials and tribulations of small business ownership as well as catching us up on his favorite wild foods (which are surprisingly few). Unlike me, he’s not a fan of the beautiful watercress he was picking, but his love for stinging nettles runs deep. Rich with nutrients and quite deliciously versatile in the kitchen, nettles have also been used medicinally for centuries. The fact that nettles are a global wild food may be his favorite trait of this often-overlooked perennial herb.

After he finishes quickly and efficiently cutting the watercress from the banks of the stream where it thrives, we shift away from the water to the steep hillsides where he begins to clip the tender tips of the nettles growing nearby. Using his favorite gloves from his satchel, he protects his hands from the barbs that contain its famous “sting” and he’s reminded of our late dear friend, Christina Choi. Christina was Jeremy’s business partner, best friend, wild food evangelist, and a
local Seattle treasure. Beloved by many, her curiosity and spirited approach to life were palpable and her innate ability to make all things delicious was remarkable.

There are countless memories of Christina and it’s likely that all of them involved food. Most notably for me was my wedding day feast. Christina pulled out all the stops for this mid-May celebration which, was laden with all the myriad spring treats we adore; spot prawns, sea beans, porcini, razor clams, morels, ramps and fiddlehead ferns to name a few. She prepared all of them with so much love and creativity that it is cemented in my mind as one of the most delectable, nourishing and memorable meals of my life. I’m forever grateful for the time I was able to spend with Christina while she graced this earth with her delightfulness and I’m equally as grateful for the many moments shared with this dynamic duo together. So many things remind me of Christina, but its time spent with Jeremy (especially while walking in the woods) that keeps me most connected to her memory. 

As spring transitions to summer, we’ll replace the earthy morels, briny sea beans and ethereal elderflowers with the most delectable mountain blue huckleberries, golden chanterelles and trailing blackberries that we procure from Foraged & Found. When the seasons are your compass as a cook, it’s imperative to be patient and allow nature to take the time it needs to provide. Thankfully we have
Jeremy as our astute guide to shepherd us from one season to another. 

STEP BY STEP

Harissa

A ubiquitous ingredient of the Maghreb, harissa is a spicy chili paste used as a condiment throughout this northwestern region of Africa. Harissa is traditionally served with couscous, eggs, tagines and bread but is also a common marinade for meats and vegetables, specifically eggplants. The word harissa is derived from the Arabic root, harasa, which means to pound or to break into pieces. This is a reference to the pounding of the chilies and spices that are the key players in this popular paste. Like so many traditional ingredients, harissa has its customary uses within the many cultures in which it resides, but we’ve found it can contribute nicely to so many dishes beyond its common stomping grounds.

Made with chilies, spices, garlic, olive oil and sometimes herbs and/or tomato, harissa is an invaluable part of our pantry at The Corson Building. We make our own and we encourage everyone who enjoys elevating their food with a little heat to do the same. Often, we loosen our harissa with oil that we’ve fried garlic in to make a delicious harissa oil for drizzling on soups, over pasta, grains or legumes as well as on eggs and seafood. Mixed with herbs, olive oil and more garlic and spices, we marinate lamb, chicken, pork and vegetables with this robust paste before they make their way to the grill or roasting pan. We will also will dollop a spoonful into a pot of braised greens or whizz a bit into a batch of hummus for an added layer of heat and complexity.

One of our favorite combinations is a zesty mixture of harissa, capers, preserved lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil to which we use as an accompaniment to roasted, steamed or grilled fish or poultry. This amalgamation is also a fantastic pasta sauce (possibly combined with some canned, oil-packed tuna, anchovies or chickpeas) for a quick and delicious dinner—admittedly a common mid-week supper in our house.

Our version of harissa uses a mixture of dried Mexican chilies. A combination of guajillo, smoky oaxacan, morita, negro, ancho or cascabel will yield a nicely balanced paste with smokey, raisiny, earthy heat. We’ve listed a specific mixture in this recipe, but any combination of these chilies would be delicious, and we encourage you to experiment. We also add cumin, caraway, coriander, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. With only a few steps, this complexly flavored condiment is surprisingly simple to make at home.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 4 dried Oaxacan chili 

  • 4 dried guajillo chiles 

  • 4 dried ancho chiles

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    (toasted and ground)

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    (toasted and ground)

  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
    (toasted and ground)

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 3/4 cup olive oil

Step 1

Remove seeds from the dried chilies. We find it easier to do this while they’re dried as opposed to after they’ve been soaked. Make sure to wear gloves if you have them for this step.

Step 2

Place the dried, seeded chiles in a large heatproof vessel. Pour boiling water over to submerge, cover with plastic wrap or weight them down so they remain submerged and let sit until chiles are very pliable and have cooled. (30 minutes.) 

Step 3

Drain the chilies.

Step 4

In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, toasted and ground spices, tomato paste, chiles and pulse until coarse paste develops. 

Step 5

Add lemon juice, vinegar and salt and process until mostly smooth but the mixture still has a little texture. With the motor running, stream in 3/4 cup oil. Process until oil is incorporated.

Step 6

Transfer to a dish for serving as a condiment with your meal or into a container with a snug fitting lid for storing in the refrigerator. Harissa will last for at least a month in the fridge.