Jeremy Vincent’s homemade harissa chicken and pureed carrot recipe

This spectacular dish is perfect for a special occasion. Just make sure you know where everyone’s spice-tolerance threshold is — this chilli flavour has a kick.

Chilli chicken: The harissa used in this recipe can pack a punch, so use less if you don’t want as much spiciness. Picture: Zoe Phillips

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THE sweetness of the carrot puree that accompanies this spicy chicken dish is the perfect foil for the chilli flavour that comes from the powerful Middle Eastern paste called harissa, used on the meat.

Go easy on the paste, if you are not a fan of spice.

HARISSA CHICKEN WITH PUREED CARROT

Serves 6

6 boneless skin-on chicken breasts, pounded 2cm thick

16 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups chicken stock

1kg carrots, cut into ½cm rounds

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1½ cups fresh orange juice

55g unsalted butter

2 peeled oranges, segmented

4 tbsp harissa (available from supermarkets or Middle Eastern stores, or make your own)

2 tsp sherry vinegar

80g rocket, or other salad green

¾ cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced

Put the chicken into a dish. Drizzle with three tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook until tender then drain.

Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the carrots and cook for 6–8 minutes. Puree in a processor with 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat the orange juice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Add the orange segments. Set the sauce aside.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan).

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin side down and cook until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer the chicken, skin side up, to a baking tray and brush with half the harissa. Bake until cooked, about 6–8 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining oil and harissa with the sherry vinegar. Toss the rocket, olives and shallots in the dressing. Divide the carrot puree between 6 plates, top each with salad and a chicken breast. Spoon the orange sauce over each.

This is a spectacular and rather time-consuming dish that’s perfect for a special occasion. The pureed carrot is worth making on its own as a vegetable accompaniment to steak or other hearty meat dishes.

HOMEMADE HARISSA

SOAK 10-12 dried chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove the stems and seeds.

Blend in a food processor with 3 chopped garlic cloves, half a teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add a teaspoon each of ground coriander and ground caraway seeds and half a teaspoon of cumin. Blend to form a smooth paste.

Store in an airtight container. Drizzle olive oil on top to keep fresh. Will keep for a month in the refrigerator.

MORE TIPS WITH CARROTS

THE microwave is a great medium for cooking carrots, specifically when they are sliced into ½cm rounds. Just add two tablespoons of water for every 500g of carrots, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on high and let them stand for a minute before removing them from the microwave. Toss with a little brown sugar, butter and some freshly ground nutmeg.

OVER-ROASTING brings out carrots’ sweet side. The long cooking caramelises the sugar and creates a delicious, mouth-watering treat. To roast them, slice them into 2cm chunks, arrange in a single layer on a baking tray, dot with butter and bake, covered, at 160C (140C fan) for 45 minutes.

CARROTS and dill are a perfect combination. That’s not surprising as they’re in the same family. Try sprinkling fresh dill leaves over carrots before steaming them, or serve cooked carrots garnished with a simple yoghurt-dill sauce made by mixing ½ cup plain yoghurt mixed with a teaspoon fresh dill leaves and heated gently.

 

 

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