Ingredients

For the harissa:

1 pint Fresno chilies

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon harissa

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup lime juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup canola oil

For the mushrooms:

4 tablespoons canola oil

1½ pounds shiitake mushrooms, trimmed

1½ teaspoons chopped garlic

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Preparation

What To Do

  1. Make harissa: Place chilies under broiler and roast, turning frequently, until blistered and lightly charred all over, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let steam 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a skillet set over medium heat, toast coriander, caraway and cumin seeds until fragrant, 2 minutes. Grind toasted spices in a spice or coffee grinder. Once chilies have steamed, rub off skins. Place peeled chilies in a food processor along with ground spices, garlic, paprika, olive oil, mint and lemon juice, and blend to a paste. Remove harissa from food processor and set aside.

  2. Make vinaigrette: In food processor, combine 1 tablespoon harissa, lemon and lime juices and blend to combine. With motor running, add olive and canola oils in a light stream, blending until emulsified.

  3. Sauté mushrooms: In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat canola oil over high heat until shimmering. Add shiitakes and sauté until browned and tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, stir to coat mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Toss mushrooms with ¼ cup vinaigrette. Reserve remaining vinaigrette and harissa in airtight containers in the refrigerator for later use. Transfer dressed mushrooms to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro.