Monday, September 24, 2012

Insta-rissa!

Don't you hate it when you want to make a north African stew, but you don't have any Harissa? Yeah, us too. We whipped up a quick substitute that was quite serviceable:

Instant Harissa

1 T hot sauce (we used Hillside Orchard Farms Habanero Hot Sauce, which adds both heat and flavor)
1 T red pepper flakes
1 T garlic cloves, peeled and crushed/chopped (about 3)
1 T olive oil

Place garlic cloves in a small dish with the oil and microwave 15 seconds. Add the hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Mix well. You now have enough fake Harissa to make one pot of stew. Enjoy!

This will do just fine in a pinch. If you are not in a rush, it is definitely worth your time to make it the right way: Salt Free Harissa

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Lemons to the Rescue

Adding lemon juice or zest really is a great way to add or enhance flavor without salt. Don't just take my word for it... read on. We have rescued many a bland dish by adding lemon or lime.