CHEF RANDY
Harissa-Spiced Potatoes With Lemon Harissa is North Africa’s favorite hot sauce. The word for this fiery Tunisian chile paste is derived from the Arabic verb harasa, "to pound" because it is traditionally made with mortar and pestle. The main spices in harissa are hot red chili peppers, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and cumin. I like to coat Yukon potatoes with some of the main spices in harissa, add paprika, garlic, lemon juice and red bell pepper and then roast the potatoes to perfection. Here’s my vegan recipe:
INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cloves garlic (minced) 1 1/2 - 2 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes (sliced in half lengthwise) 1 cup red bell pepper (1-inch dice) Fresh parsley (chopped for garnish) Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lactoovo vegetarian for over 38 years. Chef Randy has written and published a series of seven cookbooks with original recipes developed over the period 1975 through 2020. He writes for the Ojai Quarterly, the Ojai Monthly, and the California 101 Travelers Guide. His vegetarian recipes are published in newspapers throughout Central California under the header, Chef Randy. He and his wife, Robin, live in Ojai, California, with their dog Cooper. Robin and Cooper are not vegetarians.
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying with cooking spray. Put all ingredients except bell pepper and parsley in a large plastic bag. Holding the bag closed, shake all ingredients until well coated with oil and spices. Pour the potatoes and spice mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Remove potato mixture from the oven and stir in peppers. Return baking sheet to oven and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
Healthy
Quick + Easy
To serve, transfer potatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle with parsley. For additional recipes, see Chef Randy’s website at valleyvegetarian.com.
Summer/Fall
Vegetarian
See Chef Randy’s website for more recipes at: valley-vegetarian.com
OM — October 2020
25
