Tonight watch: THE HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK IN MARRAKECH with Brad Boles and myself See this video as we are walking through the Majorelle Gardens

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HARISSA OR HOT SAUCE prepared by my cooking class last week

Harissa is an excellent sauce for tagines of meat and poultry or meat and vegetable soups. In the food stalls in Marrakesh they serve it with different types of brochettes. Use it to add flavour to a sauce for couscous as well. A good Harissa should be thick with the consistency of a light mayonnaise. Serve it in a little side dish with a very small spoon.

For 1 cup of sauce:

2 cups of hot dri

ed red chili peppers
6 cloves of garlic
4 tab of coarse salt
6 tab of coriander seeds
4 tab of cumin seeds
8 tab of olive oil

1- Remove the stems from the dried red chili peppers and remove the seeds
Put red peppers in hot water until soft.
2- In the meantime pound garlic in martar with 1/2 the salt smooth. Remove from the mortar and reserve. Add drained red peppers to mortar and pound to a smooth paste with remaining coarse salt. Remove and add the pounded garlic.
3- Combine coriander and cumin seeds in mortar, add a little olive oil and pound until smooth. Combine this process adding more olive oil, until sauce is smooth and well blended.

The easier way: add all ingredients except olive oil in food processor then add olive oil slowly like a mayonnaise until smooth.
It will keep indefinitely in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.

First crop of New Asparagus today at the Union Square Market

Fresh and Delicious!

Tomato-andGoat-Cheese Tart with Pistou - Subtle and delicious appetizer I made this for my guests last night

5 to 6 medium size vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled (you peel them in boiling water)
5 oz of fresh goat cheese
1 package of Puff Pastry Pepperidge Farm sheets
1 egg,lightly beaten
Pistou:
1 cup fresh basil plus six sprigs for garnish
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated Parmesan

Quarter tomatoes and remove core and seeds. Place outer shells in colander with some salt to drain for at least 2 hours.
Prepare pistou by adding in food processor basil, oil, 1 teaspoon parmesan
Set aside
Heat oven to 425o

Divide puff pastry into 2 pieces and roll each to 12 inches by 4 1/2, 1/16 inches thick. Keep the side trimming to add to the lenghtwise borders of each pastry. Seal with beaten egg. The strips should be flush with the edges. Transfer to a baking pan lined with wax paper. Pierce sheets with a fork several times.
Refrigerate trays for 20 minutes before baking
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden.
Place soften goat cheese in a bowl.

Incorporate 2 tablespoons of the pistou souce.
Spread the cheese mixture delicately over the baked puff pastry with a spatula avoiding the raised edges.
Neatly arrange the tomatoes on top.
Place in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes
Lightly brush the remaining pistou and garnish with basil sprigs.



Add a long strip of dough to each side of the