Eye for a Recipe

This spicy cassoulet from Food and Wine takes some advance planning, but the results are worth it. Soak the beans overnight, cook them the next morning and refrigerate, and then assemble the cassoulet and bake for dinner. Merguez sausages are spicy sausages made from mutton or beef; I used hot Italian sausages cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for bacon preserved with celery salt and make sure your spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use sausages and bread made with all-natural ingredients.

Soak the beans overnight

Cook bacon until fat is rendered

Add the vegetables to the bacon - this mixture will flavour the beans as they cook

Cook the beans until tender

Toast the spices for the harissa

Grind the toasted spices and combine with smoked paprika and cayenne to make the harissa

Brown the sausages

Brown the other vegetables, sprinkled with the harissa

When the cassoulet is assembled and baked, top with cubed bread

Cook under the broiler until the bread is browned and crisp

Harissa-spiced cassoulet

Ingredients:

½ pound (250 g) thick-cut bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

2 medium carrots, finely diced, plus 2 large carrots, cut into 2 ½ -inch (6.35 cm) lengths

14 ounces (397 g) dried cannellini beans (2 cups/500 ml), soaked overnight and drained

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) cumin seeds

1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) coriander seeds

1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika

¾ teaspoon (3 ml) crushed red pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) plus 1 (15 ml) tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Twelve 2-ounce (57 g) merguez sausages

2 large sweet potatoes (1 ¼ pounds/625 g), peeled and cut into 2 ½ -inch (6.35 cm) pieces

3 turnips (¾ pound/375 g), peeled and cut into 2 ½ -inch (6.35 cm) pieces

4 ounces (113 g) rustic peasant bread, crusts removed, bread cut into ¼-inch (0.64 cm) dice (2 cups/500 ml)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced parsley

1 teaspoon (10 ml) grated lemon zest

Plain yogurt, for serving

Preparation:

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered. Add the onion, celery and diced carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the beans, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer the beans until al dente, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, add a generous pinch of salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain the beans, bacon and vegetables and transfer to a bowl; reserve 2 cups (500 ml) of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). In a small skillet, toast the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds over moderate heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool. Add the smoked paprika and crushed red pepper and grind the harissa blend into a powder.

Wipe out the casserole and heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil in it. Add the merguez and cook over moderate heat, until lightly browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Do not wipe out the casserole.

Add the sweet potatoes, turnips and large carrots to the casserole. Season with salt and black pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 minutes. Add the harissa spice blend and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bean mixture and the reserved 2 cups (500 ml) of cooking liquid and bring just to a simmer. Arrange the merguez on top. Cover and bake the cassoulet for about 1 hour, until the beans are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven and uncover the cassoulet.

Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, toss the bread, parsley, lemon zest and the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil; season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the bread over the cassoulet and broil until golden and crisp. Let the cassoulet stand for 10 minutes before serving. Pass yogurt at the table. Serves 10-12.

From Food and Wine

If you are in the mood for some comfort food, try this baked pasta from Bon Appetit. It includes harissa, a North African hot chili pepper paste made from chipotle and spices. To tone down the spiciness of this dish, use a mild sausage instead of a hot one.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I have not been able to find preservative-free harissa, so I make it from scratch with canned chipotles and spices. The recipe is below. Look for sausage, canned tomatoes and feta with no preservatives. I use President’s Choice “Free From” sausages, Unico tomatoes and Tre Stelle feta.

Brown the sausage and slice into bite-sized pieces

Saute onion

Add tomatoes and other ingredients

Add cooked pasta and feta, transfer to baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Harissa

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet paprika

1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground caraway

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta

1 teaspoon (5 ml) caraway seeds

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin seeds

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

12 ounces (340 g) hot or sweet Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 28-ounce (828 ml) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 tablespoon (15 ml) harissa paste (see recipe above)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 ounces (226 g) medium shell-shaped pasta

3 ounces (85 g) feta, crumbled

A spice mill or a mortar and pestle

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C)

For the harissa, combine all ingredients into a paste. Set aside.

Grind caraway and cumin in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook sausage until browned all over but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.

Add onion to same skillet and cook, stirring often, until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved spices. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing, and juices, then harissa. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente (about 3 minutes less than package directions; it will be firm in the center). Drain, reserving ¼ cup (60 ml) cooking liquid.

Add sausage, pasta, and cooking liquid to skillet; toss to coat. Transfer to a 3-qt. (2.8 L) baking dish, top with feta, and bake until top is browned and juices are bubbling, 18–22 minutes. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This lovely salad from Style at Home is perfect for a summer picnic or buffet. Roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas are mixed with red quinoa, nuts, seeds, mint and dried cranberries, and then tossed with a harissa-flavoured dressing. This would also be a great vegetarian entrée. I omitted the pomegranate seeds.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a mustard that does not contain sulfites or sodium benzoate, such as President’s Choice grainy honey mustard. You can make your own harissa paste (see recipe below). Check the ingredients of the chickpeas and dried cranberries to make sure they are all natural.

Rinse the quinoa well before cooking

Roast the sweet potato and chickpeas

Toast the pecans

Moroccan sweet potato, red quinoa and roasted chickpea salad

Ingredients:

For the harissa paste

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1teaspoon adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground caraway

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients.

For the dressing

¼ cup flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp honey mustard

1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp harissa paste

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp cinnamon

For the salad

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3⁄4″ cubes

1 540-ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup beluga black lentils

1 cup red quinoa, rinsed

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

½ cup chopped toasted pecan halves

¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves + more for garnish

¼ cup dried cranberries

1⁄3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the honey harissa dressing.

Toss ¼ cup of the dressing with the sweet potatoes and spread out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Toss another 2 tablespoons of the dressing with the chickpeas and spread out onto another parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

In a small pot, bring the beluga lentils and 4 cups cold water to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain, rinse and place in a large bowl, along with the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas.

Meanwhile, in another small pot, bring the red quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain the quinoa and let dry in the sieve for 2 minutes. Add to the sweet potato mixture.

Stir in the green onions, pumpkin seeds, pecans, mint and cranberries. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss gently to combine. Place the warm salad on a large serving platter and garnish with the fresh pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Serves 6.

From Style at Home magazine