Published in the Jewish World Review Summer 2012

Whether sweet, sour, spicy or a tad salty, condiments have added flavor and flare to food for countless centuries. While the most familiar – ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise – still bring pleasure to the palate, there is a wealth of unusual seasonings available to add to your plate. Everything from complex chutneys to simple, pureed tapenades now brighten the blandest of meals.

One of the fieriest condiments has to be harissa. A staple in North African kitchens, this crimson sauce consists of hot chilies, garlic, cumin, caraway seeds and sea salt. As an indicator of just how spicy it can be, commercially produced harissa comes in cans and jars bearing pictures of a volcano erupting.

To make harissa, dried, red chili peppers are soaked and then, using a mortar and pestle, pounded into a paste. A few cloves of garlic, a pinch of sea salt, and several teaspoons of caraway and cumin seeds join the pulverized peppers under the pestle. A touch of olive oil occasionally moistens the ingredients.

Usually harissa accompanies couscous. In Tunisia, though, it’s used as a sandwich spread. It also tops vegetables and seafood, giving both an extra kick. Some cooks add a little yogurt to their harissa and serve it as a dip.

If harissa sounds too searing, consider another, milder North African offering, chermoula. It starts with a base of cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil but can go on to include ginger, red pepper oil, saffron, paprika, cayenne and even vinegar. Every country and cook in North Africa seems to have a unique chermoula recipe.

Unlike the multipurpose harissa, chermoula primarily serves one role – to enliven the taste of fish and shellfish. It does this by acting as a marinade for firm, white-fleshed fish or as a cold sauce for fried fish and shellfish.

When used as a marinade, the ingredients should either be processed with a little water in a food processor or pounded, also with water, in a mortar and pestle to produce a crunchy paste. For a cold sauce, roughly chop and then briefly refrigerate the ingredients. In either form chermoula can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.

From the East Indian word “chatni” comes chutney, a tangy condiment featuring minced herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices. Freshly prepared for each meal, chutney appears alongside curries, as a spread for bread, as a topping for cheese and as a flavor enhancer for milder dishes such as rice and dals.

The ingredients in this sauce vary according to region and personal taste. In Southern India creamy coconut is all the rage while in Western India spicy herb reigns supreme. Whether from ripe or green tomatoes, tomato chutney is a hit across the country as is the silky, piquant tamarind chutney.

Of the myriad of chutneys produced and consumed, only one has become an international sensation – the sweetly tart and chunky mango chutney. Made from green mangoes, ginger, raisins, vinegar and an assortment of spices, this condiment was initially served fresh in India. However, once British colonists became smitten with it, Indian cooks began to preserve, can, and ship this ambrosial, jam-like relish to Great Britain.

The mango craze spread throughout the United Kingdom and then infiltrated farther shores. Walk down the ethnic food aisle of any grocery store and you’re bound to see at least three different brands of mango chutney. It’s delectable and everywhere.

Less ubiquitous but no less delicious is Provence’s strong, salty tapenade. Based on the French word for “capers,” tapenade resembles a thick, dark paste of pureed capers, black olives, anchovies and olive oil. It may also include such optional items as garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and tuna.

In Southern France cooks slather tapenade over crisp baguettes and serve it as an hors d’oeuvre. Elsewhere tapenade tops seared fish steaks, grilled vegetables, crackers or warm pita bread. It also acts as a flavorful stuffing for oven-roasted tomatoes and works as a savory spread for grilled fish sandwiches.

Tapenade couldn’t be easier to make. Either pound together the capers, olives, and anchovies or process them all in a food processor, add a little olive oil to moisten the mixture and serve. Tightly covered and refrigerated, tapenade will keep for two weeks.

When contemplating how to jazz up lunch or dinner offerings, consider spicing up your dishes with an exotic condiment. Chermoula, harissa, chutney and tapenade all add a little zing to the commonplace.

HARISSA
MAKES: 1/3 cup

Warm water, enough to soak the chili peppers
12 medium-sized, dried ancho chili peppers
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon hot pepper paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Remove the tops and seeds of peppers and place them in a bowl with enough warm water to cover them. Allow them to soak for about 45 minutes or until they are soft.
Meanwhile place the cumin and coriander seeds in frying pan and toast them over medium heat until golden and aromatic. Remove from the heat, cool and then grind in either a spice or coffee grinder or pulverize with a pestle and mortar.
Drain the chilies and place them in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the garlic and pulse until they have become a crunchy paste. Add the ground spices, hot pepper paste, olive oil and salt, and pulse twice. Remove the harissa from the bowl and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

CHERMOULA
MAKES: Roughly 1/3 cup

6 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Generous handful of cilantro, washed and stems removed
Handful of parsley, washed and stems removed
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste

Using a food processor, pulse all the ingredients together until they have formed a paste. Alternately, you can use a mortar and pestle and combine the garlic with the chili and black pepper, cumin, paprika, cilantro and parsley. Add the oil and lemon juice right before using.

FRESH GREEN MANGO CHUTNEY
MAKES: 2 cups
As this fruit chutney is uncooked, it should be consumed within a day or two.

1 pound green, unripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve as a topping for grilled fish or chicken, with cheese or as a spread for sandwiches.

KALAMATA OLIVE TAPENADE
MAKES: Roughly 1 cup

1/2 pound Kalamata olives, pitted
1 tablespoon capers
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until somewhat smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

© 2012, Kathy Hunt. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.