Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t.  This is one of those times when things just worked.  I have not worked with Harissa, though I had tried it before.  It’s a Middle Eastern chili pepper condiment/sauce that’s super hot and very fragrant.  Usually it includes hot dried red chili peppers that are reconstituted and blended with other spices typically including caraway.  Have I mentioned it’s pretty spicy?  I tempered my glaze by adding a bit of tomato paste to add a bit of sweetness to counteract all that heat just a bit.  In the end, it turned out to be one of the better things that I’ve cooked in a while…and by accident, just messing around.  Sometimes things just come together and luckily, this was one of those times.  I served the pork chops with a sweet corn and cherry tomato slaw with mixed herbs and a tart wilted cabbage with green apple, radishes, and onion.  The sweetness of the slaw sort of played off the tartness of the cabbage and everything mingled with the spiciness of the pork.  I took it easy on the Harissa as I wasn’t sure just how much would make it ‘too hot’.  If I were to do it again, I’d add more to bring more heat.  However, I’m including the exact amount that I used this time around, so if you enjoy things spicy, feel free to add more (though do note that a little goes a long way).  Hope you enjoy this as much as my wife and I did.  Oh and as an extra bonus…this recipe is very, very easy and very, very quick.  It follows after the jump… Continue reading →