Harissa is a North African red chile paste or sauce made of a few simple ingredients including chiles, garlic, olive oil, citrus and a few warm spices. 

Combined with eggplant and garbanzo beans, a hint of the briny umami of Kalamata olives, blistered tomatoes, and sharp white cheddar cheese biscuits this recipe creates quite a delightful flavor explosion to feed a crowd.
It’s like a stew.
It’s like a casserole.
It’s like a layer bake.
Really – Just LIKE it – in fact, LOVE it! YOU WILL.

So, this versatile harissa recipe is slightly sweet, smoky, tangy, and just enough spicy without being too hot.

The whole deal-io and flavor combo of this recipe is truly incredible.

Eggplant Harissa White Cheddar Biscuit Bake

Eggplant Harissa White Cheddar Biscuit Bake

4 Tbs. butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
salt and pepper
2 large eggplant, cubed
14 oz. chickpeas (1 can), drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 recipe Homemade Harissa**
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated and divided
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or pot.
Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until golden brown, seasoning well with salt and pepper.

While the veggies cook, salt the eggplant cubes and allow to “sweat” (great for reducing bitterness and helping with flavor absorption) for 10 minutes, or so.

Transfer the eggplant to the cooking pot with the other veggies. Coat in butter and juices. Cover. Stir every few minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften.

Add the chickpeas and cherry tomatoes. Cover.
Cook until tomatoes begin to break down – further breaking them apart with the back of a spoon.

Add the Homemade Harissa** and Kalamata olives. Reduce heat to low.
Simmer and stir every so often until all the veggies are thick and most of the moisture has absorbed and evaporated.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Divide the veggies between two large casserole dishes, spreading evenly.

Sprinkle with half the grated cheese.

Place the White Cheddar Biscuit* dough rounds about 1 ” or so apart atop the veggies.

Sprinkle with the remaining half of grated cheese and freshly grated black pepper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the cheese is bubbling.

*White Cheddar Biscuits:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
12tsp. baking soda
sea salt
1 cup butter, ice cold and coarsely chopped into 1/2″ cubes
1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated and ice cold
1 cup cream + 1 tsp. vinegar (mixed well and rested in the fridge for 10 minutes), cold

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in butter until pea-sized pieces form. OR, use a food processor.

Add the grated cheddar and vinegar-cream (like buttermilk, but better), mixing just until combined. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface and form 2 “loaves” with flour coated hands.

Slice the loaves into 6-8 biscuits.

Place the biscuits atop the veggies and bake!

**Homemade Harissa:
7 dried hot chiles (New Mexico, de Arbol or chipotle, guajillo, etc).
6 oz jarred roasted red peppers drained rinsed, and dried (2 large peppers)
2 Tbs. tomato paste
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp. caraway seeds, toasted and ground (use a mortar and pestle, grinder or food processor)
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
sea salt
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
2 + Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Place the dried chiles in a heat-safe bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for 30 minutes, until the chiles are tender and re-hydrated. Drain the chiles and remove the stems and seeds.

Transfer the chiles to the bowl of a large food processor. Add the tomato paste, roasted red peppers, garlic, ground caraway seeds, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and a large pinch of sea salt. Add fresh lemon juice.

Whir the food processor, and while it’s running, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil from the top opening. Stop the processor to scrape down the sides and run again until reaching the desired paste-like texture. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed.