Tunisian Mechouia

A roasted chile pepper salad

We were blown away the first time we had this dish. It was virtually identical to the New Mexico green chile we had been missing – only with a Mediterranean twist. Absolutely perfect; and spicy too! Once again we were blindsided by a new cuisine as it began to reveal itself to be so much more interesting and complex than we could have imagined. That’s what I love most about travelling.

Mechouia is served in cafes all over Tunisia as an appetizer or a snack. It is served at room temperature and is scooped up with chunks of French baguettes, so it can be thought of as more of a dip than a salad. The flavors are bold due to the combination of the fire-roasted vegetables, the heat of the chilies, and the richness of the olive oil, not to mention the accompanying tuna and olives. It’s also a beautiful dish, so it would be a great centerpiece for a party spread.

Back home in New Mexico, it is a simple thing to replicate this recipe. New Mexican chilies (medium or hot) work perfectly. New Mexican chilies are similar to Anaheim chilies, but only as far as John Coltrane is like Kenny G. They are the same basic shape and species, but there is no comparing the flavor and spiciness. If you cannot get ahold of New Mexican chilies, you can use Anaheim chilies as a base, but I’d advise adding a few different chilies into the mix, such as poblanos for flavor and a few jalapenos for spice.

Ingredients:

· 1 dozen medium to hot green chilies

· 3 medium tomatoes

· 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

· 3 garlic cloves

· ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

· 1 can of tuna (preferably packed in olive oil)

· Salt to taste

· 2 hard-boiled eggs

· One dozen Tunisian olives

· 3 T. mayonnaise (optional)

Directions:

1. Grill veggies for about 10 minutes over high flame, turning to cook all sides, until skins are blackened and veggies are well cooked. Remove from grill.

2. Sweat the grilled veggies by sealing them up in a plastic bag until they are cool. (This makes it easy to remove the skins of the chilies and tomatoes.)

3. Remove and discard stems, seeds, and skins (you can keep the tomato seeds if you prefer – that’s where the flavor is). Chop the vegetables into a large dice and mix together in a large bowl.

4. Toss in olive oil and salt to taste.

5. Dish the mechouia onto a serving platter.

6. Place tuna, olives, and sliced hard boiled eggs on top. Add a few dollops of mayo if you like.

7. Serve with French bread. Mechouia can be scooped up with the bread or spread on top of a slice.