Chef John's Spicy Harissa Sauce

Firstly, heat up your oven's broiler to its highest temperature and position the rack about 6 inches away from the heat source. Next, cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and arrange the red bell peppers cut-side down on it. Place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler and let the peppers cook until their skin turns dark and blistered, taking anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and transfer them to a bowl, covering it tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, taking around 20 minutes to do so. Once cooled, peel off the skins and discard them.

Now, fill a large pot with water and add a pinch of salt to bring it to a boil. Add the Fresno and habanero chiles to the boiling water and let them cook uncovered over medium heat until they start to soften, taking about 3 minutes. Drain the chiles and set them aside to cool down.

To prepare the spice blend, heat a skillet over medium heat and shake in some coriander and caraway seeds. Let the spices toast for about 2 minutes until you start to smell their aroma. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the toasted seeds into a fine powder, then add cumin, mint, and salt. Continue crushing until the spices are finely ground.

Transfer the spice blend to a blender and add in the roasted bell peppers, chiles, garlic, lemon juice, and vegetable oil. Blend everything together until you get a smooth sauce. Finally, drizzle in some extra-virgin olive oil and blend for just a few seconds to avoid making the sauce too thick.