Hello, Aggie’s Kitchen readers! This is Larry, Aggie’s husband, stepping out of the shadows and into the culinary spotlight for a very special guest post. If you know me, you know that my usual cooking repertoire consists of a stellar fried egg and cheese sandwich and what our kids affectionately call “Daddy’s Pasta” – a simple, yet beloved, concoction of butter, salt, and pepper. Let’s be honest, Aggie handles approximately 99% of the cooking in our household. So, when she first floated the idea of me contributing to aggieskitchen.com, my response was a resounding “Oh yeah, definitely!” – the same enthusiastic, albeit non-committal, response she typically gets when she asks about my garage-cleaning schedule. Naturally, I had no clue what I’d cook, let alone blog about.

The Spark of Culinary Inspiration

Weeks drifted by, and my guest blogging assignment sank lower and lower on my mental “to-do” list. Then, a revelation struck! I was engrossed in the nail-biting finale of “The Next Food Network Star,” and there it was: Jeffrey Saad’s Harissa Steak Sandwich. My mouth quite literally watered as I watched him present it. I turned to Aggie, practically shouting, “THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FOR YOUR BLOG!!!” My excitement mirrored that of our four-year-old son announcing his future career as a professional basketball player. The decision was made. Now, the only challenge was to follow through. I wasn’t going to let myself down, or more importantly, let Aggie down. This was my moment to conquer the kitchen, to prove to any imaginary naysayers that I had what it takes. Okay, there weren’t any actual naysayers, but you get the picture – the hype was real!

The Quest for Harissa Paste

My first mission was to track down Jeffrey’s original recipe, which I quickly found here. The next, and perhaps most crucial, step was to locate Harissa paste itself. For those who, like me, might not have watched the finale or are unfamiliar with this vibrant ingredient, you might be asking: what exactly is Harissa?

Harissa is a North African hot red sauce or paste whose main ingredients are chili peppers (often smoked or dried) and garlic. Though most closely associated with Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, it is a standard ingredient of North African cuisine.

Armed with this knowledge, I embarked on a regional hunt. I called several specialty markets in my area, but came up empty-handed each time. Just when I thought my Harissa-infused dreams were slipping away, I stumbled upon it! To my absolute delight, I found the elusive Harissa paste at Petty’s Meat Market in Longwood, FL. Petty’s, by the way, is also renowned for their absolutely incredible Bourbon Pecan pies – a tempting distraction for another day! I also picked up the star of the show, a beautiful NY Strip Steak, from Petty’s. Truly, Petty’s ROCKS! The recipe also called for a choice of sandwich rolls or bread. I ended up with Cuban bread. Not intentionally, mind you. I had planned on French bread but grabbed Cuban bread by accident. Sometimes, the best culinary discoveries are born from happy accidents, and little did I know, this one would prove to be a stroke of genius.

Complementing the Main Event: North African Spiced Carrots

With the main event secured, I realized I needed a worthy side dish. What does any amateur cook making a North African-inspired steak sandwich do? Google, of course! A quick search for “North African side dishes” led me to the tantalizing recipe for North African Spiced Carrots. Perfect! A sweet and savory counterpoint to the spicy, savory sandwich.

Early Saturday evening, the stage was set. My ingredients were meticulously lined up on the counter: the precious Harissa paste, my prime NY Strip, and a vibrant bunch of carrots. I was ready to transform from culinary bystander to kitchen maestro. This was it; I was going to show Aggie I could truly cook!

Kitchen Chronicles: A Novice’s Humorous Journey

My initial bravado quickly met reality. I pathetically had to admit, I had never peeled a carrot in my life. Honestly, I didn’t even know it was a requirement! Aggie, ever the patient mentor, peeled the first one for me, demonstrating the technique. Crisis averted, or so I thought. Next roadblock: mincing garlic. My culinary illiteracy was truly shining. Aggie stepped in again, showing me the elegant art of smashing a garlic clove with a knife and effortlessly peeling away the skin. At this point, I was looking at my wife as if she were a freaking culinary genius, possessing arcane kitchen knowledge.

The tutorials continued for a bit. “How do you avoid bruising mint?” “What’s the optimal way to squeeze a lemon for maximum juice?” “How do you rehydrate sun-dried tomatoes?” Each question, a testament to my kitchen inexperience, was met with Aggie’s calm expertise. After a thorough crash course in basic cooking fundamentals, I was finally ready to go solo. Aggie wisely retreated to the pool with the kids, leaving me to my grand culinary experiment. I was buzzing with excitement. I had a couple of six-packs of Gordon Biersch beer chilling, 90s R&B music was blasting on the Pandora machine, and for an extra boost of power and internal agility, I was even wearing my trusty 3W1M shirt. Nothing could stop me now!

Then, the inevitable happened. My A.D.D. kicked in with full force. While diligently peeling carrots, my gaze wandered across all the other ingredients, then to the printed recipes, then to the mystical Harissa paste. I turned the music down, went back to peeling carrots, then reread the recipes, utterly unsure of the next step. A quick decision led me to grab another beer, and then, naturally, turn the music back up, even louder this time.

This cycle of confusion, contemplation, and minor distraction repeated itself for what felt like an eternity. But slowly, steadily, guided by the written instructions and Aggie’s earlier tutorials, the pieces began to come together.

The Grand Reveal: A Triumphant Taste

Finally, after a couple of hours that felt like an entire culinary school semester, the meal was complete. And I must admit, I did a bang-up job! The Harissa Steak Sandwich was absolutely incredible, probably even better than it looked on television. The Cuban bread, my accidental choice, proved to be a divine pairing, perfectly soaking up the rich juices from the steak and marrying beautifully with the spicy Harissa mayo. The North African Spiced Carrots were a delightful surprise – wonderfully tasty, offering a perfect balance of sweet and savory heat. The entire dish was a symphony of flavors, a testament to what a novice chef can achieve with a little inspiration and a lot of guidance.

Beyond the Sandwich: A Newfound Passion

In summary, Jeffrey Saad didn’t win “The Next Food Network Star” (which, I admit, made me very Saad – pun intended!). But one thing he undeniably accomplished was igniting a spark in ‘ol Larry, drawing me further into the exciting world of the kitchen. I sincerely hope the Food Network gives him his own show; I’d absolutely tune in! This guest blogging experience was a blast, and I think I might just give it another whirl. Last night was a lot of fun, but the absolute best part of it all? Aggie loved it! Her genuine pride and happiness made all the fumbling and confusion worth every minute. As for my son? Well, I think the Orlando Magic might still be in the market for a backup Point Guard. Never say never, right? Perhaps his culinary talents will emerge later in life, just like mine unexpectedly did!

If you’re feeling inspired to embark on your own Harissa Steak Sandwich adventure, and whip up the delightful North African Spiced Carrots, you can find the recipes here and here, respectively. Happy cooking!