North African Merguez Recipes

MOROCCAN MERGUEZ SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except sausage casings (if using) in a large bowl.
• Knead the mixture well to evenly distribute the spices, herbs, and harissa.
• Shape as desired.
• Alternatively, you can pass the ingredients through a meat grinder and feed the merguez mixture into sausage casings.
• For the best flavor, allow the merguez to sit for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator before cooking.
• Place on grill or under broiler until cooked through and meat registers temperature of 155 F with meat thermometer.

NORTH AFRICAN PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, roasted red pepper, and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salmon fillet, and merguez sausage; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour 2 1/2 cups broth and white wine into the pot. Season stew with cumin, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in shrimp; simmer until opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add mussels; cover and let stand until mussels open, about 5 minutes.
• Bring remaining 3 1/2 cups broth to a boil in a separate pot. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat and let stand until couscous absorbs broth, about 5 minutes.
• Serve couscous in shallow bowls; ladle stew on top.

HOMEMADE MERGUEZ

Steps:

• In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast cumin, coriander and fennel seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer warm spices to a spice grinder and grind well, or use a mortar and pestle and pound seeds.
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Form lamb mixture into desired shape (1-inch-thick by 5-inch-long cigars make nice merguez, but fatter cylinders or patties will also work). Chill for up to 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months, or use immediately.
• Brush sausages with oil and grill or broil them until browned and cooked through. Or fry them in a little oil until well browned all over. Serve with more cilantro and harissa on the side, if desired.

LAMB MERGUEZ - (NORTH AFRICAN RED SAUSAGE)

Steps:

• Combine the spice mix ingredients and grind fine using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. The extra can be stored in a glass jar.
• Using a mixer, combine all the sausage ingredients. Add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is well combined. Form a little patty and cook it off, taste and adjust the seasoning as you see fit. Cover and chill overnight (for best flavor), or at least an hour.
• If making patties, dip your hands in ice water as you form them. This mixture will also make one large stuffed casing coil. Chill the patties or coil again if you are not going to cook right away.
• Grill for 10-12 minutes, total, turning once.

NORTH AFRICAN LAMB SAUSAGES MERGUEZ

Steps:

• Mix ground lamb, salt, cumin, pepper, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, pomegranate juice, garlic, ginger, and thyme together.
• Can be placed in lamb casings.

MERGUEZ MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Toast cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a mortar and pestle to grind finely.
• Combine the ground spices, lamb, harissa, garlic, salt, and paprika in a large bowl. Mix by hand until thoroughly blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so spices can permeate the meat.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Form the lamb mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared sheet.
• Roast meatballs until the centers are no longer pink, 11 to 12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read at least 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).

MERGUEZ LAMB KEBABS

Steps:

• Soak 8 wooden skewers in water. Toast all the whole spices in a small pan. Tip into a mortar and grind with a pestle, then mix in with the paprika, harissa, garlic and cinnamon. Scrape into a bowl with the meat, season and squish together with your fingers. Mould the mix into 8 long kebabs, straight onto the skewers. Can be done up to a day ahead.
• When the coals are ashen, barbecue for 10-15 mins, turning occasionally, until cooked through. The fat from the kebabs can cause flare-ups, so be careful. While the kebabs are cooking, mix all the ingredients for the yogurt. Scatter the kebabs and yogurt with coriander, and serve with extra harissa and warm flatbreads.