Chicken Merguez Sausage Artichoke Tagine Recipes

MERGUEZ AND BUTTERNUT TAGINE

Steps:

• Wrap the sausage in a coil and place 2 skewers through the sausage to form an X. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot. Brown the sausage, about 3 minutes per side, then transfer the sausage to a plate and remove the skewers.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Cut the squash into chunks and add to the pot along with the carrots, tomatoes with juice, apricots, 1 cup water, cumin, cinnamon, and some salt and pepper. Add the sausage back to the pot and cover. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve over couscous.

CHICKEN AND MERGUEZ TAGINE

Steps:

• For the spice mix: In a small bowl, add the cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set aside.
• For the tagine: Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until browned on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, place a large, family-sized cast-iron tagine on a low heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil plus the spice mix. Cook until the spices have bloomed and the oil is hot, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the carrots and onions and allow them to slightly soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, sausage, garlic and seared chicken. Carefully add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Nestle in the olives and preserved lemon, then lower the heat and cover the tagine. Continue cooking over low heat for about 1 hour. Add more chicken broth slowly if needed (see Cook's Note).
• For the couscous: Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl add the couscous, raisins, olive oil, turmeric and salt and mix together.
• Bring the broth to a boil, then add to the couscous until it is covered and the liquid is a little more than 1/2 inch above the couscous. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until the liquid is absorbed, preferably in a warm part of the kitchen, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pour the couscous onto a very large platter. Remove the chicken from the tagine to a work surface. Pour the vegetables from the tagine around the couscous. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables and garnish the whole platter with the toasted almonds and parsley.

CHICKEN, MERGUEZ SAUSAGE & ARTICHOKE TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat a tagine or other large pot, such as a Dutch oven or wok. Season the chicken with salt. Add the olive oil to the tagine. Over medium-high heat, brown the sausage and chicken.
• Move the chicken and sausage to the edges of the pan and add the onions to the center. Next, add the garlic, chile peppers, cumin seed, coriander and paprika. Mix the saffron with a teaspoon of the chicken stock, then add it to the pot. Cook for a couple minutes until the spices become fragrant, then stir to incorporate with the meats. Add the artichokes, then pour in the orange juice and chicken stock.
• Place the preserved lemon and cinnamon stick in the pot, sprinkle the chickpeas on top and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Place individual servings of couscous in bowls. Top with the braised chicken, sausage, artichoke and chickpeas. Garnish with olives, apricots, pistachios, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Add a spoonful of harissa if you like it spicy. Serve

TAGINE OF LAMB & MERGUEZ SAUSAGES

Steps:

• For the marinade, roast the spices in a dry pan for a couple mins until fragrant. Put remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and process to a smooth paste, then add the roast spices and blend again to combine. Place the lamb in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Leave in the paste overnight, or for at least 2 hrs to absorb all the flavours.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. In a large roasting tin, big enough to fit the meat in one single layer, heat the oil and place over a high heat on the hob. Remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off and reserving any excess, then brown shanks on all sides in the hot oil.
• Add remaining marinade to the dish along with the carrots, onions and prunes, then pour in 1 litre water. Cover the dish tightly with foil and cook in a low oven for 3½-4 hrs until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone. Add the honey, lemon juice and seasoning and keep warm.
• If using, fry the sausages until cooked through, then add to the tagine. Serve the meat in a large bowl with the sauce spooned over, then scatter with the preserved lemons and mint, and serve the harissa on the side.