French Merguez Sausages Culinary Communion Recipes

HOMEMADE MERGUEZ SAUSAGE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a cast iron skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Transfer spice mixture to a small bowl and mix in paprika, salt, and cayenne.
• Place lamb and fat in a large bowl. Add in spice mixture, garlic, and harissa. Toss to thoroughly coat meat and fat in spices. Refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Grind mixture through a meat grinder, fitted with small die, into a medium bowl set into a large bowl filled with ice.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix ground meat on low speed for 1 minute. Add in water and mix until liquid is incorporated and sausage is uniform and sticky, about 1 minute more.
• Form a small sausage patty; place rest of sausage mixture in refrigerator. Cook patty in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Stuff sausage into lamb casings and twist into 6-inch links. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate . Grill over medium-high direct heat until sausage registers 155°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted in middle of link. Remove from grill, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.

CLASSIC FRENCH MERGUEZ RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Toast cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds in a dry skillet set over medium heat, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes, until they become fragrant. Be very careful not to overcook, and worst still, burn the spices.
• Once toasted, allow seeds to cool and process them in a spice grinder.
• Add toasted, ground seeds to paprika, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
• Place ground lamb in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle spice mixture, chopped herbs, crushed garlic, and salt over meat. Mix seasonings into meat.
• The seasoned meat can then be either formed into patties, the size and shape of your choice, or, fill bought sausage casings with lamb mixture. For this, you will need a sausage stuffer attachment often sold for stand mixers , or a stuffing machine.
• Once made, chill before using.
• Cook patties or sausages or simply fry until cooked through.
• Serve stuffed into a bun, pita, or slice and serve in Middle Eastern flatbreads.

FRENCH MERGUEZ SAUSAGES - CULINARY COMMUNION

Steps:

• Marinate: toss the lamb, fatback, and dry seasonings together, then chill well (at least 2 hours).
• Grind: grind meat mixture through grinder using a medium plate (1/4-inch) into a mixing bowl over an ice bath.
• Mix and develop protein: in an electric mixer, mix on low speed for 1 minute, adding the red wine a little at a time. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the sausage mixture is sticky to the touch.
• Make a tester: make a test patty and pan fry. Adjust the seasoning and consistency if necessary before putting sausage into casings.
• Stuff: stuff the sausage into the prepared casings and twist into 15-inch links. Cut into individual links. Make a spiral with each link and secure with a 6-inch skewer.
• Cook: the sausage is now ready to prepare for eating by pan frying, baking, grilling, or broiling to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, or hold under refrigeration for up to 7 days.
• Notes: regarding the links -- we don't make the 15-inch links, we make links about 4 inches long, twisting them into link-shape as we're filling the casings. It's up to you, of course, how you make them. These sausages are absolutely delicious, and I hope you'll try the recipe! The recipe appear to definitely be a French version of Merguez, rather than the Turnisian version -- all I know is that they're very, very tasty. :).

COUSCOUS SAUSAGE MEDITERRANEAN

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the crumbled sausage and cook until it is mostly browned, about 7-9 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Careful not to let it burn!) Reduce heat to medium.
• Add the tomato and basil and cook until tomato softens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Quick now, cook the couscous: bring broth to a boil, add couscous; remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes. Stir and fluff with a fork.
• Mix cooked sausage mixture with the cooked couscous and crumbled feta (if using). Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and squeeze over a bit of freshly squeeze lemon or lime juice. Serve!
• Servings: about 6.
• Mike's suggestions for substitutions/additions: 1 Tbsp finely chopped calamata olive, chopped mushroom, chopped artichoke heart, chopped sundried tomato, sautéed fennel, spinach, chopped cucumber.
• As far as sausage goes, we use our homemade lamb-based French Merguez (also posted here at http://www.food.com/recipe/french-merguez-sausages-culinary-communion-340487) which is astoundingly good. But a flavorful Italian sausage would be good, too. Seasoned turkey sausage would be fine if you want to make it even leaner. Or hey, mmm, chorizo! You can even use vegetarian no-meat sausage, if you like - just pay attention to the seasonings so it doesn't turn out tasting bland.
• Re tomatoes: I dislike cooked tomato peel, so I prefer to not use cherry tomatoes for this dish. Regular chopped fresh tomato is my preference.
• This is a really versatile recipe, you can substitute ingredients to achieve whatever flavor profile you want. Also, we get our couscous in bulk because otherwise it's far too expensive to buy in prepackaged little boxes.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot over high temperature heat the oil until very hot.
• Add the mushrooms all at one, and saute on high until they release their liquid, stirring occasionally.
• When the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the pot, add the wine and chopped herbs, stir, and saute until the wine and liquid is almost completely reduced.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, and serve hot.
• Note: this dish would also be tasty with a combination of other mushrooms, such as porcini and morels!

HOMEMADE MERGUEZ SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a cast-iron skillet over low heat, toast cumin, coriander seeds and fennel seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer warm spices to a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to pound them until fine. Combine with the paprika and cayenne pepper; set aside.
• In the bowl mix together the ground lamb with the spices, cilantro and salt. Pinch off a little of the mixture, form into a patty and brush with olive oil. Fry in a hot skillet to check the seasonings. Adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
• Form sausages into patties to cook immediately or for storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Note: 1. Chill for up to 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months or use immediately. 2. Brush sausages with olive oil and fry, grill or broil until browned and cooked through.

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.