Merguez - Spicy lamb sausage

Since I was ordering from the butcher anyway, I decided to order some lamb shoulder to make some Merguez, a spicy lamb sausage from North Africa. I figured it would be great slow roasted on the grill.

This adapted from Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn.  You'd think that I'm getting a cut but no, I'm just loving the cookbook.

Ingredients
3.5 lbs diced lamb shoulder
1.5 lb lamb fat diced
1.5 oz Kosher Salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs minced garlic
1.5 cups diced roasted red pepper
1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs Spanish paprika (I used Picante, you could use Dulce)
2 Tbs minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup dry red wine, chilled
1/4 cup ice water

20ft sheep casing soaked and rinsed

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except the water and wine (OR casings!) and toss to distribute the seasonings.

Chill until ready to grind. In this case it was from about 3 to 9 the next morning.

Grind mixture through small die,  add water and wine to meat mixture and mix until liquids are incorporated and the mixture has developed a uniform sticky appearance. Sorry for no pictures but this sausage is red from the paprika. Working the grinder/ mixer/stuffer was difficult enough as it was without trying to capture action shots. Sorry for that.

Cook a small sample for taste test. (delicious)

Stuff into lamb casings and twist into 10" links. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Well that's in instructions but  I coiled some up and left some long. The coils work great on the grill with a couple skewers threw them.  They are chilling for now getting ready to be frozen.

To cook roast (or grill on indirect heat) or gently saute to an internal temp of 150F.

Served with rice, garlic chili sauce and a simple salad.

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!


The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Lamb Kofta

A traditional Mediterranean dish made from almost any ground meat, though sometimes vegetables are used. Normally formed as long torpedoes on wide flat skewers, you may also making small oblong patties (without a skewer) , in the latter case use a frying pan. This recipe may be used for both the smaller patties cooked in a pan or on skewers. I made the patties this time.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat – preferably lamb, but lamb/beef, or even ground turkey will work
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion grated
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 bunch parsley minced (I had no parsley but did have a cilantro bunch, so I used that)

Directions
Measure out the dry spices.

I used the food processor to make short work of the garlic, onion; chile and cilantro.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

For Patties:

Form into golfball sized meatballs.  Chill for an hour or over night.

Flatten and elongate into oblong shaped patties.

Heat 1 tbs oil in pan over medium high heat

Cook in batches (add more oil if necessary) in a pan over medium heat until a crust forms, turn and brown other side.

Drain if necessary.

Served with pita, lettuce, and tahini lemon sauce.

Spicy, tender, moist and delicious.

Until next time, Eat Well and Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener