Mussels with Merguez Sausage
This enticing red, spicy lamb-based sausage comes from North Africa where it was the sausage of choice among the Bedouin since the 12th Century and the larger population of that region that culitivated Maghrebi cuisine.The first written recipe for merguez sausage appears in an anonymous thirteenth-century Hispano-Muslim cookery book. Because of the Islamic prohibition on eating pork, there is not much sausage in the culinary history of the Middle East. But if lamb merguez was their only sausage contribution to international cuisine, it would be enough.
Lamb Merguez Sausage
Merguez is a sausage made with uncooked lamb, beef, or a mixture stuffed into a lamb-intestine casing. It is heavily spiced with cumin and chili pepper or harissa, which gives it its characteristic piquancy and red color, as well as other spices such as sumac, fennel, and garlic.
Merguez sausage may be small in size, but its influence is felt worldwide. It is normally sold in a coil or in links of three sausages/ When the French colonized North Africa, they took to this spicy sausage and incorporated it into French cuisine. Merguez is also popular in Israel, throughout the Middle East, and northern Europe. Usually eaten grilled, as an accompaniment to couscous, or in tagines, by the end of the 20th Century, the merguez sausage has become a popular street food in France, served much like hotdogs are in the United States. The French did put a signature twist on the merguez sandwich. They serve grilled merguez on a fresh split baguette and is smeared with a healthy dose of Dijon mustard or mayonnaise, and then right on top, a serving of French fries. The combination of spicy sausage and salty fries makes for an exciting sandwich, and is so popular that the French consider this sausage their own.
The merguez sausage meat can also be removed from its casing and incorporated into ground beef to make spicy burgers with a hint of lamb flavor or made into a Middle Eastern meatball, known as a kefta. Stews and bean dishes can also benefit from the spicy kick of merguez sausage.
In this recipe, mussels are steamed in white wine and a richly seasoned merguez is used to give the shellfish a North African flavor accented with tomatoes and cilantro.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 pound merguez sausage, casing removed sausage crumbled (See Cook’s Note)
4 medium shallots, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup full-bodied white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 large tomato, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Urfa or Aleppo chile (See Cook’s Note)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus 1 teaspoon minced cilantro stems
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
Rustic bread, for serving
Directions:
In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the merguez and cook over moderately high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until the fat is rendered and the sausage is starting to brown, 3 minutes.
Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Add the wine, tomato, lime juice, chile and cilantro stems and cook until the wine is slightly reduced, 2 minutes.
Stir in the mussels, cover and steam until the mussels open, 7 to 10 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open. Stir in the chopped cilantro and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
To serve, ladle the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
Cook’s Notes:
Merguez sausage and Urfa chiles are available at specialty food markets and amazon.com.
If you cannot find merguez sausages locally, Mexican or Spanish chorizo makes for an excellent substitute.
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