Firsthand Foods shared this recipe to use with their local lamb sausage. The merguez is on sale this week for $8.99/lb, regularly $10.99/lb. Meet the folks from Firsthand Foods and try their merguez, and pick up additional recipes in Carrboro (4-7 on Friday, February 17, 2017) and Hillsborough (11-2 on Sunday, February 19, 2017).
Ingredients:
- 1 – ¾ lb. package Firsthand Foods merguez
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered & thinly sliced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cubed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ c. green olives, pitted
- ½ c. dried apricots, chopped
- ½ c. golden raisins
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 ½ chicken broth, divided
- 1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. Spanish paprika
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- couscous
- salt to taste
- cilantro
- harissa
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the merguez and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- To the skillet, add the onion, carrot, and fennel. Add ½ tsp. salt and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add sweet potato, apricots, raisins, lemon, and olives. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add spices and stir to coat ingredients. Pour mixture into a tagine or small baking dish with a lid.
- Add 1 ½ c. chicken broth, cover, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While vegetable mixture is in the oven, prepare the couscous according to the package directions using chicken broth instead of water.
- After 30 minutes, remove the tagine or baking dish from the oven. Place the Merguez on top of the vegetable mixture, replace the lid and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Serve over the couscous and garnish with cilantro and harissa.