Roasted Merguez Sausage with Apples and Onions
Kyle brought a word challenge to the Kitchen this month! We had to look up “Merguez”, which is a “red, spicy lamb or beef-based fresh sausage in Maghrebi cuisine”. OK fine… “Maghrebi” is the cuisine of the Maghreb region of North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia). Think dishes like couscous, pastilla, tajine, and shakshouka. “Shakshouka” is a traditional Tunisian dish featuring poached eggs and… you know what? Nevermind. Just pick up some Merguez sausage at your local Whole Foods (or independent market) and make this recipe. You’ll know exactly what Merguez tastes like when it’s done right.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound thin Merguez sausage coil or links
- 3 (10-ounce) Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges (Tip: Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples hold their shape better during roasting than other varieties)
- 3 (6-ounce) red onions, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Insert 2 skewers into sausage coil in an “X” shape. Place sausage coil in middle of a large rimmed baking sheet. (If using links, arrange in a single layer on baking sheet.)
- Toss together apples, onions, thyme, olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Scatter apple mixture around sausage on baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until sausage is cooked through and apples are tender but not falling apart, about 25 minutes. Remove skewers, and cut sausage into large pieces. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Suggested Pairing
Rich Lebanese red.
Original recipe by Justin Chapple on Food&Wine
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 40 mins Yield: 4 to 6
