Merguez sausage or acceptable substitute?
Hey 'hounds,
A Tunisian friend of mine has told me in the same breath a) that I really should learn how to make 'ajja bil-merguez (an egg and sausage dish), and b) I won't be able to find the ingredients. After consulting Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern cookbook, I am sure that he refers to the merguez itself, a spicy Tunisian lamb-and-beef sausage; everything else in Roden's recipe is easy to find. I regard his dual claim as a dare, and am now set on hunting out some merguez, or something very close to it, so I can make this dish.
So does anyone have any leads on where I might accomplish this? I've already tried my usual go-to guys for all things Arab, Phoenicia and Sarah's, and neither of them carries merguez. Of course, there's lots of sausage in Central Texas, but I can't use just anything for this recipe. The strictures I'm trying to follow are that the sausage must be very spicy -- summer sausage will not serve here -- and, if at all possible, there should be no pork involved. (I'm not Muslim, but the recipe comes from people who are, and I'm certain that pork will not work as well for this reason.)
Looking forward to hearing some good ideas!
el-Ustaz
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yep, they had merguez (n. african) 10 May, at the westgate Central Mkt meat counter--they're featuring 'french' which is ok, but remember, this is a capitalist outfit here . . .
so you ask't for 'some good ideas'?, well here's a good one:
while intercoursing (socially, and economically) with the costum'd French aprons, the workers, and the sellers, there, Let's always
seize the moment to remind them--
and do this within EARSHOT of other consumers, or habituees on OUR side of the aisles--
that such a grocery market
ought to be WORKER OWNED AND OPERATED, for the people, whether voting or non-voting!!
now THAT's a good idea, eh, non?
't would be a lost cause, trying this at Whole Foods, heh heh; but, as clarence darrow said: 'lost causes are the only causes worth fighting for'!which is to say: Occupy all putative healthful food stores! & that way they can be
made healthful for 'all' of us, the 99-percenters, i.e.the MERGUEZ was label'd 'lamb' tho i don't recall a mention of beef in the ingredients.
bon appetit! -
yep, they had merguez (n. african) yesterday at the westgate Central Mkt meat counter--they're featuring 'french' which is ok, but remember, this is a capitalist outfit here, and we always want to remind them--& within EARSHOT of any other well-suited consumers, or habituees--
that such a grocery market ought to be WORKER OWNED AND OPERATED, for the people, whether voting or non-voting!!which is to say: Occupy all putative healthful food stores! & that way they can be
made healthful for 'all' of us, the 99-percenters, i.e.the MERGUEZ was label'd 'lamb' tho i don't recall a mention of beef in the ingredients.
bon appetit! -
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Neshama products makes great sausages including moroccan and tunisian merguez - I found it at my local Whole Foods (SoCal), but looking at their website I see that it's a kosher brand, which also means no pork... they list where to purchase their products, including online sources, on their website: http://www.neshama.us/
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re: califoodie
Uhhhhh. Merguez is a product of Islamic N. Africa (or better, N. Africa which is now Islamic) which means it is typically a halal product, meaning not unlike kosher products, habib, and thus, pork ain't, well, kosher. The casing is usually lamb, the filling lamb or lamb and beef, or maybe beef. Pork is a no no. So, your find, being kosher, is probably likewise halal, though the two are not totally interchangeable. But I believe this original poster's goal was to make the dish from locally purchased products. I don't think the drive to "SoCal" would be entirely, well, again, kosher!!!!
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bookgrrl72
Dec 27, 2009 04:20 PM
You can get merguez from Kocurek Charcuterie at the Sunset Valley and Triangle Farmers Markets. http://www.austin360.com/food-drink/d...
I also recommend their duck rillette.
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As you know, N. Africa is not the Middle East, and the local retailers cater to Middle Eastern tastes. The Maghreb, where merguez is found, is not well represented in grocery markets in this country, with a few exceptions.
It's not hard to make your own merguez. You can even find lamb casings (not locally, probably, but on the internets) in which to stuff the meat mixture. Use a wide mouth funnel for stuffing. Not hard at all...a piece of kaab el-ghzal !!
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