Lamb Merguez Sausage with Moroccan Lentils

Recipe by Chef Göran Streng

Ingredients

• 8 pcs Merguez sausage
• 2 cups Petite French style green lentils
• 2 Carrots, peeled and cut into ¼” cubes
• 1 Onion, fine diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Harissa olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cumin
• 1 tablespoon Sumac
• 2 cups Tomato passata
• 2 cups Chicken stock
• 1 Bay leaf
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3 slices Preserved lemon, chopped fine
• ½ cup Greek yogurt

Directions 

Rinse lentils, cook in a medium saucepan with 5 cups salted water until soft, about 25 minutes, the water should be absorbed. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375F, place the merguez sausage on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 20 min.

In a large enameled cast iron casserole, heat the olive and harissa oil over medium high heat, sweat the diced onions, garlic and carrots until onion is translucent stirring frequently.

Add paprika, cumin and sumac, stir for 1 minute, add tomato passata, chicken stock and bay leaf, let simmer until carrots are soft.

Add the cooked lentils and lemon juice, continue simmering and season to taste with salt and pepper. To finish the dish, add 2 slices of chopped preserved lemon and chopped parsley.

Mix the rest of the chopped preserved lemon with the yogurt.

Place the beans on a platter and top with sausage, drizzle with yogurt.