Merguez de Marrakech
Moroccan version of the merguez, distinct from the Tunisian-Algerian one by the chermoula (a marinade of saffron and preserved lemon) that replaces the harissa. It is classically grilled on a kanoun.
| Lamb (shoulder), minced | 700 g |
| Lamb fat, diced | 200 g |
| Lean beef, minced | 100 g |
| Fresh coriander, chopped | 30 g |
| Flat-leaf parsley, chopped | 20 g |
| Ground cumin | 10 g |
| Sweet paprika | 12 g |
| Dried red chilli powder | 5 g |
| Saffron (threads infused in 1 tbsp water) | 0.3 g |
| Preserved lemon, finely chopped | 15 g |
| Fresh garlic, crushed | 15 g |
| Fine salt | 18 g |
| Fine sheep casing | — |
- Preparing the chermoula: Mix the coriander, the parsley, the cumin, the paprika, the chilli, the infused saffron, the preserved lemon and the garlic to form an aromatic paste.
- Mixing: Combine the meats and the fat with the chermoula and the salt. Work for 5 minutes.
- Resting: Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours to let the saffron and the preserved lemon penetrate the meat.
- Stuffing: Fill fine sheep casings, forming long, thin sausages. Tie in pairs.
- Cooking: Grill over the embers of a kanoun (the Moroccan brazier) or on the barbecue for 3 to 4 minutes each side.
- Serving: Serve in a round Moroccan loaf (khobz) with a light harissa, grilled onions and a tomato-and-cucumber salad.
The merguez is treated in this book in its generic Maghrebi form (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco). But the Moroccan version adds specifically Moroccan ingredients, such as saffron, preserved lemon and the chermoula (a marinade of coriander, cumin, garlic and lemon), which separates it from the Tunisian merguez with harissa and tabil (a blend containing cassia cinnamon, ground anise, coriander, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, fennel, cloves, rock salt and ginger powder).
Morocco is the only Maghreb country where merguez commonly includes saffron, a spice the country produces in large quantities in the Taliouine region (the Anti-Atlas). The preserved lemon (hamad marakad), a pillar of Moroccan cooking, brings a perfumed sharpness absent from the other merguez of the Maghreb.
In the souks of Marrakesh and Fez, the merguez is grilled on kanoun (terracotta braziers) by the street vendors, then served on a piece of khobz (round bread) with a mixture of cumin, salt and chilli, a common table condiment in Morocco.
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