Merguez sausages with crispy chickpeas and preserved lemon yogurt

Name: Merguez sausages with crispy chickpeas and preserved lemon yogurt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Moroccan recipes
Ingredients: 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained; 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to fry; 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed; ½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed; 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 large tomatoes, chopped; ½ cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out and chopped; ½ small onion, chopped; 1 tsp sea salt; 8 merguez sausages; 1 tbsp rose harissa (optional); Bunch coriander, finely chopped; For the yogurt; 300ml greek yogurt; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 1 preserved lemon, chopped, plus a splash lemon brine; ¼ tsp sea salt; ½ bunch mint, finely chopped, plus a few leaves to garnish

By: Tom Shingler
Head of food, delicious.

Published: 14 Oct 22
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Merguez sausages with crispy, roasted chickpeas makes a flavoursome alternative to bangers and mash. Serve with dollops of lemony yogurt.

Next time, try Merguez baguettes stuffed with crispy duck-fat roasties and garlicky aioli. Seriously.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min. Oven time 45 min

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Ingredients

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to fry
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 large tomatoes, chopped
½ cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out and chopped
½ small onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
8 merguez sausages
1 tbsp rose harissa (optional)
Bunch coriander, finely chopped

For the yogurt

300ml greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 preserved lemon, chopped, plus a splash lemon brine
¼ tsp sea salt
½ bunch mint, finely chopped, plus a few leaves to garnish

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put the chickpeas in a large baking dish, ideally all in a single layer, then add the olive oil, spices and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, put the tomatoes, cucumber and onion in a sieve and sprinkle with the salt. Toss, then set aside in the sink to drain.
Mix all the yogurt ingredients, then taste for seasoning – you may want to add more salt or preserved lemon brine. Set aside.
Put a wide frying or griddle pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the sausages in a single layer and cook, turning regularly, for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the chickpeas from the oven and stir in the harissa (if using). Add the tomatoes, cucumber and onion, sprinkle over the coriander and stir. Serve the sausages with a pile of the chickpea mixture, some yogurt and extra mint leaves.

Recipe from October 2022 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 508kcals
Fat: 28.9g (13.3g saturated)
Protein: 30.8g
Carbohydrates: 24g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre: 14g
Salt: 1.7g

delicious. tips

North African merguez are made of lamb and/or beef rather than pork, and heavily spiced with harissa and cumin. Hugely popular in France, they’re available from most good butchers or online in the UK.

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Merguez sausages with crispy chickpeas and preserved lemon yogurt

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Method

Nutrition

delicious. tips

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