Ingredients
- Merguez Sausage with Lentil du Puys with Mint and Feta Cheese
- Merguez sausage is a Middle Eastern lamb sausage and has cumin, coriander, fennel paprika, garlic and harissa paste. You can find it in gourmet stores or just use any sausage you like. If you prefer Italian sausage, use fresh oregano or thyme or if you use a German style sausage, use fresh thyme in the lentil pilaf. Puy lentils are grown in the French region of Puy and retain their small green shape when cooked and have a slightly peppery taste, but you could use any small lentil like black beluga lentils, brown lentils or dal lentils. I like to buy lentils in the bulk food section.
- Serves 4
- 2/3 cup lentils du Puy
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red or yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 4 carrots, peeled, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, or 2 tablespoons fresh thyme or oregano
- 4 Merguez lamb sausages
- 1/2 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
In a small saucepan add lentils and cover with water by 2 inches. Add salt and bring to a boil and reduce to medium and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook. Drain and reserve.
Meanwhile to a large skillet add olive oil over medium high heat and add onion and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute and add carrots, salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes or tender. Add a little water if the pan seems dry. Add vinegar and cooked lentils, and half of the mint and mix gently.
While carrots are cooking, in a non stick skillet over medium high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive. Add sausages and reduce heat to medium and cook on all sides until cooked through about 8-10 minutes.
To serve: Place the lentil pilaf on a plate and slice the sausages on the diagonal and place on top of pilaf. Sprinkle with remaining mint and feta and serve.
