Tunisian Ragout With Merguez Food

MERGUEZ (A TUNISIAN SAUSAGE)

Steps:

• Have the meat ground or outfit a meat grinder with the fine blade. Put the meat through the grinder.
• Put the meat into a mixing bowl, and add the garlic, harissa, water, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly.
• Outfit a sausage machine or a hand grinder with a sausage funnel. Slip the casings onto the funnel. Fill the casings with the ground meat mixture, following the manufacturer's instructions.
• Twist the casings at five- or six-inch intervals to indicate individual sausages. If the casings are not used, individual ''sausages'' can be made by dividing the meat into about 25 portions and shaping each one into a sausagelike shape.
• When ready to cook, heat the oil in a skillet and add the sausages. Cook until lightly browned on one side and turn. Continue cooking, turning as necessary, until cooked through and nicely browned, about six minutes or longer.

TUNISIAN RAGOUT WITH MERGUEZ

Steps:

• PART 1: Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, slice into 1/4 inch strips, serve as a garnish.
• PART 2: Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch strips, grill over low heat for 5-10 minutes. They should not be burnt, but should have beautiful char marks from the grill, and should be soft throughout.
• PART 3: Place 3 tbsp olive oil in large saucepan and heat. Place cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and garlic powder into the oil and lightly fry for about 10 minutes so that flavors permeate the oil. Keep heat low enough that oil does not smoke.
• Add rice and stir to coat with oil and then immediately add 4 cups water.
• Cover with lid and heat to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until water has absorbed and rice is soft and fluffy.
• PART 4: Cut potatoes lengthwise into wedges (8 wedges per potato). Toss in olive oil with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.
• PART 5: Chop onion and garlic in food processor until pieces are very small (less than 1/4 inch). Combine with beef, parsley, coriander seed, caraway seeds, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl.
• Mix with your hands, then form SMALL sausages by squeezing a small amount of mixture in your hands. Sausages should be about the size of a large thumb.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet until very hot, then brown sausages on all sides. Sausages should be almost completely cooked during this step. Remove and set aside.
• Turn off heat from under skillet, then add tomato paste and water. Heat to a simmer, stirring to mix. Simmer about 5 minutes.
• Return sausages to skillet and continue simmering for 30 minutes.
• Serve as follows: rice on bottom, then sausage and sauce, then alternate zucchini, bell pepper, egg, and lemon on top. Potatoes go on the side, with a little sauce on them as well.