Quesadillas with Merguez Sausage and Goat Cheese
It might have been in the name, but when I first picked up some merguez sausages I expected them to be Spanish. As it turns out, they're a spicy North African variety that comes in beef or lamb, and is often eaten with couscous or used in tajines.
I'd bought beef, intending to use them for quesadillas. Figuring there was no reason not to continue along this original train of thought, I did, and I wasn't sorry. The spiciness makes a great combo with the goat cheese and cilantro.
Ingredients (serves 2):
300g Merguez sausage (I used beef, but you can also go for lamb)
100g goat's cheese (I used chevre, sliced and tough white outside removed)
3 medium-size shallots, chopped
few sprigs coriander (cilantro), chopped
6 flour tortillas (I used the 'gordita' type, which is a bit smaller and thicker than the tortillas used for burritos)
1 lime cut into wedges
Mexican salsa roja (click here for the recipe)
Instructions:
1. Place the merguez sausages in a skillet with 2-3 tbsp water and gently steam the sausages over medium heat, turning them a couple of times in the process.
2. While you're steaming the sausages in one skillet, use another (or a grill plate) to heat the tortillas, making sure to turn them so that you do both sides. It's ok if they go golden, but don't let them turn brown. When the tortilas are done, place them inside some clean folded tea towels to keep them warm.
3. Back to the sausages. When the water has steamed away, add a little olive oil and fry the sausages until they are a nice crispy brown colour (not too dark - if you overcook them, they'll be dry - 5-7 minutes in total should do the trick). After about 2-3 minutes, toss in the chopped shallot and sautée along with the sausages.
4. When the sausage is done, chop into pieces using a wooden spatula and add the goat's cheese to the sausage-onion mixture. Stir briefly, turn the fire off, and stir until it melts.
5. Distribute the mixture over the six tortillas and top with chopped cilantro. Top with salsa roja and sesrve with lime wedges.
To eat, just fold them in half :) Buen provecho!
I'd bought beef, intending to use them for quesadillas. Figuring there was no reason not to continue along this original train of thought, I did, and I wasn't sorry. The spiciness makes a great combo with the goat cheese and cilantro.
Ingredients (serves 2):
300g Merguez sausage (I used beef, but you can also go for lamb)
100g goat's cheese (I used chevre, sliced and tough white outside removed)
3 medium-size shallots, chopped
few sprigs coriander (cilantro), chopped
6 flour tortillas (I used the 'gordita' type, which is a bit smaller and thicker than the tortillas used for burritos)
1 lime cut into wedges
Mexican salsa roja (click here for the recipe)
Instructions:
1. Place the merguez sausages in a skillet with 2-3 tbsp water and gently steam the sausages over medium heat, turning them a couple of times in the process.
2. While you're steaming the sausages in one skillet, use another (or a grill plate) to heat the tortillas, making sure to turn them so that you do both sides. It's ok if they go golden, but don't let them turn brown. When the tortilas are done, place them inside some clean folded tea towels to keep them warm.
3. Back to the sausages. When the water has steamed away, add a little olive oil and fry the sausages until they are a nice crispy brown colour (not too dark - if you overcook them, they'll be dry - 5-7 minutes in total should do the trick). After about 2-3 minutes, toss in the chopped shallot and sautée along with the sausages.
4. When the sausage is done, chop into pieces using a wooden spatula and add the goat's cheese to the sausage-onion mixture. Stir briefly, turn the fire off, and stir until it melts.
5. Distribute the mixture over the six tortillas and top with chopped cilantro. Top with salsa roja and sesrve with lime wedges.
To eat, just fold them in half :) Buen provecho!
