Cooking with Chef Eduardo Garcia

Lamb Merguez Sausage Paella

As a chef, I've always held a passion for exceptional, adventurous food. Recently I've felt that passion turn into a curiosity around what it takes to bring an exceptional meal together, from field to table. I've been exploring the pathways and processes that bring food to the table: growing and harvesting, raising and butchering, and everything in between. It's been a challenging, rewarding adventure. Inviting friends to join in the harvest and butchery of our sheep was such a fitting way to bring my community into this exciting new food journey. After all, what makes a meal exceptional is who you share it with.

FOLLOW ALONG AS EDUARDO TAKES YOU THROUGH MAKING LAMB SAUSAGE

MERGUEZ INSTRUCTIONS

  • 20 lb Lamb/Mutton fore shoulder, shoulder, neck, breast
  • 120 g Salt
  • 6 Tbl smoked paprika
  • 3 Tbl MM chile seasoning
  • 5 tsp ground black pepper
  • 10 Tbl fennel seed
  • 6 Tbl cumin seed
  • 6 Tbl coriander
  • 10 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 tsp MM Jalapeno seasoning
  • 4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup olive oil
Heat all above dry ingredients in oil for color and aroma. Add:
  • 42 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 c Fresh mint
  • 4 c Fresh cilantro
  • Optional: 24 - 30 Tbl Harissa
To stuff you'll need:
  • Fresh intestine casings
  • 40 ft needed for 20 lb @ 2ft intestine / 1lb of meat
Mix ground lamb with all seasonings. Let sit for a couple of hours. Stuff or package. Freeze, store, cook, enjoy.

PAELLA INGREDIENTS

  • 3 qt Chicken stock
  • 2.5/3 C Bomba or Arborio rice
  • 1 tsp Saffron
  • 1 head Garlic, chopped
  • 2 T Oregano, dried
  • 1/4 C MM Ketchup
  • 2 T smoked sweet Paprika
  • 250 ml MM Avocado oil
  • 2 Anaheim peppers, sliced into bite sized pieces
  • 1 red onion, quartered and sliced
  • 2 lb Merguez links
  • 1 lb Shrimp, deveined & tail on
  • 2 lemons, zested to finish Paella, then grilled and used to garnish when served
  • 1/2 bunch Parsley, flat leaf Italian

DIRECTIONS

  1. Fry aromatics & merquez until lightly browned
  2. Add spices & ketchup and cook until aromatic, 1-2 min
  3. Add rice & ⅓ of broth
  4. Cook for 30 - 45 min, adding broth at intervals until used up
  5. Allow the dish to completely reduce and begin to crisp on the bottom layer of rice
  6. To finish, add chopped parsley, lemon zest and drizzle with avocado oil
Bien Provecho!