Jono & Jules do food & wine

A dish of Merguez sausages and couscous from Marseilles. Like a Pot au Feu with flavours of the Maghreb. So delicious!

Wine Suggestion: French meets the Mediterranean, meets the Middle East – the Massaya le Colombier is a Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo blend. Made in stainless steel to preserve the fruit we love to chill this for 30 minutes, but you don’t have to.

Merguez with Couscous – serves 6 to 8

• 2 tbsp ras el hanout
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 700g skinless chicken thighs
• 2 courgettes, thickly sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 red pepper, halved and sliced
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 large piece of orange zest (use the juice to soak the raisins)
• 400g merguez sausages
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
• 2 tbsp harissa

FOR THE COUSCOUS:

• 450g couscous
• 100g raisins, soaked in orange juice
• 50g butter

Put the spices in a large wide pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil and heat until sizzling. Add the chicken, vegetables, chillies, saffron and orange zest with 1 litre of cold water and slowly bring to a simmer. Season well and continue to cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Add the merguez sausages to the chicken, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas.

Meanwhile, put the couscous into a bowl and cover with the same volume of boiling water. Cover with cling film and leave to steam for 5 minutes, then fork through.

Tip the couscous into a serving bowl and add the raisins, butter and plenty of salt and pepper.

Add 4 tbsp of the chicken cooking liquid to the harissa to make a sauce.

Serve the chicken & sausages with the couscous and harissa sauce on the side.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes IN: Olive Magazine, September 2013.)