American Lamb Merguez Bourek
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Recipe Provided By
Chef Mica TalmorServings
4 to 6
Ingredients
Merguez:
- 5 pounds ground American Lamb
- 1/2 cup harissa
- 1/4 cup preserved lemon puree
- 1/4 cup ground coriander
- 1/4 cup ground cumin
- 1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
Tahini-Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove, pureed
- 2 cups yogurt, low-fat
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Bourek:
- 1 cup clarified butter
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 pound phyllo
Garnish:
- Dried mint, as needed
- Chopped cilantro, as needed
- Harissa, as needed
Directions
For the Merguez: In a large bowl, combine lamb, harissa, lemon puree, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cardamom, pepper and salt; mix together. Let sit overnight.
For the Tahini-Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, combine garlic, yogurt, tahini, salt and pepper; let stand 15 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice as needed.
For the Bourek: In a pan, melt butter; add oil.
Brush a half-sheet pan with butter mix. On a large counter space, brush one sheet of phyllo with butter mix. Spread 4 ounces Merguez on the sheet in a thin row positioned on the long side of the sheet, a third of the way from the bottom. Using a dowel, roll the sheet. Brush a second sheet with butter mix; using the dowel, roll it around the first roll. Squeeze the roll slightly toward the middle of the dowel. Pull the roll off the dowel and onto the sheet pan; roll to make a snail shape. Continue with the remaining dough and lamb.
Brush top of rolls; refrigerate 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, until dough is golden brown.
Serve with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and garnish with mint, cilantro and/or harissa.
USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters
Ground Lamb
Internal temperature of 160°F
All Other Cuts
Internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3 minute rest
