Merguez lamb: not your typical weekend lunch

Five days a week, I pack lunches for my husband and myself. Usually. it's some type of sandwich so on the weekends, I like to do a little something different and summer's the perfect time to fire up the grill. Last weekend we tried some Merguez Lamb Sausages. You can find them at some grocery store and specialty markets. I got ours at Barth's Market in New Providence, NJ.


These North African sausages are zippy so I made some tzatziki to balance the spice. I served them on ciabatta rolls that I had cut in half then sliced like a hot dog bun. And we topped them with thin-sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Served with a cold Sam Adams in a frsty mug and we were well on our way to enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon.






Tzatziki

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small cucumber, shredded or minced, excess water squeezed out
• sea salt
• lemon juice
• 2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

Combine all the ingredients, adding salt and fresh lemon juice to taste. Best if made a few hours ahead so flavors can meld.

I use fat free Greek yogurt for this. I was a little skeptical the first time but it has the flavor and consistency of regular without all the fat. I like Chobani or Fage brands best, but any Greek yogurt would work. If you can't find Greek, you can use plain yogurt, just strain it over a bowl in several layers of cheesecloth for a few hours first to get the same consistency.

Also great on marinated chicken, lamb or beef kebabs.