Merguez with Pork and Lamb

Ingredients

• 1 pound of Italian sausage, already ground, either hot or mild
• 1 or 2 lamb shoulder chops
• 1½ teaspoons of cumin powder
• ¾ teaspoon paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. 1
   Buy 1 pound of Italian sausage, already ground, either hot or mild, and 1 or 2 lamb shoulder chops, about 12 ounces total. These chops are a bit “fatty,” and give great flavor to the merguez.
2. 2
   Bone the chops, and cut the lamb meat into 1-inch pieces. You should have 9 to 10 ounces of meat.
3. 3
   Grind all the meat through a medium-size screen in a meat grinder, which I have as an attachment to my mixer. Alternatively grind these pieces in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds, and mix the ground lamb with the Italian sausage. (If you find the Italian sausage is coarser than you would like, grind it a little, as well, in the food processor.)
4. 4
   To the combined meat, add 1½ teaspoons of cumin powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic.
5. 5
   Mix together until well combined, and then form the meat into 12 pieces, each about the size of a ping-pong ball, and flatten slightly to make patties, each weighing about 2 ounces. At this point, the patties can be wrapped well and frozen, but be sure to allow them to thaw slowly in the refrigerator before cooking.
6. 6
   To cook the merguez, place on a very hot grill for about 3 minutes on each side. They will get crusty and juicy, with a wonderful aroma. Do not press on them, as people often do with hamburgers. They should be cooked medium, with a juicy interior and seared exterior.
7. 7
   Arrange on iceberg lettuce leaves, sprinkle with cilantro leaves and pass around to guests.