I learned about merguez lamb sausages about eight years ago when I noticed that a favorite French cafe, La Note, in Berkeley had them on the breakfast menu.  Merguez sausages are quite versatile.  They work equally well for breakfast, with couscous, or on a fresh baguette with brie.  The owners of La Note were nice enough to give me the name of the manufacturer, Fabrique Delices, which indirectly led to the eventual launch of our foie gras and charcuterie website, EnjoyFoieGras.com.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I saw on twitter posted by RecipesCuisine.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups fava beans, blanched and peeled

4 shallots, chopped roughly

foie gras fat or olive oil

2 lb scallops

4 – 8 merquez sausages

16 basil leaves, chopped, plus leaves for garnish

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 egg yolks

pink pepper

sea salt

black pepper

Instructions

Lightly whisk cream and egg yolk in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Sautee shallots in foie gras fat or olive oil until lightly browned.  Set aside.  Sautee merguez for about 5 minutes until brown (do not overcook).  Sprinkle crushed pink pepper and sea salt on scallops.  Sear scallops in a pan with olive oil.   Meanwhile, add fava beans, basil and chicken broth to shallots and warm.  Then add cream and egg mixture.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.  Heat through on low heat.

To serve, place creamed fava bean mixture on plate.  Place one or two sausages on top of fava beans.  Place seared scallops on top of fava beans.  Garnish with basil leaves.