Mike got some merguez from 2M Mediterranean market. The sausage wasn�t spicy, so I was really looking forward to using it. I found a sheet pan recipe at Food and Wine�s website that sounded really good. Unfortunately, it really wasn�t. And I�m not sure exactly why. On paper, it sounds right. But it was flat and not terribly interesting. The onions and apples didn�t caramelize like I expected. The sausage itself tasted very good, but the rest was bland. I�m including it in my recipes because I think, with some work, this could be very good. It is certainly simple enough and all the ingredients are good.
1 1/2 pounds thin merguez sausage coil or links
3 (10-ounce) Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
3 (6-ounce) red onions, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
6 thyme sprigs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Recipe
Heat oven to 425F [could 450F be an improvement?]. Place the sausage on the baking sheet (leave a coil curled and scatter links across the pan).
Mix the apples, onions, thyme, olive oil, and lemon zest in a big bowl. Add salt and pepper. Spread this mixture around the sausage. Roast for about 25 minutes; sausage should be cooked through and the apples tender. Sprinkle with the parsley. Serve.