Moroccan Food & Mint Tea?

(Moroccan blog)

how to make Moroccan tea:

10 sprigs fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
3 teaspoons green tea
3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
4 cups water
Directions
1Boil the water and pour a small amount in the teapot, swishing it around to warm the pot.
2Combine the mint and green tea and sugar in the teapot, then fill it with the rest of the hot water.
3Let the tea brew for three/five minutes.
4Set out glasses for the tea.
5A shot-glass is close to the slender glasses used in Morocco.
6Fill just one glass with the tea, then pour it back in the pot.
7Repeat.
8This helps to dissolve and distribute the sugar.
9Pour the tea.
10You want a nice foam on the tea so always pour with the teapot a high distance above the glasses.
11If you do not have at least a little foam on the top of the first glass, then pour it back into the teapot and try again until the tea starts to foam up nicely.
12Garnish with the remaining sprigs of mint.

Merguez is a Tunisian dish

Yield: Makes 3 pounds sausage
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 days

2 pounds diced boneless lamb shoulder with its attached fat

3/4 pound diced lamb fat

4 large garlic cloves, pounded in a mortar with 1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground fennel seeds
1 teaspoon harisa

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

About 10 feet of lamb intestine casing (preferably) or hog casing

1. In a large bowl, toss together thoroughly the lamb shoulder, lamb fat, garlic, fennel seeds, harisa, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

2. Open one end of the casing, fit it over the faucet in your kitchen sink, and place the remainder of the casing in a medium-size bowl in the sink. Turn the water on gently to wash out the casings. The casings are sold cleaned; you are merely washing away preserving salts and residue. Now you are ready to start stuffing.

3. Affix one end of the casing over the funnel attached to the sausage stuffing attachment of a stand mixer or meat grinder. Push the entirety of the casing onto the length of the funnel (it will contract and fit fine), leaving about 2 inches dangling from the end. Tie this end in a double knot.

4. Turn the grinder or mixer on and as the sausage stuffing begins to flow into the casing, it will push the casing off the funnel. Have a large bowl or platter ready to catch the sausages. Twist or tie off the sausage with kitchen twine to make links at 4-inch intervals, or leave to make several very long sausages. Do not overstuff the sausage otherwise it will burst, either then and there, or during cooking. Also be careful that the sausage stuffing enters the casing continuously and evenly and that no air bubbles develop. If air bubbles do occur, it is better either to cut the sausage at that point and start a new one, by tying the end off, or to ***** the air bubbles with a toothpick.

5. The sausages can be divided into portions of different or the same weights and frozen for later use in freezer bags for 2 to 4 months or you can cook them immediately. Refrigerate for not more than 2 days. If cooking them, place the sausages in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and, just as the water begins to bubble, reduce the heat to below a boil and poach the sausages for 10 minutes, if grilling or frying, or 40 minutes if serving them boiled.