Slow-Braised Merguez & Swiss Chard Morning Skillet with Velvet Harissa-Tahini

Instructions

1. 1

   Start by separating the stems and leaves of 1 large bunch Swiss chard. Dice the stems finely, and roughly tear the leaves. Finely chop 1 large yellow onion and slice 4 cloves garlic.

   10 min

   Tip: Keep the stems and leaves in separate bowls, as they require entirely different cooking times.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Add 8 oz lamb merguez sausage with the casings removed. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and crispy. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon, leaving that beautiful red, spiced fat in the pan.

   7 min

   Tip: Do not wipe the pan! That rendered lamb fat is the foundational flavor of our braise.

3. 3

   Lower the heat to medium. Toss the diced onion and chard stems into the rendered fat. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and cook until they are deeply softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the sausage.

   8 min

   Tip: If the pan gets too dry, add a tiny splash of water to prevent the spices from burning.

4. 4

   Stir in the sliced garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp ground coriander. Let the spices bloom in the fat until heavily fragrant.

   2 min

   Tip: Blooming the spices in the hot fat releases their essential oils.

5. 5

   Pour in 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir well and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.

   3 min

   Tip: The pomegranate molasses adds a necessary tartness that cuts through the rich lamb fat.

6. 6

   Begin folding in the torn chard leaves a few handfuls at a time. Once they are all in the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the greens stew and braise. You want the liquid to reduce into a rich, thick sauce and the chard to become meltingly soft.

   15 min

   Tip: Don't rush the braise. The chard must surrender completely to the spiced broth.

7. 7

   While the chard braises, make the velvet tahini. In a small bowl, aggressively whisk together 1/3 cup raw tahini, 1 tbsp harissa paste, 1 whole lemon, juiced, and 1/4 cup ice water until it seizes and then relaxes into a cloud-like, pourable cream.

   5 min

   Tip: Always use ice water for tahini—it creates a paler, fluffier texture.

8. 8

   In a separate dry pan, toast 1/4 cup sliced almonds over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

   4 min

   Tip: Watch them closely; nuts go from golden to burnt in seconds.

9. 9

   Uncover the skillet. The chard should be deeply stewed. Use the back of a spoon to create 4 wells in the greens. Crack 4 large eggs into the wells. Cover the pan again and braise the eggs in the bubbling stew until the whites are set but the yolks remain jammy.

   6 min

   Tip: I prefer a slightly runny yolk here to enrich the braising liquid.

10. 10

    Remove the skillet from the heat. Scatter the crispy merguez back over the top. Drizzle generously with the harissa-tahini, and finish with the toasted almonds, 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, and 1 handful fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately with warm pita to swipe through the rich braising liquid.

    3 min

    Tip: Bring the whole skillet directly to the table for maximum visual impact.