Succulent Sausage, and a Standout Couscous Salad

One of the beautiful things about sausages is that, as long as they contain enough fat to crisp up in all the right places, you can fill them with almost anything.

In the United States, pork predominates, though turkey, chicken, tofu and vegan versions are gaining ground, available in some form at supermarkets across the country. Less common are sausages made from lamb and beef, particularly merguez, and these are worth seeking out, at least for a once-in-a-while treat.

A traditional North African sausage, merguez are thin, long links spiked with garlic, cumin and fennel, and colored brick red from chile-laden harissa. According to the cookbook author Paula Wolfert in “The Food of Morocco,” the best are shot through with finely diced lamb tail fat, making them especially succulent.

I can’t say whether the ones I’ve eaten here in New York contained any lamb tail fat. Nevertheless, when grilled until nearly bursting and devoured steaming and glistening with piquant ruddy grease, they are thrillingly spicy, deeply satisfying and a cinch to make.

Like all kinds of sausages, merguez are an ultimate convenience food: preseasoned and ready to go. In North Africa, merguez are served stuffed into sandwiches, grilled and paired with flatbread to catch the drips, or simmered into tagines as part of a more elaborate meal with couscous. For this recipe, I’ve veered lighter, using the rich, brawny sausages in a summery, vegetable-packed salad.