Loukaniko

Ingredients

Sausage

• 1 kgpork shoulder, coarsely minced
• 250 gpork back fat, chopped small
• zest of 3 oranges, grated fine
• 2 tbspfennel seed, lightly crushed
• 1leek, white part only, chopped very fine
• 6 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 100 mldry red wine
• 2m natural hog casing, rinsed and soaked

To serve

• lemon wedges
• bread and olives
• a glass of ouzo or tsipouro

Directions

1. Zest the oranges finely, taking only the coloured part — the white pith underneath is bitter and there is a lot of zest going into this sausage.
2. Mix the pork, fat, orange zest, fennel, leek, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and wine thoroughly with your hands. Cover and refrigerate overnight so the orange and fennel spread through the meat.
3. Fry a spoonful the next day and taste. It should smell strongly of orange before it smells of pork — that is the point of loukaniko and a cautious hand with the zest gives an ordinary sausage.
4. Fill the soaked casing loosely and twist into 12 cm links, tying the ends. Prick each once.
5. Leave uncovered in the fridge for a few hours so the surface dries and will brown rather than steam.
6. Grill over medium coals or fry over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, turning often, until browned all over and cooked through. Keep the heat moderate — orange zest and fennel both scorch bitter well before the pork is done.
7. Rest five minutes and serve with lemon, bread and olives.

Technique

• Three oranges’ worth of zest is correct. This is a citrus sausage and it should taste like one.
• Crush the fennel lightly rather than grinding it. Whole seeds are unpleasant to bite; ground, they disappear.
• A fresh sausage — refrigerate and eat within two days, or freeze. The smoked Pelion and Cretan versions are cured products the atlas gives no method for.

Substitutions

• Ouzo or tsipouro for a splash of the wine, which reinforces the aniseed note.
• Coriander seed alongside the fennel, common in the Peloponnese.
• Lamb for a third of the pork, which is done in mountain villages.

Variations

• Sliced into a saganaki with tomato and feta.
• Grilled whole and served in a pitta with mustard and onion at a souvlaki stand.

History

Greek sausages are scented with orange zest and fennel; the Pelion and Cretan versions are smoked over aromatic mountain wood.

Frequently asked questions

What is Loukaniko?

Loukaniko is a charcuterie & cured from Greece: pork sausage flavoured with orange peel, fennel and leek. Greek sausages are scented with orange zest and fennel; the Pelion and Cretan versions are smoked over aromatic mountain wood.

How long does Loukaniko take to make?

Loukaniko takes 40 min plus overnight resting of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 12 sausages, serves 6. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Loukaniko?

Yes, within limits. Ouzo or tsipouro for a splash of the wine, which reinforces the aniseed note. Coriander seed alongside the fennel, common in the Peloponnese. Lamb for a third of the pork, which is done in mountain villages.

What is the most important thing to get right in Loukaniko?

Fry a spoonful the next day and taste. It should smell strongly of orange before it smells of pork — that is the point of loukaniko and a cautious hand with the zest gives an ordinary sausage.