Moroccan Spice Rubbed Leg Of Lamb With Apricot Chutney Food

SPICED RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH APRICOT CHUTNEY AND CHICKPEA, TOMATO, SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a medium pan on the grill over high heat. Add onions and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices, ginger and chile and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted.
• Place the chickpeas in a large bowl. Add the onion/spinach mixture and mix until combined. Add the tomatoes, olive oil, parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Yield: 8 servings
• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Rub lamb completely with spice rub. On a hot grill sear lamb on all sides for 4 to 5 minutes. Put lamb on rotisserie and with the cover down roast lamb for 1 1/4 to 11/2 hours for medium rare. Remove from rotisserie and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Preheat grill or side burner. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and lightly golden, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes. Add apricots, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

OLIVE-AND-SPICE-RUBBED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Puree the garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into a paste in a mini food processor. Add the olives, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice; pulse to chop. Add the butter and pulse to incorporate all the ingredients.
• Cut the lamb along a natural seam into 2 equal pieces. Rub the olive-spice mixture evenly all over the lamb; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.
• Bring the lamb to room temperature about 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the broiler and line a broiler pan with foil. Place the lamb smooth-side down on the pan. Broil just until charred, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven; carefully turn the lamb, using tongs. Return to the oven; broil until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 125 to 130 degrees, about 10 more minutes.
• Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice across the grain and arrange on a platter.
• Photography by Con Poulos

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE WITH HONEY AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Cut lamb into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Season the lamb with turmeric, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a tagine or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and half of the seasoned lamb. Cook the lamb until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining oil and lamb.
• Return the seared lamb to the pan and add the diced onions. Cook, stirring to get the browned bits off the bottom of the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, saffron, and cilantro bundle and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
• Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the apricots and raisins and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain and set the fruit aside.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat, place it on a clean plate, and keep warm. Bring the remaining liquid in the pan to a simmer. Add the sliced onions, apricots, raisins, honey, cinnamon, ground pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Return the liquid to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until mixture is slightly thickened. Add the cooked lamb back into the sauce and cook to heat through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs. Serve with Moroccan Vegetable Couscous and Moroccan Yogurt with Preserved Lemon Dip.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss the red pepper halves and onion quarters with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium bowl. Arrange pepper and onion, cut sides down, on a small baking sheet, drizzling any remaining olive oil onto the baking sheet as well. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the skin is browned and bubbly. Peel, seed, and dice the red bell pepper and dice the onion. Set aside.
• Rinse the couscous in a fine-meshed strainer under cold running water until completely soaked. Drain and place in a medium bowl. Allow couscous to stand and swell for 5 minutes.
• Arrange a vegetable steamer or other steamer insert with small holes in a large stockpot with water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a boil and add the couscous to the vegetable steamer. Cover tightly and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender and fluffy. Remove from the steamer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cauliflower, and cook until lightly brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, tomatoes and juices, garbanzo beans, chopped red onion and bell pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and cover to keep warm.
• In a small skillet heat the butter over medium heat. When foamy, add the almonds and cook until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Arrange the couscous on a large serving platter and top with the vegetable mixture, tossing gently. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the top and serve immediately.
• Put the yogurt in a cheesecloth lined strainer over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to drain.
• Put the drained yogurt in a medium bowl and stir in the cucumber, mint, and lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

MOROCCAN SPICE RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH APRICOT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Spice Rub: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl;
• Lamb: Preheat grill to high and attach rotisserie. Brush the lamb with oil, season with salt and rub completely with spice rub. Sear the lamb on both sides until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Attach the lamb to the rotisserie and cook with the cover closed for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours for medium rare doneness.
• Apricot Chutney: Preheat grill or side burner. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and lightly golden, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes. Add apricots, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

SPICE-RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH HARISSA YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lamb: Use paper towels to pat dry the leg of lamb. In a small bowl, combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, black pepper and cayenne. Season all sides of the lamb with the spice mixture and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or place in the refrigerator overnight and allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Drizzle the lamb with the olive oil, then roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F for medium, about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Allow to rest before serving, 15 to 20 minutes, then slice.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the harissa, yogurt and honey. Season with salt. Refrigerate until serving.
• For the optional garnish: Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, mint, scallions, good olive oil and sea salt if desired. Serve with the harissa yogurt sauce.

LEG OF LAMB WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425º. Remove as much of the surface fat as is practical from the lamb. Mix the spices with the salt and pepper; rub the meat all over with the spice mixture.
• Put the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. (You might line the pan first with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.) Roast for 30 minutes, then check. If the lamb threatens to burn, turn the heat down to 350º; otherwise leave it at 425º.
• After about 1 hour (total) of roasting, check the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to check every 10 minutes; when it reaches 130 for medium rare (125 for very rare) in its thickest part (check it in several places), it's done. Total cooking time will be less than 1 1/2 hours. Let it rest for a few minutes before carving and serving.