Road To Morocco Lamb With Pine Nut Couscous Food

ALMOST-SPIT-ROASTED MOROCCAN LAMB

Steps:

• Trim lamb of extraneous fat, but leave a thin layer of fat covering the meat (or ask your butcher to do this). Use a sharp paring knife to cut slits all over the lamb. Lightly salt meat on both sides and place in a large roasting pan. Mix together butter, cumin, coriander, paprika, pimentón and garlic. Smear butter mixture over surface of meat. Allow meat to come to room temperature. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Roast lamb, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until it shows signs of beginning to brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue roasting for 3 to 4 hours, basting generously every 15 minutes or so with buttery pan juices, until meat is soft and tender enough to pull away easily from bones and skin is crisp. If surface seems to be browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil and reduce heat slightly. In this case, remove foil, baste lamb and allow skin to crisp before removing from oven.
• Transfer lamb to a large platter or cutting board and serve piping hot. Encourage guests to tear pieces of lamb with fingers; alternatively, carve meat from bones and chop into rough pieces. Serve with cumin-flavored salt, harissa and warm chickpeas if desired.

MOROCCAN MECHOUI (SLOW ROASTED LEG OF LAMB OR SHOULDER)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Trim excess fat from leg of lamb or shoulder, and make a dozen or more deep cuts into meat with tip of a sharp knife.
• Combine butter with garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, saffron, turmeric, and olive oil. Spread mixture over entire leg or shoulder of lamb, working some butter into incisions made with knife.
• Place lamb in a roasting pan, and proceed with one of the roasting methods below. Very Slow-Roasting Method: 7 1/2 to 9 Hours This is the preferred Marrakesh method. You can reduce the cooking time to 4 to 5 hours by using a 350 F/180 C oven temperature.
• Preheat oven to 250 F.
• Place lamb in a roasting pan and cover with foil, sealing edges tightly. Roast lamb, basting hourly and resealing foil each time, for 7 to 8 hours, or until juices run clear and meat is tender enough to pinch off the bone.
• Small pieces of lamb, weighing less than 4 pounds might finish cooking in 6 hours. Larger pieces might take closer to 9 hours.
• Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 475 F. Brown lamb, basting frequently, for 15 to 30 minutes, or until meat is well-colored.
• Transfer lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, pour juices over and around lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping. Traditional Roasting Method: 3 to 4 Hours When short on time, this method also works well, but the meat won't be quite as tender as the above method. The lamb will, however, have more of a crisp crust, which some Moroccans find desirable.
• Heat oven to 475 F. Add 1/2 cup of water to pan, and roast lamb, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 F and continue roasting lamb, basting occasionally, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is tender, juices run clear, and lamb has a dark, crisp crust.
• Transfer lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, juices can be poured over and around lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping. Fast Roasting Method: 1 to 2 Hours
• Preheat oven to 475 F. Wrap exposed lower leg of the lamb in foil to prevent burning. Add 1/2 cup of water and a few tablespoons of olive oil to pan, and roast lamb, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours, basting frequently, until lamb is well browned and juices run clear when a knife is inserted deep into meat.
• If meat has browned before juices are clear, cover meat with loose foil to prevent further darkening.
• Transfer lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. If desired, juices can be poured over and around lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping.

COUSCOUS WITH PINE NUTS AND MINT

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remove from the heat. Cover the pot tightly and allow the couscous to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the mint and pine nuts. Taste for seasonings and add about 1 teaspoon salt, depending on the saltiness of the stock, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve hot.

ROAD TO MOROCCO LAMB WITH PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place the lamb in a resealable food storage bag. Combine the spices in a small bowl, then sprinkle them into the bag and seal the bag. Shake to coat the lamb pieces evenly in the spices.
• Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the EVOO, then the lamb. Sear and caramelize the lamb, turning to brown all sides, 5 to 7 minutes in all. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the dates and 2 cups of the chicken stock to the pan and cover. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes more to plump the dates and soften the onions. Remove the cover and adjust the seasonings.
• During the last 5 minutes the lamb cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the pine nuts and stir until toasted, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of stock and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the couscous, and cover the pan. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a fork.
• Serve the lamb over the couscous in shallow dishes and garnish it with chopped scallions and cilantro.
• Make a double or triple batch of this spice blend to use with ground chicken or turkey for an unexpected Moroccan burger. The spice blend will keep for 6 months in an airtight container.

LAMB CHOPS WITH FRUITY COUSCOUS & MINT

Steps:

• Place the lamb in a bowl. Sprinkle over the paprika, half the onion, 1 tbsp vinegar and ½ tbsp oil. Season, then set aside.
• To make the couscous, boil the kettle and tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, dates, lemon zest and half the juice. Pour over 140ml just-boiled water, push the coucous to the sides of the bowl, cover, then leave to stand for 10 mins.
• Heat grill to high. Lift the lamb out of its marinade, grill for 2-3 mins on each side, then rest, wrapped in foil, for 10 mins. Stir half the chopped herbs and some seasoning into the couscous, then add the remaining lemon juice to taste. Mix together the remaining herbs, red onion, vinegar, oil and seasoning to make a herby vinaigrette. Serve the lamb and couscous with the vinaigrette.

MOROCCAN LAMB

Steps:

• Heat a large, non-stick frying pan. Cook the lamb well on all sides without adding extra oil. Tip in the spices, then fry for 1 min more until aromatic.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and parsley, bring to the boil, then simmer gently, with a lid on, for 30 mins or until the lamb is tender. Serve sprinkled with more parsley.

LAMB BROCHETTES WITH APRICOT & PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Put the lamb in a bowl. Mix the harissa with 1 tbsp oil, pour over lamb, then mix well. Cut 4 apricots into quarters, add to bowl, mixing lightly, then season. Thread lamb and apricots alternately onto 8 skewers.
• Chop the remaining apricots, then put in a bowl with the couscous, spring onions and pine nuts. Pour over the boiling stock, cover and leave to stand for 10 mins until liquid is absorbed. Fluff up with a fork, add half the mint, the lemon juice, remaining oil and seasoning, then mix well.
• Stir remaining mint and seasoning into the yogurt, then scatter with extra mint if you like. Grill or barbecue skewers for 6-8 mins, turning, until meat is nicely browned. Serve with couscous and yogurt.

ONE-PAN LAMB & COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Rub the lamb with half the harissa paste. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the lamb for 3 mins on each side for medium-rare, or a little longer for well-done. Lift the meat out of the pan and tip in the remaining harissa, the dried fruit and nuts, couscous and chickpeas, then stir to coat in the paste. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the stock. Stir briefly, return the lamb to the pan and cover with a lid or tightly-fitting foil for 10 mins until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid.
• Fluff up the couscous with a fork, season to taste and fold the mint leaves through to serve.