Roasted Lamb Chops With Harissa Food

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.

HARISSA-SPICED LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Pat chops dry and coat on all sides with harissa. Transfer to a glass or ceramic dish and marinate, covered and chilled, 2 hours.
• Sprinkle chops with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chops on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total.
• Add butter and thyme and continue to cook, turning chops frequently with tongs and basting occasionally, until thermometer inserted between ribs to center of a chop (do not touch bone) registers 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, 15 to 18 minutes more. Transfer chops to a cutting board and let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Serve with ground cumin for sprinkling.

PAN-FRIED LAMB CHOPS WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• Over open flame, place 2 red bell peppers. Allow to roast until charred. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Scrape charred skin off peppers.
• Gather the cumin, coriander and caraway in a small skillet and toast over low heat until fragrant. Then grind to a powder in spice mill or a clean coffee grinder. Put the peppers into a food processor along with the spices, garlic, chiles, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice and pulse to puree.
• Sprinkle olive oil over lamb chops on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Put chops on grill pan preheated over medium-high heat. Cook for 8 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve the chops with the harissa and the Bulgur Wheat Salad. Garnish with cilantro.
• Toast bulgur in dry pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes and add in the juice of 1/2 lemon. In medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgur. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, and let stand until the bulgur has absorbed all of the liquid and is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. In small bowl, combine figs, honey, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 cup hot water and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 10 to 20 minutes.
• Fluff bulgur and stir strained figs and almonds. Add chopped scallions, cilantro, parsley, mint and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste. Stir to combine.

ROASTED LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper and place in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
• Whisk 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the rosemary, smashed garlic, lemon juice and some salt and pepper together in a measuring cup. Pour the marinade into the bag with the lamb. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a heavy-duty sheet tray with foil.
• Combine the mustard and honey together in a small bowl and set aside. Add the panko, Parmesan, parsley, chives and the remaining 2 cloves garlic to a small bowl and toss together. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and mix together.
• Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and once very hot, sear the lamb, 1 rack at a time, fat-side down first, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place fat-side up on the prepared sheet tray.
• Brush both racks with the honey mustard and apply each with the panko and herb mixture. Roast the lamb until an instant-read thermometer reads 140 degrees F, for medium, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before carving into chops.

SLOW-COOKED HARISSA LAMB

Steps:

• If you're making the harissa, tip the dried chillies into a heatproof bowl and pour over just enough boiled water from the kettle to cover. Cover the bowl and leave to cool. Once cool enough to handle, drain the chillies, reserving the water. Remove any stalks and pat dry with kitchen paper. Tip the chillies into a food processor with the garlic, 1 tsp salt, the olive oil, spices and vinegar, and blitz to a purée. If needed, add a little of the reserved water to loosen. Will keep, chilled, for up to a month.
• Make 15 cuts, about 3-5cm long, all over the lamb. Reserve 1 tbsp of the harissa paste, then rub the rest all over the lamb and into the cuts. Scatter the onions into a large roasting tin and sit the lamb on top. Leave at room temperature for 1 hr, or cover and chill overnight.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 2. Roast the lamb for 4-5 hrs until the meat is fork-tender. Lift the lamb out onto a large board or serving plate. If the tin is flameproof, pour in the stock; if not, tip the contents of the tin into a saucepan first. Bring to the boil, scrape up any browned bits using a wooden spoon, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about a third - it should be a thick, rich onion gravy. Stir in the reserved harissa and the chopped coriander. Serve the lamb with the onion gravy.