Best Moroccan Crusted Lamb Racks With Grilled Apricots Recipes

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 LAMB STEW WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Combine lamb, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, turmeric, and salt in a large bowl; toss together until lamb is evenly coated.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add seasoned lamb; cook, stirring frequently until light brown, being careful not to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lamb is just tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Stir in apricots, orange peels, and honey; continue to simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the liquid has thickened slightly and lamb is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard cinnamon sticks and orange peels.
• Divide evenly among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a tablespoon each of cilantro and pine nuts.

ROAST RACK OF LAMB WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Mix 2 tbsp of the olive oil with the harissa, then add the cumin, turmeric, paprika and coriander, half the parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then stir. Sit the lamb in a roasting tray, season well, then spread the spice mix over surface of the meat. Roast for 15-20 minutes for rare to medium, 25 minutes for well done.
• Meanwhile, throw the carrots into a small roasting tin, add a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until carrots are just browning slightly at the edges.
• Just before you take the carrots out of the oven, prepare the couscous. Tip it into a bowl, pour over the hot stock, then leave to stand for 5 minutes. Break the couscous up with a fork and leave to cool. Add the remaining olive oil and parsley, satsuma juice, allspice, mint and onion, stir well, then add the cooked carrots and season.
• Put the lamb on a warmed plate and leave it to rest for 5 minutes. Slice it in half to give 3-4 cutlets each, then cut in half again. Spoon the couscous on to two plates, scatter over the almonds and top with the lamb. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

BRAISED MOROCCAN-STYLE LAMB WITH DRIED PRUNES, ALMONDS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay the lamb out, skin side down, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and the thyme. Roll and tie well with butcher's string. Sprinkle the outside with 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove lamb from pot. Add remaining tablespoon oil. Stir in onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon cumin, the rosemary and the red wine. Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return the lamb to the pot, cover, place in the oven and bake until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and take out the meat. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and place them in a blender. Blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture back into the pot and stir well. Place over medium heat and cook about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Return the meat to the sauce and surround with the almonds, prunes and apricots. Cover and bake until meat is very tender and fruit is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lamb from the pot, cut and remove string and cut lamb into thin slices. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little additional broth. Divide the lamb among 8 plates and spoon some sauce over the top. Serve immediately, passing any remaining sauce separately.

MOROCCAN RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• About an hour before roasting, remove lamb from refrigerator.
• Trim excess fat.
• Stir oil with seasonings and garlic.
• Spoon a third on fat side of each lamb rack. Evenly spread over fat and meaty ends and lightly over bone side.
• Place each rack as it is coated on a large baking sheet with shallow sides.
• Depending on pan size, bone ends may lay on pan edges.
• For even cooking, leave coated lamb at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Or lamb can be refrigerated, lightly covered, up to 1 day.
• Bring to room temperature before roasting.
• When ready to roast, preheat oven to 400F (200C).
• Then roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes for rare to medium-rare lamb. Internal temperature should be 140F (60C) to 150F (65C).
• Remove lamb to a cutting board. Cover with a tent of foil for 5 minutes before slicing into chops.

MOROCCAN LAMB WITH APRICOTS, ALMONDS & MINT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Add the lamb and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned, stirring often. Remove the lamb to a plate, using a slotted spoon.
• Stir the onion and garlic into the casserole and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the stock, zest and juice, cinnamon, honey and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 1 hour.
• Add the apricots and two-thirds of the mint and cook for 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Stir in the ground almonds to thicken the sauce. Serve with the remaining mint and toasted almonds scattered over the top.

MOROCCAN-SPICED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine mint, olive oil, parsley, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, paprika, coriander, salt, cayenne, and cloves in a small bowl until paste-like.
• Place rack into a large glass or ceramic dish; rub herb paste all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Remove rack from the refrigerator and place in a heavy, oven-proof skillet with the meat side facing up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 125 degrees F (51 degrees C) for rare or 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, carve by cutting down between the ribs.