A wonderful warm and spicy Moroccan dish perfect for a cosy dinner for two.
Ingredients
- for the harissa paste - makes about 150ml:
- 25 g dried large red chillies
- 2 tblsp coriander seeds
- 1 generous tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 cloves of garlic (peeled)
- 1 tsp salt
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1/4 tsp ground paprika for the rack of lamb
- 1 prepared rack of lamb (2–3 cutlets per person depending on their size and your appetite!)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- for the couscous
- 100 g couscous
- 2 tblsp olive oil
- 150 ml light chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tblsp chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 red onion (peeled and finely chopped)
- 50 g flaked almonds, toasted
- to serve
- greek yoghurt (optional)
Method
- To make the harissa paste, split the chillies in half lengthways, remove and discard the seeds and soften the chillies in boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan on a medium to high heat for about 1 minute, tossing regularly, until the spices just begin to smoke and toast. Then grind in a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle.
- Place the garlic, salt, ground spices and the drained red chillies in a food processor and whiz to a paste, slowly adding the olive oil until well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).
- Next, prepare the rack of lamb. Score the fat lightly in a criss-cross pattern, but without cutting through to the meat.
- Place the lamb in a roasting tray, spread a generous tablespoon of the harissa paste over the fat and press it down onto the fat with your hands or a spoon.
- Roast for 20 minutes for rare to medium, 25 minutes for well done for a small rack or 30–32 minutes for a larger rack. After 10 minutes, cover the rack with a sheet of tin foil to prevent the harissa paste from burning.
- Meanwhile, prepare the couscous. Put it into a bowl, rub in the olive oil so that the grains are coated, and pour over the hot stock.
- Stir and then put a plate or saucepan lid on top and leave to stand for 5 minutes, until the couscous has absorbed all the stock.
- Add the parsley, mint, onion and most of the toasted flaked almonds, stir well and season.
- Once the lamb is cooked, turn off the oven and leave the meat to rest for 5–10 minutes.
- Carve it by cutting through the meat between the bones to give each person 2–3 cutlets (depending on the cutlet size).
- Spoon the couscous on to warmed plates and arrange the lamb cutlets on top.
- Scatter with the remaining toasted flaked almonds, and serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, if you wish.
Notes
This recipe and many more are available from Rachel's book Rachel's Food for Living published by Harper Collins
