Moroccan Inspired Lamb Ribs with Chickpea Salad
Servings: 1 people
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Ingredients
- 4 lamb riblets
Chermoula:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper or more to taste (optional)
- pinch saffron optional
Chickpea Salad
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
- 2 large shallots thinly sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 pequillo peppers sliced into ¼“ wide strips
- 2 14-ounce cans organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp Ras Al Hanout -- Moroccan spice blend or to taste (see below)
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro
- Juice of ½ a lemon optional
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Chermoula
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor and run on high for 30 seconds to combine. chermoula should be smooth and the consistency of a thin paste.
Marinade the Lamb
- Coat the lamb riblets all over with the chermoula, cover and refrigerate for at least two and up to six hours to marinade
- Preheat the oven to 375o F/190o C
- Place the lamb on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for approximately 15 minutes (for medium rare, or 135o F/57o C)
Chickpea Salad
- While the lamb is cooking, prepare chickpea and tomato salad. Start by heating olive oil over a medium high heat in a large sauté pan.
- Add the garlic and heat until it just starts to turn golden and begins to get fragrant
- Add the shallots and heat until they have softened just begun to caramelize.
- Add the piquillo pepper and the cherry tomatoes and heat until the tomatoes softened
- Add the drained chickpeas and heat to warm through.
- Remove from the heat, and add the Ras Al Hanout and cilantro and toss fully combine
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and add salt and pepper to taste and give one last gentle toss
- Serve warm or at room temp
Notes
Ras el hanout is a spice blend that literally translates to “head of the shop” implying the very best of the spices the merchant has to offer. Since every shop and every family has their own version of ras el hanout, there is no ‘definitive’ version or recipe. I have my own blend I have been making for years, combining 18 different spices. There is often a version available in the grocery stores -- Whole Foods near me carries it, as does Amazon. Alternatively, you can make your own quick blend with spices that are individually easy to find . I make a large batch and store it in an airtight container to use whenever I want to add a Moroccan hint to my meals.
Ras al Hanout recipe:
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cloves