Description

Lebanese-Mexican lamb chops marinated with lemon, olive oil, achiote, and guajillo peppers, served with smoky roasted cauliflower for a bold, flavor-packed fusion dish.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Mama Issa's Marinade

2 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Lamb Chops

1 lb lamb chops (Fatema suggests New Zealand style; I used shoulder chops)

Lemon Emulsion

1 cup lemon juice
Pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon of mustard powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1 quart (4 cups) of olive oil

Cauliflower

Lemon emulsion, leftovers from above
2 dried Gaujillo chile peppers
1oz Achiote Oil OR Achiote Red Paste
1 head cauliflower, chopped

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Instructions

Cue Episode

Make sure you listen to Fatema's episode of The Storied Recipe Podcast, "The Vindicated Mother and Her Lebanese Lamb Chops" while you make her amazing lamb chops.

Make the Recipe

The Night Before: Marinate the Lamb

Mix together garlic, parsley, cumin, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
In an airtight container, put the marinade in, then place the lamb in the container, cover, and rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Make the Lemon Emulsion

In a blender, blend together lemon juice, mustard powder, saffron, and salt for 2 minutes.
While blending, slowly pour in 1 quart (4 cups) of olive oil in to the lemon juice mixture.
Set aside.

Grill the Lamb

Take the lamb out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 30-45 minutes).
On an outside grill, preheat the grill to 450°F-500°F.
Brush the lemon emulsion on the both sides of the lamb. You will not use all of it, save the rest for the cauliflower.
Once hot, place the lamb directly on the grill, and sear for about 2-4 minutes on each side. If you have thicker lamb, add an additional 1-2 minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you are cooking the meat to the correct temperature.
1. For medium rare lamb: 130°F-135°F
2. For medium lamb: 135°F-140°F
Take the lamb off the grill, transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let rest for 5-7 minutes.

Make the Cauliflower

Rehydrate the Gaujillo chile peppers *See Note 1
If using Achiote Oil *See Note 2
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a mixing bowl, mix together the Guajillo chile peppers, Achiote Oil (or Achiote Red Paste), and the leftover Lemon Emulsion.
Chop the cauliflower into bite sized pieces, then toss the cauliflower and the sauce together until each piece is covered.
On a prepared baking sheet, spread out the cauliflower evenly, and roast in the oven for 8 minutes.

Notes

Note 1: How to Rehydrate Guajillo chile peppers 1) Cut off the stems of the peppers. 2) Cut open one side of the pepper (with kitchen shears), then remove most of the seeds. 3) Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and dry toast (no oil) for 30-60 seconds per side, making sure that they don't burn. 4) In a saucepan, fill with water and bring to a boil. Place the chilis in the water and cover the pot for about 10-15 minutes (or until soft and pliable). 5) Remove from water and your chilis are ready to use! Also see Broke Bank Vegan's video on how to rehydrate the chilis.

Note 2: How to Make Achiote Oil 1) Pour two cups of oil (any kind will do) into a saucepan, then add in 1/3 cup of achiote seeds. 2) Let the oil mixture reach a very low simmer (medium-low heat). Do not bring to a boil. 3) Infuse for 10 minutes. The oil will turn a bright red color with some hints of orange and yellow. 4) Remove from the stove and allow to cool. 5) Strain the seeds and then it is ready to use! If you are more of a visual person, Villa Cocina has a wonderful video on making Achiote Oil.