Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb & Glaze
- 8 lamb rib chops, room temperature, pat dry
- 30 ml olive oil
- 60 ml honey
- 1 red chili, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 g ground cumin
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Citrus Herb Couscous
- 200 g dried couscous, medium grain
- 250 ml vegetable stock, boiling
- 2 oranges, zested and segmented
- 15 g fresh mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 915 kcal
- Protein
- 55 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fat
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 943 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 891 mg
- Calcium
- 98 mg
- Iron
- 5.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 446 mg
- Zinc
- 6.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 118 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 44 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 70 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 2.2 mg
- Folate
- 33 mcg
- Water
- 77 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season the lamb chops generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, minced chili, minced garlic, ground cumin, and half of the orange zest. Set aside.
Place the dried couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling vegetable stock over the couscous, cover tightly with cling film or a plate, and let stand for 5 minutes.
While couscous steams, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb chops and sear until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the honey-chili mixture into the pan. Baste the chops repeatedly with the bubbling glaze for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 57°C/135°F for medium-rare.
Remove lamb from the pan and set aside to rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes. Reserve the pan juices.
Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork. Fold in the remaining orange zest, orange segments (and their juice), chopped mint, chopped parsley, and extra virgin olive oil.
Serve the lamb chops over a bed of the herb couscous. Drizzle the remaining sticky glaze from the skillet over the meat.
Chef's Notes
- To segment the orange (supreme), cut off the top and bottom, stand it up, and slice off the skin and pith following the curve of the fruit. Then slice between the membranes to release the segments.
- If using a thicker cut of lamb (like loin chops), you may need to finish them in the oven for 5 minutes after glazing.
- For extra texture, toasted pine nuts or pistachios make an excellent addition to the couscous.
- Do not skip resting the meat; it allows the juices to redistribute so they don't run out when you cut into the chop.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store lamb and couscous in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat lamb gently in a pan over low heat; steam or microwave couscous with a splash of water.
Troubleshooting
Glaze burned in the pan
Cause: Heat was too high after adding the honey
Fix: Do not serve the burnt glaze. Make a quick fresh batch in a clean small pot if ingredients allow.
Prevention: Honey burns at low temperatures; always reduce heat to low before adding the glaze mixture.
Couscous is mushy or clumpy
Cause: Too much liquid or over-agitated while hot
Fix: Spread onto a baking sheet to let steam escape and dry out slightly.
Prevention: Measure liquid ratio precisely and only fluff with a fork once absorbed.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from Moroccan cuisine, where the pairing of savory meat with sweet fruit (honey, orange) and spicy heat is a classic flavor profile known as 'agrodolce' in the Mediterranean or 'tagine' style combinations in North Africa.
