Shared recipe · Moroccan
Harissa lamb chops with roast potatoes and cucumber salad
Serves 4 · 55 min cook
High-heat harissa potatoes caramelised in one tin, quick-seared lamb leg chops, and a sharp preserved-lemon cucumber salad.
Ingredients
Spices
- 0.5 tspBlack pepper
- 3 clovesGarlic
- 1.5 tspSalt
Veg
- 1Cucumber
- 1Pomegranate
- 30 gSpring onions
Starch
- 1000 gFloury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward)
Sauce
- 3 tbspHarissa paste
- 5 tbspOlive oil
- 2Preserved lemons
Protein
- 640 gLamb leg chops
To serve
- 30 gCoriander
- 2Lemon
Method
- 1Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Scrub the floury potatoes and cut into 2 cm chunks so they roast fast and catch at the edges.
- 2Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, 2 tbsp of the harissa paste, the 3 garlic cloves crushed, 1 preserved lemon (rinse, discard the pulp, finely chop the rind) and 1 tsp of the salt. Toss until every piece is coated, spread in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes until the edges are deep golden and caramelised.
- 3Meanwhile, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the spring onions and deseed the pomegranate. Rinse the remaining preserved lemon, discard the pulp and finely chop the rind. Roughly chop most of the coriander, keeping a little back to finish.
- 4In a bowl mix the cucumber, spring onions, chopped preserved lemon rind, most of the coriander and the pomegranate seeds with 1 tbsp olive oil, the juice of the lemon and a pinch of the remaining salt. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt.
- 5Pat the lamb leg chops dry. Rub with the remaining 1 tbsp harissa paste, the last of the salt and the black pepper.
- 6About 10 minutes before the potatoes are done, set a cast-iron skillet or non-stick frying pan over high heat with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil until almost smoking. Sear the chops 3–4 minutes per side until deep brown outside and just pink in the middle (60°C on a probe, or springy to the touch with juices running rosy).
- 7Rest the chops on a warm plate for 5 minutes. If the potatoes need more colour, leave them in for 2–3 minutes more until the edges are properly caramelised.
- 8Slice the rested lamb across the grain. Divide the harissa roast potatoes between four plates, lay the lamb over or beside them, spoon on the cucumber salad, scatter the remaining coriander and serve at once.