Moroccan · main

Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Chops With Charmoula

Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Chops With Charmoula reads richness 7.1, umami 6.7 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Moroccan main, about 9 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 5.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 7.1 · Umami 6.7 · Salinity 4.9 · Citrus 4.7 · Sourness 4.2 · Herbaceous 3.3 · Warm Spice 3.0 · Earthy 2.9 · Smoke 2.6 · Floral 1.8 · Bitterness 1.5 · Fruity 1.4 · Sweetness 1.3 · Nutty 1.2 · Funk & Ferment 1.0 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (17)

• CHARMOULA
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• LAMB
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 rack of lamb, frenched* (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 12 to 18 small cilantro leaves

Time & effort: about 9 hr (20 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 181.3 kcal, 17.1 g protein, 12 g fat, 1.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

1. Make charmoula: Whisk together olive oil, cilantro, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. cumin, paprika, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Set aside. (See headnote.)
2. In another small bowl, mix 1 tsp. ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. salt, and ground cloves. Cut rack of lamb into individual chops and coat with spice mixture. Cover and chill overnight.
3. Heat oven to 400°. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Swirl vegetable oil into pan. Add 6 lamb chops and cook until they begin to release fat and are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pan to oven and bake until lamb is medium-rare (145° on an instant-read thermometer), 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Spoon about 1 tbsp. charmoula onto each plate. Arrange lamb chops on sauce and top with 2 or 3 cilantro leaves.
5. *Frenched lamb racks have some or all of the meat scraped from the ends of the bones so they look more elegant.
6. A majority of the time in this recipe is spent while the pork chills overnight.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sancocho de Siete Carnes — Dominican
• Steak Burrito with Charred Corn and Avocado — Tex-Mex
• Grilled Ancho Chile Rubbed Flat Iron Steak — Tex-Mex
• Beef Shawarma Tacos — Middle Eastern
• Crispy Baked Fish and Chips — British

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.