This wonderful Cinnamon Lamb Chops recipe and photos were shared with my by Karen Calanchini, Food
Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.
If you like bold, spicy chile peppers, you will love this
sauce with the lamb chops. Not only is the color beautiful, but it has big
flavors that will knock your socks off. Serve this lamb dish with
Herb Vinaigrette Infused Couscous to add some fresh coolness.
More of delicious
Lamb Recipes using various cuts of lamb.
Cinnamon Lamb Chops with Spicy Chile Pepper Sauce
Recipe Type:
Lamb,
Chile Peppers,
Entree
Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 min
Lamb cook time: 6 min
Ingredients:
2 racks of frenched lamb chops*
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoons fresh-squeezed
lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon coarse
salt
Spicy Chile Pepper Sauce (see recipe below)
*
Definition: Frenched means to cut the meat away from the end of a rib or chop so
that part of the bone is exposed. See photo on right.
Preparation:
In a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, wine, lemon juice, salt, pepper,
oregano, mint, and garlic; mix well. Add chicken breasts. Cover or seal and marinate in the refrigerator 3 hours or overnight, turning several times during
the marinating time.
In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt.
Slice the frenched lamb rack into single chops. Rub the lamb with the lemon/cinnamon
mixture on all sides. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Broil or grill the prepared lamb chops approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare and an internal thermometer registers 120°F. (use a
meat thermometer to test for doneness).
Rare - 120 degrees F
Medium Rare - 125 degrees F
Medium - 130 degrees F
Makes 4 servings.
Spicy Chile Pepper Sauce:
1 red bell pepper
3 dried Guajillo
chile peppers
5 dried Arbol
chile peppers>
6
garlic cloves (skins removed)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon
coarse salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Place
the whole bell pepper either over a flame or under the broiler of your stove until the skin is charred. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let
steam for approximately 10 minutes. Peel the charred skin off the pepper, remove stem and seeds, and cut
into chunks. Place the prepared bell pepper chunks in your food processor.
Remove stems from the dried chile peppers and shake out the seeds or then scrape out the seeds with a
spoon. Place the chile peppers in a bowl of cold water and let stand 45 minutes. Once dehydrated, place chile peppers and 2 tablespoons of
water (from the bowl) in the food processor.
Using either a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the garlic, toasted caraway seeds, coriander
seeds, cumin seeds, salt, and smoked paprika until a paste forms. Transfer the prepared paste to the food processor with the bell pepper chunks, and
dried chile peppers; puree until smooth.
Sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Makes about 3/4 to 1 cup sauce.
