Moroccan flavors spice up lamb on the grill

You can count on Ina, on the grill or off.

That would be Ina Garten, cookbook author and TV host for millions of home cooks looking for recipes that can't fail.

Her latest book, "Cooking for Jeffrey" (that reference is to her husband), includes a lamb chop recipe that has made it to my dinner-for-company list.

In typical fashion, she offers a twist on a traditional dish — grilled lamb chops — and makes it even better, in this case incorporating both a rub and an unusual kind of marinade to give it a Moroccan flavor. Think mint, garlic, cumin, turmeric and coriander for a rub that's followed by a yogurt-based schmear (the "unusual"marinade).

She calls for it to be prepared many hours in advance, but I can assure you that even a few hours of flavoring makes a difference with the meat.

Garten recommends cutting up a rack of lamb for the chops, which is minimal effort for most cooks. But if that means too many chops for the guests at your dinner table — or you don't want to cut up the meat yourself — consider buying them individually.

Garten serves the lamb atop couscous, which for many of us is a treat in itself (how often you eat couscous likely depends on your culinary heritage). This staple of North Africa couldn't be easier to prepare. Usually it's sold pre-steamed and dried, so it needs little more than a dunk in boiling water or stock and about 10 minutes to rehydrate.

Regular couscous is the most common, which has tiny grains before it's plumped up with moisture. But on this occasion, I made the pearl couscous variety, which is slightly larger and those grains look like tiny balls that retain their shape after they are ready to eat, with a similar look to barley. The finished result is pretty and unexpected, which is always a plus for company.

Garten dresses up the couscous with a little onion, pine nuts and mint for the finished dish for, once again, that extra Ina touch.

Prep the lamb earlier in the day, or the night before. Sauté the onion for the couscous earlier, and toast the pine nuts, and dinner comes together quickly (the chops need only a total of 8 to 10 minutes on the grill).

If you've never tasted lamb before, this is a terrific introduction. Ina wouldn't have it any other way.

Moroccan Grilled Lamb Chops

Serves 6.

Note: Plan ahead as the rub and yogurt marinade involve hours in the refrigerator. However, even a few hours make a difference. If you prefer, buy individual lamb chops rather than by the rack. Two to three chops per person is generally sufficient for serving. From "Cooking for Jeffrey," by Ina Garten.

• 6 large garlic cloves

• 1/3 c. julienned fresh mint leaves

• 1 1/2 tbsp. ground turmeric

• 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp. ground cumin

• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest (2 lemons; reserve lemons for juice)

• Kosher salt

• 5 tbsp. good olive oil, plus extra for the grill

• 3 racks of lamb (6 to 7 ribs each), cut into chops (see Note)

• 1 1/2 c. plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (12 oz.)

• 1 1/2 tsp. Sriracha

• 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Couscous With Pine Nuts and Mint (see recipe)

Directions

To make the rub: Place garlic, mint, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon zest and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, and process until finely ground. Add olive oil and pulse to combine. (If you only have a blender to use, add these ingredients for the rub all at onceand process.)

Place chops in 1 or 2 nonmetal dishes large enough to hold them in 1 layer. Spread garlic and herb mixture evenly on both sides.

To make the yogurt marinade: In small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, Sriracha and lemon juice, and spread it evenly on top of the lamb chops (only one side gets the yogurt). Cover, refrigerate, and allow to marinate for 6 to 24 hours.

Prepare grill and oil the cooking grate. Sprinkle lamb with salt and grill 5 to 6 inches above the coals, first with the yogurt side up (marinade and all) for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare. Transfer to clean plate, cover plate tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the couscous.

Nutrition information per serving without couscous:

Calories335Fat24 gSodium620 mg Carbohydrates6 gSaturated fat8 gTotal sugars3 g

Protein24 gCholesterol90 mgDietary fiber1 g

Exchanges per serving: ½ carb., 3 ½ med-fat protein, 1 ½ fat.

Couscous With Pine Nuts and Mint

Serves 6.

Note: To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry sauté pan over low heat, tossing often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until they brown slightly and become fragrant. Have the onions prepped and set aside. Ten minutes before serving, you can bring the stock to a boil, add the couscous and finish the recipe. From "Cooking for Jeffrey," by Ina Garten.

• 2 tbsp. good olive oil

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 c. chopped yellow onion

• 3 c. chicken stock

• 1 1/2 c. couscous

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 c. julienned fresh mint leaves, loosely packed

• 1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted (see Note)

Directions

Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remove from heat. Cover pot tightly and allow couscous to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, and stir in mint and pine nuts. Taste for seasonings and add about 1 teaspoon salt (depending on saltiness of stock) and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories300Fat13 gSodium390 mg Carbohydrates39 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugars3 g

Protein9 gCholesterol5 mgDietary fiber3 g

Exchanges per serving: 2 ½ starch, 2 fat.