Lamb dish offers a fragrant taste of Morocco

This week we are visiting Morocco. I selected a very simple yet very delicious lamb dish, Mechoui, which I like to eat with couscous. Mechoui is cooked outdoors on a barbecue grill.

• Mechoui

Serves eight

Ingredients

4 pounds leg of lamb, boned and butterflied

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

11⁄2 teaspoons cumin seeds

3⁄4 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of salt

Putting it together

Preheat barbecue grill. If using a charcoal barbecue, preheat grill 30 to 40 minutes. If using a propane barbecue, preheat 10 to 15 minutes.

Trim away any excess fat from the lamb and butterfly (open out) any thicker areas so that the meat is about 1⁄2 inch thick. This will help the meat to cook more evenly.

Lamb can be fatty, so you might need to move it during cooking to avoid flare-ups caused by the fat dripping onto the flames.

With a mortar and pestle, grind the spice seeds to a powder and mix to a paste with the paprika, oil and a pinch of salt. Put the lamb in a dish and rub the paste all over the meat. Cover and set aside for at least one hour.

Place lamb on the preheated barbecue grill, skin-side down, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or longer if you'd like. Lift meat onto a board, cover with foil and let rest for five minutes. Season with Roasted Cumin Salt and serve with Couscous (recipes follow).

• Roasted Cumin Salt

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

11⁄2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

Black pepper, to taste

Procedure

Heat a dry frying pan over high heat. Reduce heat and add cumin, shaking for a few seconds, until aromatic. Using a mortar and pestle, grind seeds to a coarse powder. Stir in the salt and plenty of black pepper.

• Couscous

Ingredients

1 cup orange juice

1 cup water, divided use

1 cup instant couscous

1⁄4 cup pitted dates, finely chopped

1⁄4 cup raisins

1⁄4 cup slivered almonds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure

Bring juice and 1⁄2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and allow to sit, covered, for five minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté dates, raisins, almonds and cinnamon in 12 cup water for two minutes. Add cooked couscous. Mix well and serve warm.

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Next week, we will visit Ghana to sample Ground Nut Soup.

Antonio Villagomez is head chef and owner of Cilantro's restaurant and catering in Yuba City. Contact him at 844-2111.