Not too long ago, we had the pleasure of staying at the Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California. It was a great birthday celebration for Triton, and a nice getaway for the whole family. Dana Point is just up the road a bit from San Diego, and we were able to reach the resort by car in about one hour. During our stay, we had the opportunity to sample Chef Gregory Noble’s recipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb at the resort’s AVEO Table & Bar. It was so delicious I had to ask for the recipe.
Honestly one of the tastiest lamb dishes we have ever tried.The flavors in this recipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb are so bright and flavorful, I was really intrigued. With so many overlapping spices and ingredients, I could not tell what ingredients the chef had used in his preparation. Not only that, it was prepared perfectly and looked gorgeous on the plate. I wanted to know the secrets behind this dish!
Luckily for me (and now you!) Chef Noble was kind enough to grant my request and share his recipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb. We’ve modified it slightly to accommodate for portion sizes relevant to home cooks.
This prime cut is Frenched Rack of Lamb is from Niman RanchRecipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb
Part of the beauty of this dish is in its presentation. We’ve included several of the elements of Chef’s plating combination so you can build a full meal. He also served it with spiced roasted carrots which were out of this world. Of course, dining on this delicious recipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb at the Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort made it even more special. But we will do our best to recreate that ambience here for you!
Making a Moroccan Chermoula spice mixture at home is very easy and colorful.Serves 4
For the Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds Frenched Rack of Lamb
- ¼ cup Chermoula Spice (make your own using our recipe below, or purchase at specialty grocery stores)
- 1/4 cup roasted pistachios, chopped (set aside for garnishing later)
When you rub the lamb with the spices, make sure you have even coverage and then pat it down.Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Rub the Chermoula Spice all over the raw lamb chops – season to taste
- Place lamb meaty side up on a grill rack inside a roasting pan
- Bake to desired tenderness for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your lamb chops. Use a meat thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of the cooking meat. 125 degrees will be medium rare, add +5 degrees in increments to cook more “well done” (i.e. 130 degrees is medium, 135 is medium well, etc.).
- Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 5 minutes before carving.
- Cut rack into individual lamb chops by slicing in between each bone.
- Serve as directed below.
These peppers and potatoes are going to combine into something delicious.For the Red Pepper Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 large Russet Potatoes (about 1.5-2 lbs)
- 2 red bell peppers
- 8 ounces butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Char the peppers under the broiler for added flavor.Instructions
- Set oven rack on top and pre-heat on Broil.
- Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove stem, core and seeds. Place peppers facedown on baking sheet. Broil until outer skin is blackened, about 10-12 minutes.
- Put charred peppers in Ziplock bag. Allow to sweat for ~ 20 minutes.
- Peel all skin off of bell peppers – peppers should be soft and easy to blend.
- Blend the peppers in a blender or with a stick blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Peel potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes and boil for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Drain and return to the pot.
- Mash the potatoes into desired consistency.
- Fold butter and cream into the potatoes.
- Fold bell peppers into the potatoes
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate as directed below.
For the Tomato Agrodulce
Ingredients
- 8 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup red vinegar
- 2 Fresno chiles, diced with seeds removed
- 1/2 cup honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup gold raisins
- ½ teaspoon salt
These ingredients will combine to make the sweet and savory agrodulce sauce.Directions
- Simmer all ingredients together for 15 minutes, then blend together with a spoon for a chunky consistency.
- Serve as directed below.
Roma tomatoes work best for this agrodulce sauce.Serving your Recipe for Moroccan Rack of Lamb
When you are ready to serve the meal, it’s time to combine the elements you’ve created into one delicious plated presentation.
First add a generous serving of Red Pepper Mashed Potatoes to the plate. Top with the Moroccan Rack of Lamb Chops and garnish with the Tomato Agrodulce. Sprinkle with chopped roasted pistachios for a little extra crunch.
Charmoula Spice Blend
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. ground cumin
- 1 Tbs. ground coriander
- 1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1-1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container away from the light for up to 1 year.
Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort
If you’re intrigued about the Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort and want to learn more about visiting this beautiful spot, read our story about our COVID-safe getaway to Dana Point here!
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