During my visit to Morocco I found myself consumed with finding the perfect recipe for the spice known asRas el Hanout, a popular blend translating to “top shelf” in Arabic — top shelf referring to the highest quality spices in a merchant’s larder. It gives tagine, b’stilla and marinades that quintessentially “Moroccan” flavor we’ve all come to crave. I racked my brain and asked many home cooks and professional chefs for their secret, and they always smiled and diverted their gaze. I finally came up with a delicious version, with a little help from an unsuspecting local who shared his lamb stew and some of his special ingredients while playing us his sitar.
I serve this Marrakesh Sitar lamb with chermoula — a herb-centric sauce centered around parsley, cilantro and mint — and glazed carrots.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

• 2–3 lb rack of lamb
• 1–2 Tbsp Marrakesh Sitar Moroccan Blend
• Kosher salt
• Oil to coat pan
• 3 Tbsp butter
• Chermoula Yogurt Sauce

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Directions

1. Season lamb with salt and Marrakesh Sitar. Place on a wire rack over a sheet pan in the refrigerator overnight. Leaving it uncovered dries out the exterior for searing.
2. Heat oven to 200°F (convection preferred) and roast, fat side up, until thickest part reads 115°F, 35–55 minutes. Roast over wire rack for best results.
3. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet to very high heat and add a splash of oil to coat the bottom.
5. Sear lamb on all sides, flipping frequently to brown all edges, but being careful not to burn the spices, about 5 minutes.
6. Turn off heat and add butter. Baste for about 2 min or until internal temperature reads 125–130°F for medium rare.
7. Remove from pan and rest for about one minute. Slice between chops or double chops.
8. Serve with Glazed Carrots.
9. Top with Chermoula Yogurt Sauce