What you'll need for the Moroccan BBQ Lamb Chops:
- 8 lamb loin chops (each about 1 in. thick and 4 oz.), fat trimmed
- Mint chutney (recipe follows)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Moroccan barbecue sauce (recipe follows)
What you'll need for the Mint Chutney:
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup chopped green onions (white and pale green parts)
- 3 tablespoons parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 peeled clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne until smooth
What you'll need for the Moroccan BBQ sauce:
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro sprigs
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick (3 in. long, broken into pieces)
- ¾ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon hot chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Let's cook:
- Rinse lamb chops and pat dry.
- Place chops in a bowl with about ¼ cup mint chutney and turn to coat.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
- Lift lamb chops from bowl (discard any chutney in bowl) and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
- Place on a grill over a bed of medium-hot coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).
- Close lid on gas grill.
- Cook chops, turning once, until browned on both sides but still pink in the center (cut to test), 9 to 12 minutes total.
- Place chops on plates and drizzle with Moroccan barbecue sauce; offer remaining chutney and sauce alongside.
- For the mint chutney, in a blender, mix all the ingredients together.
- Makes about 1 cup.
- For the Moroccan barbecue sauce, place ingredients in a 2 to 3-quart pan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to about 1¼ cup, about 15 minutes.
- Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl.
- Makes about 1¼ cup.