Grilled Moroccan Spice-Crusted Lamb with Spicy Chili Sauce

Serve this grilled lamb with Mediterranean sides like saffron couscous and grilled zucchini and green and yellow bell peppers. Stuff any leftover lamb in a fresh pita with salad greens, tomatoes, and the chili sauce. The sauce is potent, so a little goes a long way.

For the lamb

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  Kosher salt
  
  


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  1 Tbs. light brown sugar
  
  


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  1 Tbs. ground cumin
  
  


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  1 Tbs/ dried oregano
  
  


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  1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


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  1/2 tsp. hot pimentón (smoked paprika) or chipotle powder
  
  


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  5 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, trimmed
  
  


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  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  
  

For the sauce

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  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  


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  1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
  
  


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  2 large jalapeño peppers (preferably red), cored, seeded, and finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
  
  


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  Kosher salt
  
  


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  2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 Tbs.)
  
  


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  2 tsp. ground coriander
  
  


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  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


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  1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes  
  
  


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  2 Tbs. tomato paste
  
  


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  2 Tbs. white vinegar, more to taste
  
  

Prepare the lamb

In a small bowl, mix 4 tsp. salt with the sugar and spices. Sprinkle all over the lamb, transfer to a large non-reactive dish, and cover; refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

Make the sauce

Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan over medium heat until it’s shimmering. Add the onion, jalapeños, and 1 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the paste starts to darken, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup water and the vinegar; bring to a boil, then simmer until the onion is completely tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and purée. Let cool to room temperature, season to taste with more salt, pepper, and vinegar if needed. Set aside; or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

Grill the lamb

Tip:

There are plenty of indicators used to check for doneness, but the best way to ensure you get your meat just to your liking is by taking its temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Just insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone.

For a gas grill, light the front burner to medium-high and the back burner(s) to medium-low. For a charcoal grill, light a medium-hot fire (400°F) with two-thirds of the coals banked to one side. Clean and oil the grill grates. Grill the lamb over the hotter part of the fire without moving it until it’s nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn, move to the cooler part of the fire, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thicker part of the lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, 8 to 10 more minutes.

To serve

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain, transfer to a large platter, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Chilled Oven-Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup

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  8 yellow bell peppers
  
  


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  1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
  
  


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  1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  
  


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  1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
  
  


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  1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
  
  


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  2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


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  Generous pinch of granulated sugar
  
  


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  Kosher salt or fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  
  


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  1/4 cup sliced fresh chives (1/4 inch long)
  
  

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Put the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes, until browned and wrinkled all over, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven, cover with a dishtowel, and set aside to cool. Seed, peel, and cut the peppers into quarters.

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the peppers and any accumulated juices, broth, sugar, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl, using a ladle to push as many of the solids through as possible. Discard the solids in the sieve and refrigerate the soup for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in chilled bowls, sprinkled with the chives. Finish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil.