with Mango Chutney

This main course is one of my favorite dishes, which I discovered quite by chance when I was looking for a way to spice up lamb chops. It contains the same spice combination as Tandoori marinade but excludes the yogurt. I like to serve these chops with a good mango chutney, making for a classic contrast between the sweet chutney and the pungent spices.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons hot ­paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground ­turmeric
• 1 tablespoon chili ­powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 tablespoon ground ­cinnamon
• 18 rib lamb ­chops, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick (single or double-boned)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable ­oil
• 2 tablespoons coarse sea ­salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black ­pepper
• 1 recipe Mango Chutney

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 ­F.

2. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the curry powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger, turmeric, chili, cardamom, and cinnamon. Mix well. Press each chop into the powder to create a thick coating on each side. Place in a ceramic bowl or glass dish, cover, and marinate at room temperature for 1/2 hour.

3. Place 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large cast­-­iron skillet over medium heat. Season the lamb chops with the salt and pepper. When the oil is hot but not smoking, place 6 of the chops in the pan and cook until deep, dark brown (or “blackened” as in the famous New Orleans blackened redfish), about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the cooked chops, add another tablespoon of oil, and repeat for the remaining two batches. As each batch is complete, place the chops on a baking ­sheet.

4. Once all the chops are blackened, place the baking sheet in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes. For medium rare, the meat should be springy to the touch. Serve with mango chutney.

Note: The chops can also be cooked entirely in the broiler.

Other Lamb Recipes

Barbecued Lamb Kabobs
Curried Lamb Kabobs
Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Herbed Rack of Lamb
Tomato Lamb Potjie