If you're reading this, you probably already love Aussie lamb. In which case, there's someone you really must meet — our Moroccan friend Ras el Hanout! OK, fair dinkum, it's not a person, it's a spice blend. But anything that loves our lamb, you should get to know! Ras el Hanout translates to "head of the shop" or "top class" as we'd say it. It's a complex mix of as many as 30 spices, depending on who makes it. There's sure to be some paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes grains of paradise, rose petals, cloves and mace. All those warm spices combine for pure deliciousness with lamb — something those Arab cooks were on to centuries ago. Flash forward to today, and we've been noticing it popping up a lot lately. In conversation with Chef Aaron Brooks, who loves to use it in grilling season on a boneless lamb leg, pounded thin and liberally seasoned with Ras el Hanout, "All those spices are just awesome when they combine with the juices from the lamb and the smoke from the grill — the flavors just bloom." And there it was again, in Flavor & The Menu's article this summer about Middle Eastern Momentum.
And then there's Chef Kwame Onwuachi of DC's The Shaw Bijou's Aussie Lamb Bisteeya. A love song to Ras el Hanout, Chef Kwame uses it in the braise that becomes a kind of scrumpet alongside his take on the traditional Bisteeya, a centuries-old Moroccan meat pie.
Ask your spice provider about Ras el Hanout, make your own, or check out these recommended sources: