Provencal Lamb Chops with Honey and Moroccan Couscous
François de Mélogue · Lamb · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · TasteSome people shy away from cooking lamb because they fear that it is difficult to cook. The reality is the opposite. This main course of lamb chops brushed with lavender honey invokes images (and flavours) of lazy summer days in Provence. The roasted lamb is paired with a Moroccan spiced salad that can you can easily prepare in advance.
Bonne appétit and cheers to Indian summer!

Lavender Honey Brushed Lamb Chops Served with Moroccan Chickpea Couscous Salad
Prepare the salad in advance and then the only thing that is left to do when your guests arrive is to roast the lamb. Easy and delicious with all the flavours of Provence combined on a plate.
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Couscous Salad:
- 1 cup Couscous large pearl
- ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp Moroccan spice blend (see below)
- 2 cans chickpeas
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 clove garlic mashed
- 2 cucumber(s) peeled, seeded, diced
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 2 Peppers seeded, chopped
- 1 Red onion peeled, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
For the Lamb Chops:
- 1 8-bone Rack of lamb preferably from Sisteron, trimmed**
- 1 tbsp lavender honey
- 2 tsp Moroccan spice blend (see below)
For the Moroccan Spice Blend:
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp piment d’Espelette or spicy paprika
- 1 tsp Ginger
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp allspice
Instructions
Before your guests arrive:
- Cook large pearl couscous in 1-1/2 cups of salted water till done, about ten minutes.
- Drain well, then put into a large bowl.
- Add lemon juice, olive oil, Moroccan spice blend, chickpeas, raisins, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, and chopped parsley and toss well. (see note)
When you are ready to eat:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230C).
- Place the lamb rack fat side down in a cold pan. Heat over a medium burner till golden brown. The idea is to slowly cook out the excess fat and make it crispy.
- Brush fat side with lavender honey, season with salt/pepper and roast standing upright for 20 minutes, or until done.
- Let meat rest 15 minutes before cutting.
- To serve, cut the lamb into chops, adjust seasoning of salad, and serve the salad on the side.
Notes
*This salad gets better the longer it sits. You can make a day or two in advance.**Ask your butcher to trim lamb racks for roasting.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Related Provence Articles
Holiday Entertaining Menu with Provencal Lamb
December 19, 2016
This holiday menu is not exclusive to the Christmas season; however, the heavier flavours lend themselves to cooler evenings and Rhone Valley red wine blends. This meal combines some real Provencal classics including garlic aioli, local lamb with herbes de Provence, tomatoes, a hint of Pastis and a not too sweet dessert. If you are planning to …
Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks
January 11, 2019
Great lamb is easy to find in Provence, most of which is organic, and grass-fed. This recipe, for Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks, brings together the best of this complex middle-eastern cuisine. The flavours of Persia combine sweet, sour, savoury, hot, floral, and earthy into a subtle taste explosion.…
Cooking with Lavender 12 Sweet and Savoury Recipes to Try
July 8, 2024
Lavender’s intoxicating fragrance is like a journey into a perfume bottle. So why not take that into the kitchen? The herb is a member of the mint family, and specifically grown culinary lavender is edible and adds a unique flavour to baked goods, desserts, and savoury dishes. The important thing about using fresh lavender is …
Provencal Lamb Stew Daube with White Wine
June 26, 2019
A daube refers to a slow-cooked meat stew. The ingredients always include wine, in this case, a white, herbs found in Provence, and usually lamb. Although, daube can easily be prepared with beef or even pork..…
No Comment