I discovered amba thanks to my friend Caterina, who brought it back as a gift after a trip to Israel. This Middle Eastern spice, with its slightly tangy, mildly bitter, and faintly sweet notes, quickly piqued my interest. So, I decided to try it on a meat I thought would complement its flavor well: young, tender lamb, which ranks high on my list of personal favorites—especially lamb chops, which I find not only delightful in taste but also visually charming.
Since then, my jar of amba has run out, but Cati is off on another adventure. Nevertheless, these lamb chops with amba, lemon, and honey will remain recorded here, preserving the memory and enriching the culinary archive.
As for preparing them, it couldn’t be simpler: I marinated the lamb chops overnight in a mixture of amba, lemon juice, and honey. Then, I roasted them in a preheated oven alongside some fresh sprigs of fragrant rosemary, a perfect complement to lamb. Set the oven to 170°C (340°F)—you can cook the chops for 10-15 minutes on each side, depending on their size and how well-done you prefer them (less time for medium-rare, more if you want them fully cooked). The result? Incredibly tender lamb, slightly caramelized, with its natural sweetness enhanced by the combination of ingredients. It paired perfectly with some simple spring potatoes, seasoned only with salt and roasted to a perfect golden brown.
The irony is that in French, “miel” means honey. So, with or without the not-so-easily-found amba, honey-glazed lamb chops remain at the top of my favorites—especially if there’s a nice Merlot nearby.
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