Colorado Lamb Chops from Villa Azur

serves four
Ingredients
12 lamb chops
12 baby carrots
400 g French peas
0.5 bunch mint
4 oz dried apricots, sliced
3 oz brown sugar
1 oz honey
2 oz rice wine vinegar
1 oz Ras el hanout spice
10 oz lamb stock demi glacé (or veal stock)
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
For the vegetables: Dip the baby carrots in boiled and salted water for five minutes, and immediately following, put them in ice water. Dip the French peas in boiled and salted water for two minutes, and immediately following, put them in ice water. Strain the carrots and the French peas on a towel. Blend the French peas with mint, salt, and pepper. Lightly ground the almonds and roast them in the oven six minutes, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the sauce: In a pan, pour the vinegar, two ounces of brown sugar, and the Ras el hanout spice. Cook until caramelized. Deglaze with the lamb stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes on low heat. Add half of the dried apricots, and blend. Keep the pan warm and heat the rest of the apricots.
For the lamb and vegetables, combined: Put a frying pan on high heat and add a little bit of olive oil. Mark the lamb chop for 30 seconds, then flip it over. Add butter, reduce the amount of heat, and cook the other side for one minute. Flip the lamb again and cook the original side for 30 more seconds. Put the lamb on a paper towel. Degrease your frying pan, and add brown sugar, honey, and one ounce cold butter. Once the butter melts, roast the baby carrots in this mix until caramelized. While those are roasting, heat the mashed French peas in their own pan.
To serve: Plate a circle of mashed French peas. On top of the circle, arrange the lamb chops and baby carrots nicely. Glaze the chops with the sauce, being careful not to use the whole mixture so that you can also serve some sauce on the side. Garnish with roasted almonds and mint leaves.
Bon appétit!