Our dad’s lamb stew

Every Passover our father makes a rich lamb stew. Passover seders are no joke at our parents’ house and can stretch long into the night. So by the time the lamb hits the table, we’re so hungry that it seems like we’ve never eaten before in our lives. This dish takes all the flavors of that stew and condenses them into a sauce that accompanies the lamb chops. Slightly more refined, same intensely delicious flavor.

And we won’t make you suffer through the ten plagues (and ten hours of singing) in order to eat it.

Serves 4 

• 4 anchovy fillets, mashed with a fork
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each fresh oregano leaves and dried Mexican oregano
• 2 Tbsp whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 lamb rib chops, each 2 inches (5 cm) thick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 Tbsp (2 fl oz/60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 plum tomato, chopped
• 1 can (15 1/2 oz/485 g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups (24 fl oz/750 ml) chicken stock
• 2 handfuls chopped greens such as kale, mustard greens, or Swiss chard
• 1/2 cup (3 oz/90 g) each chopped dried apricots and pitted dates
• 1 small jalapeño chile, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lemon for zesting

To make the marinade, in a bowl, mix together the anchovy fillets, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, both oreganos, yogurt, and salt. Put the lamb chops in a baking dish, add the marinade, and turn the chops to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Let the lamb chops come to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking them.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, toast the cumin seeds over medium-high heat until fragrant and barely smoking, 2—3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the onion, and the turmeric and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato and sauté until softened, 3—5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stock and simmer over low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 10 minutes.

Fold in the greens, apricots, dates, and jalapeño and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Scrape the marinade off the surface of the lamb chops. Season the chops lightly with 1 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper.

In a broiler-safe, heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook for 1—2 minutes on each side, moving them as needed to ensure even contact and browning. Transfer the pan to the broiler and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the chops and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop, away from the bone, should register 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare.

Divide the stewed chickpeas among individual plates and top each with a lamb chop. Grate the zest of the lemon over the top and serve right away.