A Recipe for Disney Cruise Line’s Marinated Lamb Chops

Hello, I’m Stephen Walker, the Fleet Culinary Standards and Consistency Chef for Disney Cruise Line. I first joined Disney Cruise Line as a Chef de Cuisine on the Disney Magic in 2000, and then I served as Executive Chef on the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder from 2002 until 2008. Now, I work shoreside, where one of the areas I oversee is the Disney Cruise Line menu creation.

We’ve gotten a great response to the Disney Cruise Line recipes posted recently, so I’ll be sharing more of those with you on a regular basis. The dish I want to share with you today is Marinated Lamb Chops with Couscous Tabbouleh and Mint Mojo, a guest favorite at Cabanas on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Bon appetit!

Marinated Lamb Chops with Couscous Tabbouleh and Mint Mojo
Serves 4

Lamb Chops
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
8 to 10 lamb chops
Light olive oil, for cooking

Couscous Tabbouleh
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 (10-ounce) box couscous
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 European cucumber, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Mint Mojo
1 1/2 cups mint jelly
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 bunch mint leaves (about 1 packed cup)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For lamb chops:

1. Whisk together oil, lemon zest and juice, oregano, cumin, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add garlic. Add lamb chops and turn to coat.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Remove chops from refrigerator and shake off excess marinade. Set aside.
   Heat a large grill pan or skillet over high heat. Brush pan lightly with oil. Add chops and cook 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

For couscous tabbouleh:

1. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Meanwhile, place couscous in a medium heatproof bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. When stock boils, carefully pour over couscous; cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside 5 minutes.
2. Uncover and fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in lime zest and juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, cucumber, cilantro, and chickpeas. Stir to combine.

For mint mojo:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until well combined.

To serve:

• Spoon a portion of couscous into the center of a plate; place 2 lamb chops onto the couscous. Drizzle mint mojo around the plate and garnish with a sprig of mint, if desired.