Braised Lamb Chops with Cranberry-Harissa Chutney

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl.

Generously spice the lamb chops on all sides with the spice mix.

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Now add lamb chops and brown on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove lamb from the skillet and place on a plate.

In the same skillet, add sliced shallots and toss around briefly. Now add white wine and bay leaf. Bring to a high simmer and let the liquid reduce slightly (about 4 minutes). Add broth and lemon juice, and let it simmer again on medium-high heat for another 5 minutes.

Add lamb back into the skillet and let everything cook together for 10 minutes. Cover skillet and place in the 350 F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until lamb is cooked to tender. Turn over the lamb halfway through cooking. At the end of the cook time, uncover the skillet and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

While lamb cooks, proceed to make the cranberry-harissa and mint chutney. Place the sauce ingredients in a heavy saucepan or pot. Place on medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and let it simmer until cranberries soften forming a thick chutney (about 10-15 minutes). Stir a couple of times while it cooks. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once lamb is ready, serve hot with a little garnish of crushed mint and fresh parsley leaves. Place wine-lemon braising sauce and the cranberry-harissa chutney in two bowls to serve alongside the lamb.