I lived in Morocco for a time in the mid-1970s studying textiles as part of my anthropology training. While there, I learned to cook with the full array of the expressive, aromatic spices of the Moroccan kitchen. Cumin is one of the most important and widely used of these spices, and I find that its pungent, woodsy aroma gives most meat dishes a “meatier” or “gamier” flavor that I like. Cumin is also widely used in Tex-Mex cooking for the same effect. This brine will work for up to double the amount of meat called for here. When making a brine, use a five-to-one ratio of sugar to salt, which works well for twenty-four-hour brines such as this one. For a North African accent, garnish the tacos with grated carrots, chopped fresh mint leaves, and quartered cherry tomatoes. Look for cinnamon oil in the baking and candy-making sections of well-stocked specialty food stores or online.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 tacos

　　12 cups water

　　4 large heads garlic, cloves removed and halved lengthwise

　　2/3 cup sugar

　　5 teaspoons kosher salt

　　4 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed

　　14 sticks canela, crushed

　　4 drops cinnamon oil (see headnote)

　　4 teaspoons chile caribe (red chile flakes)

　　2 teaspoons fennel seed, toasted

　　2 teaspoons anise seed

　　1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, toasted

　　6 drops liquid smoke

　　1 teaspoon whole allspice, crushed

　　13 large sprigs flat-leaf parsley

　　2 tablespoons chipotle puree (page 153)

　　1 pound lamb loin

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　8 (5 1/2-inch) soft yellow corn tortillas (page 13), for serving

　　Garnish: Caramelized diced pineapple

　　

Step 1

To prepare the brine, in a large bowl, mix all ingredients except for the tenderloin, oil, tortillas, and garnish. Transfer the brine to a pan large and deep enough to hold the liquid and the meat. Trim the thin outer silver skin from the loin and place it in the brine, cover, and let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Using your hands, remove the lamb from the marinade, brush off any whole spices from the meat, and pat dry with paper towels.

　　

Step 2

To cook the lamb, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides, turning every 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, cooking to medium-rare (135°F), about 5 minutes total. For lamb loin, sear over medium-high heat 2 minutes per each of the four sides, cooking to medium-rare (135°F), 8 to 12 minutes total. Remove the lamb from the pan and let rest on a cutting board for 3 minutes. Slice the meat into thin medallions and serve immediately.

　　

Step 3

To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with pineapple and salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with pineapple and salsa, fold, and eat right away.

　　Tacos by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Mark Miller is the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has started and owned thirteen different restaurants on three continents from 1979 to 2008. He is the author of ten books with nearly 1 million copies in print, including Tacos, The Great Chile Book, The Great Salsa Book, and Coyote Cafe. Mark currently works in International Culinary Consulting and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Benjamin Hargett is a travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Carribean, Mexico, and the United States, where he worked with Mark Miller at the Coyote Café for many years.