GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB
THIS IS by far the king of the Mediterranean grill world. The grilling process below is easy, the cut of meat accessible. You need excellent- quality lamb (I recommend organic) and good- quality, aromatic herbs to make this dish work.
- 1 (4- to 5-pound) boned and butterfl ied leg of lamb
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons dried thyme, marjoram, savory, or oregano
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 2 to 3 lemons, cut in half
Instructions:
- The butterfl ied leg of lamb should be about 2 inches thick. Once the butcher has butterfl ied it, have him pound it with a mallet to fl atten to the desired thickness. (You can do this yourself, too. Place the lamb on a strong counter and bang it all over the surface with a heavy skillet or a mallet until the piece is fl attened.)
- Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, pulverize the garlic, herbs, and peppercorns. Combine in a small bowl with the olive oil. Rub the lamb all over with the rub, pushing it into every nook and cranny in the meat, and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
- Heat the grill to very hot.
- Season the lamb with salt. Place the lamb on the hottest part of the grill (directly over the coals if you are using a charcoal grill) and sear it for about 10 minutes, turning once, to brown on all sides. Once seared, slide the lamb over to a medium- hot part of the grill and continue grilling to desired doneness, turning occasionally. Rare lamb will take about 20 minutes more, medium- rare about 25 minutes more. About halfway through grilling, cut off a tiny piece to test for doneness.
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice into 1⁄2- inch pieces and serve, garnished with lemon halves.