Barbecued Leg of Lamb Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 butterflied leg of lamb, ask your butcher to do this | ||
| Juice 2 lemons | ||
| 1 onion, roughly chopped | ||
| Garlic | 3 Clove (5gm), sliced (FOR THE MARINADE) | |
| 150 ml/1/4pt extra virgin olive oil | ||
| Bay leaves | 2 (FOR THE MARINADE) | |
| 3 tbsp chopped mint leaves | ||
| 8 peppercorns, lightly crushed | ||
| Large handful each mint, basil and parsley leaves | ||
| 6 canned anchovy fillets | ||
| Capers | 2 Tablespoon (FOR THE MINTY SALSA VERDE) | |
| 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped | ||
| 1 slice white bread, crusts removed, bread torn into rough pieces | ||
| Sugar | 1/2 Teaspoon (FOR THE MINTY SALSA VERDE) | |
| White wine vinegar | 2 Tablespoon (FOR THE MINTY SALSA VERDE) | |
| 150-250 ml/1/4-1/2pt olive oil | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1) Take a large plastic freezer bag and put the lamb inside it. Let it sit in a dish. Mix the lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, mint leaves, peppercorns and olive oil and pour into the bag.
2) Thoroughly coat the lamb with the marinade, and then knot the bag loosely. Marinate the lamb for 2 hrs at room temperature, or up to 48 hrs in the fridge. Before cooking, bring the lamb back to room temperature from the fridge before 1 or 2 hours.
MAKING
3) Heat up the barbecue, griddle pan or grill until very hot. Remove the lamb out of the marinade and brush off any bits. Keep the marinade for basting the lamb.
4) Barbecue the lamb by first placing the cut-side down for 5 to 7 minutes on each side to brown the crust.
5) Move up the grill rack from the charcoal a bit, or if you are using a gas barbecue, turn down the heat a little. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes further on each side to get nice pink flesh. You can cook a little further depending on how you like it to be done.
6) While barbecuing, baste often with the remaining marinade. Test the meat with a knife at the end of 15 or 20 minutes. The meat should be pale pink and firm. If it is red and shiny, then you might have to cook further.
7) Remove the meat from the grill and place it onto a warm serving dish. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes in a warm place before carving.
FINALIZING
8) You can make the salsa verde, by putting in all the herbs into a food processor along with the anchovies, capers, garlic, bread, sugar, vinegar and black pepper.
9) Give quick whisks in the processor, occasionally scraping down the sides, until finely chopped. Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream as the motor is running to get a thick, creamy sauce. Taste and season it.
SERVING
10) Serve slices of the lamb along with salsa verde on individual plates.
1) Take a large plastic freezer bag and put the lamb inside it. Let it sit in a dish. Mix the lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, mint leaves, peppercorns and olive oil and pour into the bag.
2) Thoroughly coat the lamb with the marinade, and then knot the bag loosely. Marinate the lamb for 2 hrs at room temperature, or up to 48 hrs in the fridge. Before cooking, bring the lamb back to room temperature from the fridge before 1 or 2 hours.
MAKING
3) Heat up the barbecue, griddle pan or grill until very hot. Remove the lamb out of the marinade and brush off any bits. Keep the marinade for basting the lamb.
4) Barbecue the lamb by first placing the cut-side down for 5 to 7 minutes on each side to brown the crust.
5) Move up the grill rack from the charcoal a bit, or if you are using a gas barbecue, turn down the heat a little. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes further on each side to get nice pink flesh. You can cook a little further depending on how you like it to be done.
6) While barbecuing, baste often with the remaining marinade. Test the meat with a knife at the end of 15 or 20 minutes. The meat should be pale pink and firm. If it is red and shiny, then you might have to cook further.
7) Remove the meat from the grill and place it onto a warm serving dish. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes in a warm place before carving.
FINALIZING
8) You can make the salsa verde, by putting in all the herbs into a food processor along with the anchovies, capers, garlic, bread, sugar, vinegar and black pepper.
9) Give quick whisks in the processor, occasionally scraping down the sides, until finely chopped. Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream as the motor is running to get a thick, creamy sauce. Taste and season it.
SERVING
10) Serve slices of the lamb along with salsa verde on individual plates.
Chef
