MARINATED AND GRILLED LEG OF LAMB: GREEK STYLE

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

“Aunt Voula: ‘What do you mean he don’t eat no meat?’
[the entire room stops, in shock]
Aunt Voula: ‘Oh, that’s okay. I make lamb.’”

from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Did you know that man has been raising and eating lamb for 9,000 years? From the leg and hindquarters to the loin chops, rib chops, and then the shoulder, most of the animal is edible. Of these cuts, the leg is probably the most versatile. It is tender and flavorful on its own, but also does well taking on the flavors in a braise or marinade. With the bone in, you can roast it. Cut into chunks, you can braise it. Boned and butterflied, the lamb leg cooks very much like a steak. In my opinion, a marinated and grilled leg of lamb is one of the most delicious meals ever.

Which brings me to Grilled Leg of Lamb Greek Style. The Greeks have been raising and grilling lamb for thousands of years. They’ve also been harvesting olives, lemon, garlic, and oregano. In Greek style lamb, we marinate the lamb, in this case a leg, in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and oregano. The marinade tenderizes and flavors the meat. After a nice soak, the lamb is then simply grilled over an open flame. When it is done, the lamb is tender and juicy. The smoke and the marinade perfume it with subtle flavors that overcome any gaminess. I love it for its simplicity as much as its flavor.

Note: A whole leg of lamb serves 8-10 people. You can buy half a leg, but there is no need. Just cut a whole leg in half and freeze half of it for another time.

Note: Lamb is always best eaten rare to medium rare – seared on the outside but still pink and juicy on the inside.

MARINADE:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup dried Greek or Mediterranean oregano or 1/2 cup fresh
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 (3 1/2- 4 1/2 lb) Leg of lamb, boneless and butterflied

1. MARINATE: In a sealable plastic bag, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Add lamb and seal bag, pressing out the air. Turn bag to coat lamb, then put bag in a shallow pan in the refrigerator. Turn bag occasionally and marinate 24-48 hours.

2. GRILL: Bring lamb to room temperature, about 1 hour. Remove lamb from marinade.Leaving bits of garlic and herbs stuck to the meat is good. If you have them, run 3-4 metal skewers through the meat length-wise to keep it flat as it cooks. Don’t worry if you don’t have any. Place meat on a lightly oiled grill rack and grill over MEDIUM HOT coals, turning often, for 20-30 minutes. At its thickest point, a thermometer should register 120-130 degrees.
Note: to broil, simply place lamb 4-5 inches from the heating element and broil 6-12 minutes without turning, depending on the size.

3. REST: Let lamb rest, covered loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes before slicing it accross the grain. Serve with grilled sliced eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper and couscous or Greek salad and crusty bread.

marinated and grilled leg of lamb served with zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, and cannellini beans. On the table was a basket of crusty bread and “The Three Bowls” (green salad, crudites, and fruit)

LEFTOVERS:

1. GRILLED LAMB PITA: Serve sliced leftover grilled leg of lamb wrapped in bread. Try pita, lavash, whole wheat tortillas, or Naan. Garnish with sliced onions, cucumers, and/or shredded lettuce. Top with storebought tzatiki sauce or a sauce made from hummus thinned with equal amounts of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

2. GRILLED LAMB AND SPINACH SALAD: Cut leftover lamb into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the following mixture, using amounts to your taste: baby spinach + a little crumbled feta cheese + peeled and sliced cucumbers + a few capers + some pitted and chopped Kalamata olives. Dress lightly with a vinaigrette made by whisking 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar + 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,
Waverly