Focus on food: August 19, 2006

Grilled Leg of Lamb

Ingredients:
• 1 leg of lamb, butterflied and trimmed.
• 6 Tbsp rosemary
• black pepper
• green onions
• 4 cups burgundy wine
• 2 cups olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 1 cup onion, minced

Directions:
• Carefully trimming the fat from a butterflied leg of lamb, and and finish the cut, as needed, so that the lamb lies flat in a butterfly shape. A large butterflied leg of lamb should be no more than 2 or 3 inches thick.

• Take a liberal amount of rosemary, crush it, and rub it into the lamb. When crushing it, don't turn it into dust, just break it. Sprinkle some black pepper on the cut side of the meat.

• Combine the remaining ingredients (wine, green onions, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, and onion) into a marinade.

• Place the lamb in a shallow dish or bowl, cover as much as possible with the marinade, and marinate in a refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 24 hours. Turn at intervals to marinate evenly.

• Grill over mesquite and charcoal on a grill with a tight-fitting lid, such as a Weber. Cook on one side for 25 minutes, occasionally spooning some leftover marinade onto the uncooked side, then turn and cook about 20 more minutes.

• Make a small cut in the thickest part of the lamb to check for doneness: when the center is still pink, but not raw, take the lamb off and prepare to serve.

• Remember that the lamb will continue to cook after you take it off the grill. Serve the lamb cut-side down (pretty side up). Garnish with uncooked green onions.