Lamb tips:
No need to cook the pizazz out of it. Shorter cooking times preserve the meat’s sweet tenderness and succulent juices. Modern breeding methods have improved lamb’s taste and texture. It’s leaner, too. Federal regulations require that any sheep older than 12 months be labeled mutton. But most of the lamb we eat is even younger, 5 to 7 months old.
Use an instant-read thermometer to determine the doneness. Don’t place this type of thermometer in the oven or inside a covered barbecue. When you want to test the meat, insert it in the thickest part (not resting on bone or fat) and within seconds, it will give you a temperature reading. Remove the thermometer before returning meat to the oven or covered barbecue.
In Europe, lamb is often cooked to only 130 degrees. This is too rare for many Americans. We generally consider lamb rare and properly pink at 140 degrees. Medium is 150 to 160 degrees and, heaven help us, well done is 175 degrees.
Mary had a little lamb. It was covered with an herbaceous, slightly salty crust — richly browned and crisp. The interior was juicy-tender and pink in the center — earthy with subtle sweetness.
Lucky, lucky Mary. What better treat for Easter?
OK, I’m a little over-the-moon lamb crazy. Leg of lamb, bone-in and roasted, was most often the centerpiece for Sunday dinners in my childhood home. And a couple of decades ago, the first time I cooked dinner for Phil (on the third date, with the man I eventually married), it was boned-and-grilled lamb I chose to impress him.
Too bad some folks think lamb tastes gamy. They’ve overdosed on cooked-until-gray, poorly trimmed lamb. Overcooked, the flavor is muddled. Untrimmed, the aroma can be unpleasant. So I consulted with two top-notch chefs to get their advice about preparing Easter lamb at home. Lamb made easy. Not restaurant fare, but holiday home-style.
MICHAEL MINA, CHEF-OWNER OF STONEHILL TAVERN
Mina, founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based Mina Group, was named best chef in California in 2002 by the James Beard Foundation. His dishes showcase vibrant ingredients and spot-on flavor profiles. Stonehill Tavern at St. Regis Monarch Beach (Dana Point, Calif.) is one of his restaurants.
His book, “The Cookbook – Michael Mina” (Bulfinch Press, $50), offers a formula for olive oil-poached rack of lamb that sounds irresistible, but perhaps a wee bit impractical for most home kitchens.
So I asked him for a recipe that he might cook at home for his family on Easter. Without hesitation he suggested a roasted boneless leg of lamb encrusted in salt, a technique that first sears the meat to develop caramelization on the exterior, then packs it in a salt-herb-egg white mixture to seal in the juices as it roasts in the oven.
“Lamb takes seasonings and spices really well,” he said. “And when roasting it in salt and herbs, it gets this aromatic thing going on inside the crust. It comes out seasoned perfectly.”
Perfect, indeed, and it is easy to do if you have an instant-read thermometer, a must-have inexpensive gizmo that is essential for accurate meat cookery.
The boned, browned and encrusted lamb roasts in a 275-degree oven for 30 minutes or until it reaches 100 degrees. Then it sits at room temperature for 45 minutes (in its salt “house”) to come up to 135 to 140 degrees. Yes, it will continue “cooking” while it rests.
Then you crack it open with a mallet. When the salt “igloo” is cracked and removed, the meat isn’t too salty. In fact, it is perfectly seasoned.
To accompany Mina’s Salt-Baked Leg of Lamb, he recommends salt-baked potatoes accented with fresh rosemary or a touch of curry powder. And a really fresh yogurt-based sauce (such as a raita or tzatziki). Plus a sautéed green with bold flavors, such as mustard greens or Swiss chard.
UGO ALLESINA, EXECUTIVE CHEF, PREGO RISTORANTE
Allesina likes to reminisce about Easter fare in Italy. Roast lamb or baby goat (capretto) was the focus of holiday feasts in the Northern Italian town where he grew up, close to the western shore of Lago Maggiore.
Allesina says he has always loved lamb, a passion that might have been fueled by the game hunting culture that thrived in his town.
“Where I grew up, there was a lot of hunting going on, so I love it if the flavor is a little wild,” he said. “Lamb is only a little wild, not like venison or wild boar. With lamb the wildness is close to the bone.
“And I like any kind of lamb, even if it is overcooked. But beef, if it is overcooked, I am not going to eat it.”
For Easter at home, he suggests Abbacchio Alla Senape (lamb with mustard): Bone-in loin chops lightly coated with a Dijon mustard mixture and breaded with Italian-style breadcrumbs augmented with fresh herbs. They are sautéed and served topped with a drizzle of perky-but-creamy mustard sauce.
The side dishes that Allesina selected combine to create harmony on the plate. His whipped potatoes are enhanced with minced fresh mint, an element that adds a complementary spark to the lamb.
And he recommends a simple sauté of fresh rapini, a green vegetable that looks somewhat like broccoli (but with more slender stalks and often yellow flowers atop the clusters of buds). Rapini adds a welcome bitter note that balances nicely with the smooth, buttery potatoes.
I asked Allesina what his mother served with lamb or kid at his Italian Easter meals.
“My house had a garden right next door,” he explained. “In Easter time, March or April, Mom cooked carrots, baby turnips and small white potatoes, something like fingerlings.
“Always from the garden. The only fruit or vegetable I can remember my mother buying at a store was bananas.”
Here are the chefs’ recipes along with my recipe for butterflied and grilled leg of lamb. Happy Easter!
MINA’S SALT-BAKED LEG OF LAMB
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3 boxes kosher salt (1 pound each)
9 large egg whites
4 cups water 1
boneless leg of lamb, 4 to 5 pounds, tied
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Procedure:
Remove lamb from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
In a bowl, combine salt, egg whites and water; mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
In a large skillet on mediumhigh heat, sear the lamb until it develops a nice crust. It should take about 15 minutes, and the meat should still be very rare to raw.
Put a 1/2-inch deep layer of the salt mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the rosemary. Position the lamb over the salt and top with two sprigs of rosemary. Pack the remainder of the salt over and around the lamb. It should be fully enclosed. Pack the salt tightly. Insert an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb. Remove the thermometer, making sure to leave a hole in the salt to reinsert the thermometer later once the salt has hardened.
Roast the lamb in preheated 275-degree oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes insert your meat thermometer through the hole in the salt and check the temperature. It should read 100 degrees. If it is low, remove thermometer and bake a few more minutes and check again. Once it reaches 100 degrees, remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest, still encased in salt with the thermometer in place, for 45 minutes. Thermometer should read 135 to 140 degrees. Crack open the salt with a mallet and remove; slice the lamb and serve.
Nutrition information (per serving): 290 calories (54 percent from fat), 16.7 g fat, 6.9 g saturated fat, 92 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 450 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Source: Michael Mina, chef-owner of Stonehill Tavern (as well as many other restaurants), St. Regis Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Calif.
ABBACCHIO ALLA SENAPE (LAMB WITH MUSTARD)
Yield: 2 servings
2 cups dry Italian herbs breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons mixed fresh minced herbs, such as rosemary, sage and thyme
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Dijon-style whole-grain mustard
Pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 bone-in loin lamb chops
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Procedure: In a shallow bowl or pie pan, combine breadcrumbs and herbs; set aside.
In a shallow bowl or pie pan, beat eggs and mustard until well combined. Combine salt and flour in a separate shallow bowl or pie pan.
Working with one chop at a time, dust chop with floursalt mixture on both sides. Dip into egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs, coating both sides.
Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add chops in single layer. Cook for about four minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the lamb chop). The chops should be golden brown (and a little crisp) and pink in the middle. Serve with whipped potatoes and rapini (recipe below). Drizzle mustard sauce over lamb chops only and garnish with a mint leaf.
Nutrition information (per serving of lamb): 309 calories (72 percent from fat), 25.3 g fat, 10.9 g saturated fat, 82 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 19 g protein, 490 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
RAPINI
1/2 pound rapini, see cook’s notes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried red chili flakes
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Cook’s notes: Rapini is a green vegetable that at first glance you might mistake for broccoli. The stalks are more slender than broccoli’s. Sometimes the buds open to yellow flowers. Rapini has an assertive bitterness which makes it a welcome accompaniment to creamy potatoes or pasta. Rapini is found in supermarkets with large produce sections.
Procedure: Cut rapini “heads” (flowers and leaves) away from the thick stems. Do not use thick stems (save for another dish). Rinse and drain in a colander. Bring about 2 quarts of water with salt to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Drain well and refresh with cold water; drain again.
In a large, deep skillet heat oil on medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until garlic just starts to turn golden. Add drained rapini, chili flakes and pepper. Toss. Cook until rapini is heated through. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Nutrition information (per serving): 50 calories (39 percent from fat), 2.1 g fat, 2.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g protein, 45 mg sodium, 3.2 g fiber
Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
WHIPPED POTATO ALLA MENTA
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound russet potatoes
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves
Garnish: fresh mint leaves
Procedure: Clean, peel and cut potatoes into small cubes. Bring 2 quarts of water and salt to a boil in large pan or Dutch oven. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. Whip potatoes with electric mixer along with butter, cream, salt, and nutmeg. Add minced fresh mint and mix to combine. Garnish plates with mint leaves.
Nutrition information (per serving): 188 calories (70 percent from fat), 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 484 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
SALSA SENAPE (MUSTARD SAUCE)
Yield: about 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons minced shallots
4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Procedure: In a medium saucepan, cook shallots in 2 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat until golden, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until most of wine evaporates, and there is only a glaze on the bottom of the pan. Add cream and cook until reduced by half in volume. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until melted. Stir in mustards. Drizzle over lamb chops.
Nutrition information (per teaspoon): 60 calories (60 percent from fat), 4 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 68 mg sodium, 0 g fiber Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
GRILLED BONED LEG OF LAMB
Yield: 8 servings
1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb
Vegetable oil for brushing on grill
Marinade:
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup rosemary leaves
1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard, Grey Poupon Peppercorn Mustard preferred
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
Final seasoning:
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Cook’s note: For additional flavor, throw a sprig or two of fresh rosemary on the coals and close the lid; the aroma is incredible.
Procedure:
Trim fat from lamb. Cut garlic into long, skinny slivers. Using a small pointed knife, make small opening in lamb and insert garlic. Do this about 25-30 times. If you have leftover garlic, chop it and place in marinade bowl.
Combine all marinade ingredients. Place lamb in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Pour marinade over top. Coat meat on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but not more than 24 hours.
One hour before grilling, remove lamb from refrigerator. Heat grill. Brush grill rack with oil. Remove lamb from marinade and place on paper towels to absorb some of the wet marinade that is left on the lamb (do not pat dry). Lay lamb flat on grill and cover. Grilling times will vary, depending on heat of your grill. You want the lamb to have an internal temperature of 135 to 1 40 degrees (the lamb will be medium rare). You want a nice crust on the meat, so if you don’t have that, you might want to turn up the heat toward the end of the grilling time. On most grills, grilling time is about 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer is very helpful. Allow meat to rest 5 minutes before craving. Cut into thin slices.
Nutrition information (per serving): 320 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 7.2 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 5.5 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein, 667 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Lucky, lucky Mary. What better treat for Easter?
OK, I’m a little over-the-moon lamb crazy. Leg of lamb, bone-in and roasted, was most often the centerpiece for Sunday dinners in my childhood home. And a couple of decades ago, the first time I cooked dinner for Phil (on the third date, with the man I eventually married), it was boned-and-grilled lamb I chose to impress him.
Too bad some folks think lamb tastes gamy. They’ve overdosed on cooked-until-gray, poorly trimmed lamb. Overcooked, the flavor is muddled. Untrimmed, the aroma can be unpleasant. So I consulted with two top-notch chefs to get their advice about preparing Easter lamb at home. Lamb made easy. Not restaurant fare, but holiday home-style.
MICHAEL MINA, CHEF-OWNER OF STONEHILL TAVERN
Mina, founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based Mina Group, was named best chef in California in 2002 by the James Beard Foundation. His dishes showcase vibrant ingredients and spot-on flavor profiles. Stonehill Tavern at St. Regis Monarch Beach (Dana Point, Calif.) is one of his restaurants.
His book, “The Cookbook – Michael Mina” (Bulfinch Press, $50), offers a formula for olive oil-poached rack of lamb that sounds irresistible, but perhaps a wee bit impractical for most home kitchens.
So I asked him for a recipe that he might cook at home for his family on Easter. Without hesitation he suggested a roasted boneless leg of lamb encrusted in salt, a technique that first sears the meat to develop caramelization on the exterior, then packs it in a salt-herb-egg white mixture to seal in the juices as it roasts in the oven.
“Lamb takes seasonings and spices really well,” he said. “And when roasting it in salt and herbs, it gets this aromatic thing going on inside the crust. It comes out seasoned perfectly.”
Perfect, indeed, and it is easy to do if you have an instant-read thermometer, a must-have inexpensive gizmo that is essential for accurate meat cookery.
The boned, browned and encrusted lamb roasts in a 275-degree oven for 30 minutes or until it reaches 100 degrees. Then it sits at room temperature for 45 minutes (in its salt “house”) to come up to 135 to 140 degrees. Yes, it will continue “cooking” while it rests.
Then you crack it open with a mallet. When the salt “igloo” is cracked and removed, the meat isn’t too salty. In fact, it is perfectly seasoned.
To accompany Mina’s Salt-Baked Leg of Lamb, he recommends salt-baked potatoes accented with fresh rosemary or a touch of curry powder. And a really fresh yogurt-based sauce (such as a raita or tzatziki). Plus a sautéed green with bold flavors, such as mustard greens or Swiss chard.
UGO ALLESINA, EXECUTIVE CHEF, PREGO RISTORANTE
Allesina likes to reminisce about Easter fare in Italy. Roast lamb or baby goat (capretto) was the focus of holiday feasts in the Northern Italian town where he grew up, close to the western shore of Lago Maggiore.
Allesina says he has always loved lamb, a passion that might have been fueled by the game hunting culture that thrived in his town.
“Where I grew up, there was a lot of hunting going on, so I love it if the flavor is a little wild,” he said. “Lamb is only a little wild, not like venison or wild boar. With lamb the wildness is close to the bone.
“And I like any kind of lamb, even if it is overcooked. But beef, if it is overcooked, I am not going to eat it.”
For Easter at home, he suggests Abbacchio Alla Senape (lamb with mustard): Bone-in loin chops lightly coated with a Dijon mustard mixture and breaded with Italian-style breadcrumbs augmented with fresh herbs. They are sautéed and served topped with a drizzle of perky-but-creamy mustard sauce.
The side dishes that Allesina selected combine to create harmony on the plate. His whipped potatoes are enhanced with minced fresh mint, an element that adds a complementary spark to the lamb.
And he recommends a simple sauté of fresh rapini, a green vegetable that looks somewhat like broccoli (but with more slender stalks and often yellow flowers atop the clusters of buds). Rapini adds a welcome bitter note that balances nicely with the smooth, buttery potatoes.
I asked Allesina what his mother served with lamb or kid at his Italian Easter meals.
“My house had a garden right next door,” he explained. “In Easter time, March or April, Mom cooked carrots, baby turnips and small white potatoes, something like fingerlings.
“Always from the garden. The only fruit or vegetable I can remember my mother buying at a store was bananas.”
Here are the chefs’ recipes along with my recipe for butterflied and grilled leg of lamb. Happy Easter!
MINA’S SALT-BAKED LEG OF LAMB
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3 boxes kosher salt (1 pound each)
9 large egg whites
4 cups water 1
boneless leg of lamb, 4 to 5 pounds, tied
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Procedure:
Remove lamb from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
In a bowl, combine salt, egg whites and water; mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
In a large skillet on mediumhigh heat, sear the lamb until it develops a nice crust. It should take about 15 minutes, and the meat should still be very rare to raw.
Put a 1/2-inch deep layer of the salt mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the rosemary. Position the lamb over the salt and top with two sprigs of rosemary. Pack the remainder of the salt over and around the lamb. It should be fully enclosed. Pack the salt tightly. Insert an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb. Remove the thermometer, making sure to leave a hole in the salt to reinsert the thermometer later once the salt has hardened.
Roast the lamb in preheated 275-degree oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes insert your meat thermometer through the hole in the salt and check the temperature. It should read 100 degrees. If it is low, remove thermometer and bake a few more minutes and check again. Once it reaches 100 degrees, remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest, still encased in salt with the thermometer in place, for 45 minutes. Thermometer should read 135 to 140 degrees. Crack open the salt with a mallet and remove; slice the lamb and serve.
Nutrition information (per serving): 290 calories (54 percent from fat), 16.7 g fat, 6.9 g saturated fat, 92 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 450 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Source: Michael Mina, chef-owner of Stonehill Tavern (as well as many other restaurants), St. Regis Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Calif.
ABBACCHIO ALLA SENAPE (LAMB WITH MUSTARD)
Yield: 2 servings
2 cups dry Italian herbs breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons mixed fresh minced herbs, such as rosemary, sage and thyme
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Dijon-style whole-grain mustard
Pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 bone-in loin lamb chops
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Procedure: In a shallow bowl or pie pan, combine breadcrumbs and herbs; set aside.
In a shallow bowl or pie pan, beat eggs and mustard until well combined. Combine salt and flour in a separate shallow bowl or pie pan.
Working with one chop at a time, dust chop with floursalt mixture on both sides. Dip into egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs, coating both sides.
Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add chops in single layer. Cook for about four minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the lamb chop). The chops should be golden brown (and a little crisp) and pink in the middle. Serve with whipped potatoes and rapini (recipe below). Drizzle mustard sauce over lamb chops only and garnish with a mint leaf.
Nutrition information (per serving of lamb): 309 calories (72 percent from fat), 25.3 g fat, 10.9 g saturated fat, 82 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 19 g protein, 490 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
RAPINI
1/2 pound rapini, see cook’s notes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried red chili flakes
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Cook’s notes: Rapini is a green vegetable that at first glance you might mistake for broccoli. The stalks are more slender than broccoli’s. Sometimes the buds open to yellow flowers. Rapini has an assertive bitterness which makes it a welcome accompaniment to creamy potatoes or pasta. Rapini is found in supermarkets with large produce sections.
Procedure: Cut rapini “heads” (flowers and leaves) away from the thick stems. Do not use thick stems (save for another dish). Rinse and drain in a colander. Bring about 2 quarts of water with salt to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Drain well and refresh with cold water; drain again.
In a large, deep skillet heat oil on medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until garlic just starts to turn golden. Add drained rapini, chili flakes and pepper. Toss. Cook until rapini is heated through. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Nutrition information (per serving): 50 calories (39 percent from fat), 2.1 g fat, 2.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g protein, 45 mg sodium, 3.2 g fiber
Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
WHIPPED POTATO ALLA MENTA
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound russet potatoes
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves
Garnish: fresh mint leaves
Procedure: Clean, peel and cut potatoes into small cubes. Bring 2 quarts of water and salt to a boil in large pan or Dutch oven. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. Whip potatoes with electric mixer along with butter, cream, salt, and nutmeg. Add minced fresh mint and mix to combine. Garnish plates with mint leaves.
Nutrition information (per serving): 188 calories (70 percent from fat), 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 484 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
SALSA SENAPE (MUSTARD SAUCE)
Yield: about 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons minced shallots
4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Procedure: In a medium saucepan, cook shallots in 2 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat until golden, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until most of wine evaporates, and there is only a glaze on the bottom of the pan. Add cream and cook until reduced by half in volume. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until melted. Stir in mustards. Drizzle over lamb chops.
Nutrition information (per teaspoon): 60 calories (60 percent from fat), 4 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 68 mg sodium, 0 g fiber Source: Ugo Allesina, executive chef, Prego Ristorante, Irvine, Calif.
GRILLED BONED LEG OF LAMB
Yield: 8 servings
1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb
Vegetable oil for brushing on grill
Marinade:
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup rosemary leaves
1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard, Grey Poupon Peppercorn Mustard preferred
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
Final seasoning:
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Cook’s note: For additional flavor, throw a sprig or two of fresh rosemary on the coals and close the lid; the aroma is incredible.
Procedure:
Trim fat from lamb. Cut garlic into long, skinny slivers. Using a small pointed knife, make small opening in lamb and insert garlic. Do this about 25-30 times. If you have leftover garlic, chop it and place in marinade bowl.
Combine all marinade ingredients. Place lamb in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Pour marinade over top. Coat meat on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but not more than 24 hours.
One hour before grilling, remove lamb from refrigerator. Heat grill. Brush grill rack with oil. Remove lamb from marinade and place on paper towels to absorb some of the wet marinade that is left on the lamb (do not pat dry). Lay lamb flat on grill and cover. Grilling times will vary, depending on heat of your grill. You want the lamb to have an internal temperature of 135 to 1 40 degrees (the lamb will be medium rare). You want a nice crust on the meat, so if you don’t have that, you might want to turn up the heat toward the end of the grilling time. On most grills, grilling time is about 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer is very helpful. Allow meat to rest 5 minutes before craving. Cut into thin slices.
Nutrition information (per serving): 320 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 7.2 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 5.5 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein, 667 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
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