Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops with Spring Pesto and My New Blog Concept

Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops with Spring Pesto

Welcome to My New Blog Concept!

Life continues to be crazy, but I haven't forgotten about sharing my recipes with you.  Unfortunately, yes, I'm still dealing with my knee issue.  Please send me prayers or thoughts for getting this resolved.  I hate having my exercise routine interrupted.  I like to eat, if you haven't guessed.  So exercise is vital!  For me.  Because I eat so much. 

You don't want to hear about my middle-aged aches and oh da pains!  You want to see what great and simple recipe I posted. 

BUT, if you've been following this blog for a while, you'll notice I branded it with another name.  I think change is good.  

The reason I did this is that I realized that while I'm a good cook during the week, I've been so busy and preoccupied that I only have a chance to be a great cook on the weekend.  I know some of you are in the same boat.  You love to cook, but only really have time to devote to it on a Saturday or Sunday. 

I have said, I'll never post just to post.  All of my recipes are kitchen tested, tasted and approved.  I never want to post anything that you can't recreate and get the same great results.

All of my old recipes are still here.  You just need to look back in the archives. 

Now, for this weekend's recipe.   I found this pepper seasoning in my supermarket.  I don't often do this, but I am incorporating this store bought seasoning into my recipe.

I am addicted to the Pero ® Pepper seasoning.   I am actually showing this recipe with a side of these peppers prepared with the seasoning, but I used it in the marinade, too.  It's no salt added, and you will not miss the salt at all.   There is enough salt in the pesto. 

And speaking of the pesto -

You'll want to prepare that pesto first -

For the Spring Pesto:

2 scallions, green and white parts, top removed and chopped

1 bunch (1 ounce) fresh basil

1/2 cup salt and pepper slivered almonds

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup good quality Extra Virgin olive oil, plus extra as needed
2 pinches pink salt

For the Lamb Chop Marinade:

For each 3 or 4 lamb loin chops you will need:

1/8 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1/8 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/8 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Pero  ® Seasoning for Peppers
1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil

Directions:

To make the pesto:  Add the chopped scallions, basil, almonds and lemon juice into a food processor.  Pulse until combined.   Add in the cheese and continue to pulse until a smooth. 

Drizzle in the oil through the top of the food processor and continue to pulse until the pesto emulsifies.  Add extra oil as needed.  

Note: This pesto will be thick.  I like to add in a little extra olive oil before serving the pesto.  This way you can freeze the leftovers and add extra oil after defrosting.

Mix all ingredients together for the marinade (fresh chopped herbs, lemon juice, seasoning and olive oil).

Add chops to marinade.   Turn to coat.  Let marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

Brush grill with oil or use cooking spay for the grill. 

Preheat grill to 450 degrees F.

Remove chops from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel (lightly).

Grill chops about 4 or 5 minutes each side for medium rare.  I like to close the lid during the cooking process, but be careful for flare ups.  Adjust cooking time accordingly and for your grill as grill temperatures do vary.

Serve the chops with grilled baby peppers and cucumber salad made with Greek yogurt and fresh dill.  

Note on the seasoning:  No product was given to the blogger.  

You can also add a little fresh lemon juice over the dish at the end.   I like to add some torn basil too.  You can play with the garnishes as you like.  Mint might also be a nice garnish for this dish.

I know you're going to make this recipe over and over again. 

Tell me what you think of my new blog concept.

As always, enjoy and "I'll see you soon."

Tomato Braised Lamb Shoulder Blade Chops

I like to serve this lamb dish over cooked lentils and topped with sautéed greens and mushrooms.   Yum!

Okay, I know that I promised you "Italian" the next time I posted.  But this is more of a Mediterranean influenced recipe. 

Before I begin, I'd like to thank any of you who have thrown your support my way in the "Extended Stay" contest.   If you haven't seen that post, I added a link to my last post to the end of tonight's.  Thanks again for voting for me.  

If you wonder where I've been, there are lots of great cooking contests out there right now and I have been working on those.  As I have a day job, my time is limited.  But fall always brings more chances for me to blog, so I'll be stepping up the posting soon.

Also, I am thinking of updating the look of this blog again.  So parts of my blog may be under construction here and there, but it's only to make my blog better for you! 

Okay, enough chit chat.  How about a recipe?  I mean, that's what you really stopped by to see, right?

I love lamb chops.  When I think of them, I think of these petite chops or the "lollipops" which are often served as appetizers.  Those can be expensive.  I honestly go into shock every time I go to the checkout now.

Lamb shoulder blade chops are often a GREAT value.  They are often packaged as "steaks."  But every time I've bought them, I've tried to marinate and grill them or pan sear them, and they've curled up and turned into... well, not my best meal.  Frankly this time of year, as much as I LOVE to grill, major thunderstorms roll in. I don't mind grilling on the patio in the rain, but I think getting struck by lightning might hurt so I don't want to do that. 

Tonight when I discovered a secret:  BRAISING them.  Yes.  Unlike what the butcher's label often tells you to do, these chops are most delicious braised.  

You still marinate them; oh, yes you do, but then you quickly pan sear them to hold in the juices, and then slow braise them in a flavorful tomato sauce laced with white wine and Worcestershire -  and it makes them so nice and tender. 

If you like lamb, you're going to love this recipe!

So here we go:

This recipe serves two (2) with lots of sauce.  See my note at the end for doubling the recipe.  Unlike many of my recipes, this one will need just a little tweaking if doubling. 

Directions:

2 Lamb Shoulder Blade chops, bone in, about 1 1/2 lbs. total
1/8 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
1/8 tsp. salt free table blend seasoning (select a brand with includes cumin if possible, or add a pinch of cumin)
1 small lemon, juiced and rind reserved
2 springs rosemary, plus 1/2 tbsp. chopped rosemary
1/8 tsp. Mediterranean sea salt
1 can (15 ounces) original recipe stewed tomatoes with juice
1 tbsp. concentrated beef stock
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup dry white wine or non alcoholic wine


Note:  You can substitute beef stock for the concentrated stock and wine to keep it "family friendly."  Adjust salt accordingly depending on the salt content of your stock.

Add the lamb to a bowl or container suitable for marinating.

Add the olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, Cayenne pepper, and salt free table blend to a bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice. 

Pour the mixture over the lamb and add the rosemary springs and lemon rind on top of the chops (steaks).  Marinate for at least an hour, but no more than 90 minutes.  Acid tends to cook meat and you don't want that. 

Get a sauté pan smoking hot. 

Pull off any large garlic chunks of marinated lamb but do not pat dry.  You need the oil to get the sear.

Add the rest of the oil to it and sear the chops on both sides; about one minute each just to get a nice sear - longer if you need to, but no more than two minutes each side.

Transfer to a glass baking dish.  Season with the sea salt. Flip lamb and season the other side.

Mix together the tomato, concentrated beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, wine the remaining garlic and reserved chopped rosemary. 

Pour the braising mixture over the lamb.

Carefully cover with foil so that the foil isn't touching the tomatoes. 

Bake at 275 for one hour until lamb is well one and falling off the bone. 

You are going to LOVE this recipe.

Cheers!  I'll see you soon.

Note:  If making four (4) servings, use half of the juice from the second can of tomatoes, and 1 1/2 tbs. of the concentrated both.

To serve:  I like to serve this over cooked lentils with sautéed collard greens and mushrooms. 

Link to previous blog post:  SEND MK TO NYC!

MK

Lamb Chops Piccata with Mushroom and Capers

 

I love ANYTHING Piccata.  You could boil a shoe and top it with Piccata sauce and I'd probably eat it. 

Well -- maybe not!

But you get my drift. 

The perfect Piccata is lemony and full of fresh herb flavor.  I've seen it made with garlic.  I've seen it made with shallot and without. 

I made this tonight, and I did Robert Irvine's "Happy Dance" when I tasted my sauce.  It was PERFECT!  Just the right acid balance.  Yum!

My recipe is kind of a variation on Piccata but I know you will just love it - especially if you love lamb chops like I do.  Even if you don't like lamb, try my sauce with the mushroom and capers on turkey cutlets or chicken.  It even goes nicely with a tender NY strip steak. 

So, with no further adieu, here you go:

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. bone in lamb loin chops (4 chops)

2 1/2 tbs. light olive oil

2 tbs. chopped garlic

12-15 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided

 ¼ cup lemon juice, divided

2 tbs. cold butter, divided

 

1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, halved

1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

½ tsp. ground sage

¼ cup low sodium chicken broth

Splash dry vermouth, optional

1 tbs. chopped capers

Chopped fresh sage

 

Directions:

Marinate the lamb chops in the olive oil (reserve 1/2 tbs.), garlic, 1/2 of the lemon juice, and about 10 sprigs of thyme, partially stripped.  Let marinate a room temperature, covered, for about 30 minutes.

 

Add the remaining olive oil to a skillet.  Let the oil get hot over medium heat and then dump it out, letting the remnants just coat the pan.

 

Add half of the butter to a skillet and melt.  Add in mushrooms and the remaining thyme stripped from the stem.  Sauté until the mushrooms are lightly browned.  Remove from pan.

 

Remove the lamb chops from the marinade.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  Discard marinade. 

 

Season on both sides with a mixture of the lemon pepper and ground sage.  Add chops to hot pan.  Sear on both sides, about four minutes one side, two minutes for second side (remove from heat for the two minutes and let cook in a hot pan) for medium rare.  Cook longer for desired temperature. 

 

Did you get that?  Yes, I flipped the chops, took the pan off the heat and let them continue to cook in a hot pan.

 

Remove chops from pan and let rest.

 

 

Add the rest of the butter lemon juice, the broth, and vermouth, if using, to the skillet.  Deglaze the pan; scraping the browned bits from the bottom.  Add in the capers and return the mushrooms to the pan.

 

Bring sauce to boil and reduce to simmer until thickened to your liking - about four minutes.

 

 

Serve sauce over chops.  Top with fresh sage. 

 

Enjoy and I'll see you soon!

 

 

Easter Grilled Lamb with Yogurt Mint and Honey Sauce

Before I begin, a big shout out to Susie from Nutrition and Wellness News for posting my leg of lamb recipe.  Thank you, Susie.  http://nutritionwellnessnews.blogspot.com/


I got the idea for this recipe from Suzanne Somers.  Suzanne wrote a similar recipe years ago in her diet cookbook "Get Skinny on Fabulous Food" (page 219.).  I revised the recipe a bit for our taste buds, and I make a smaller roast.  

Grilled lamb has become an Easter tradition in our home.  I grilled this up on Sunday night so I wanted to share it with you.  If you read last year's recipe, you'll see that I made a few variations this year.  That is the great thing about a good "base" recipe; it can evolve over time and as it does, it just keeps getting better and better.    I think I actually (finally) mastered the proper grilling time so that I get the results that I want; something for everyone.  We like leftovers so I keep the rarest portion of the lamb to reheat.

Here is a link to last year's post:  http://welcometojustforcooking.blogspot.com/2011/04/grilled-spring-leg-of-lamb.html

Easter Grilled Lamb
with Yogurt Mint and Honey Sauce

You will need:

1 boned leg of lamb, rolled -  3 to 3 1/2 pounds (netting removed)
1 cup olive oil, divided
Juice of one lemon, one tablespoon reserved and lemon reserved and sliced
4 or 5 fresh rosemary sprigs, whole, plus one tablespoon finely chopped
1 clove elephant garlic*, sliced thin
2 tablespoons grill seasoning for steak
Cooking spray for grill

For the Yogurt Mint and Honey Sauce:

1 cup Greek yogurt (plain)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Spanish paprika

Garnish:  Fresh chopped Mint (optional)

*Elephant garlic is larger and sweeter than regular garlic.  Find it in your produce section at your local supermarket.  If you cannot find it, you can substitute regular garlic cloves.

24 1/2 hours before grilling, butterfly your rolled leg of lamb by removing the net and cutting through the connective tissue so that the lamb lies flat in your marinating dish.  Some of the lamb might be thicker at some points but that is okay.  This will help to create slices that are more or less well done for your guests.

Place the meat in the marinating pan fat cap side down.

Combine the olive oil and lemon juice, reserving the one tablespoon for later.   Pour this over the meat.  Add the rosemary sprigs, the garlic slices and the reserved lemon slices. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 24 hours.

1/2 hour before you are ready to grill, remove the lamb from the marinade and pat dry.  Be sure to remove the rosemary springs, the garlic and the lemon slices and discard them.

Pat meat dry with a paper towel to remove excess oil.   Rub the grill seasoning into both sides of the meat.  Let meat rest to take off some of the refrigerator chill for about 20 to 30 minutes. 

Spray grill with cooking spray.  Preheat grill to 350 degrees.

Whisk together remaining olive oil with lemon juice and chopped rosemary and set aside.

Add meat to hot grill, fat cap side up.  This is important so that the fat on the lamb doesn't cause an immediate flair up.  It will flair a little due to the oil in the marinade.

Cook on first side for 15 minutes.  Flip lamb. 

Important:  Turn center burners off.  Continue to cook lamb over indirect heat for 8 - 10 minutes more.  This will create medium well ends, medium rare for the sides of the roast, and a rare center.  Adjust cooking time on second side based on the temperature you like.

Plate lamb and pour the oil, lemon and rosemary mixture over the top.  Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with mint if using.   

Cook's note:  I like to also add a few lemon slices to the plate.  I squeeze those on before slicing the meat.  But like the mint, that is entirely optional.

Combine  all  ingredients for the sauce.  Serve with sliced lamb. 

Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for about 3 or 4 days.

Lamb Ragu over Cheese Ravioli - And Confessions of a Sappy Holiday Movie Watcher

Lamb Ragu over Cheese Ravioli

I WILL admit it!   Around the holidays, there are always great movies on TV.  Hallmark runs an entire series of classic TV Christmas movies.  And I love them! 

Only problem is, I cannot make it through one without crying!  Is it any wonder that I spend the entire holiday season a bit melancholy? 

I was watching "Holiday Magic" the other night -  without ruining it for you;  first you think she's dead, then she's not, and she ends up with the guy and the little girl knows she's an angel! 

Here come the tears...

The men who read this blog are now going,  "Yeah, okay.  I think 'Pale Rider' is on tonight."

It is, by the way... 

I digress -

This is a festive meal; perfect for watching one of those sappy holiday movies.   It's great for a cozy night in by the fireplace. 

It can be doubled or tripled very easily if you're serving family in from out of town.  If you are a college student or you're on a tight budget  - and who isn't these days?  -  you can make this meal for just a few bucks.

You don't need to purchase an $8.00 jar jar of pasta sauce either.  I used a 99 cent can of a well-known brand for this recipe and it came out great.  The sauce was "on special" at my local store.

My only real advice to you here is to not use a sherry "cooking wine."  Buy a sherry that you could drink, even if it's a lesser expensive brand that your grocery store carries.

I served the lamb ragu over cheese ravioli with a side of zucchini and squash.  It's also great over barley or brown rice.  

The ragu is made in a crock pot, so it also saves time, and hey -who couldn't use more of that?

I didn't write the weight in my recipe for the lamb shank.  

"Oh, why not, Mary Kay?" 

"Well, here's why" --  she says with great enthusiasm. 

The bone makes for part of weight.  Sometimes you get a big bone and just a little meat.  Look for a shank that seems to have a fair amount of meat on it.  Ask your butcher if you need advice on how many people each shank will feed.

This recipe serves 4:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Grapeseed Oil
1 meaty Lamb Shank
Coarse Sea Salt, to taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
2 Carrots, sliced
4 stalks of Celery, chopped
24 ounces of store-bought pasta sauce (Garlic and Onion flavor)
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
3  tablespoons Sherry wine
2 tablespoons 2% Milk
1/8 cup Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese, plus extra for the table

Other: 
Cooked  Cheese Ravioli
Chopped fresh Parsley

Preheat slow cooker on high.*

Heat heavy pan with oil added.  Salt and pepper lamb shank; press salt and pepper into the flesh of the meat.  Brown on all sides, about five minutes.

Add browned meat to warm slow cooker along with carrot and celery.  Add sauce, Italian seasoning, sherry wine and stir.  

Cover with lid and cook on high for four hours.  

Remove shank.  Pull meat from shank and return to slow cooker.  Stir in milk and cheese.

Serve over cooked ravioli.  

Top with more cheese and fresh parsley if desired.


I'll be taking some much deserved time off over the holiday weekend.   But I'll be back next week to share my holiday meal recipes with you.   These recipes will be perfect for New Year's Eve or for any special occasion.


Have a great holiday weekend.   See you soon!  

*For low heat, cook for 8 hours.

Balsamic Dijon Lamb Steaks

Balsamic Dijon Lamb Steaks

I saw these lamb steaks in my supermarket and I had to try them.  These are slices of leg of lamb cut thicker like a steak.  I made a simple marinade and I pan seared these steaks until browned on one side and then I finished them in a hot oven.

My marinade does not include salt.  I didn't want to draw the moisture out of the lamb.  You want to do this any time you anticipate marinated meat is going to cook very quickly.  

I also waited and added the salt I used for seasoning the lamb after it finished cooking. 

Lamb in the Marinade

For each 3/4 pound of Lamb Steaks you will need -

For the Marinade:

2 ounces of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and pour over the lamb.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours for the best flavor.

When you are ready to cook -

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Dab some of the excess marinade off the lamb with a paper towel.  This will help with the browning process.
• Sprinkle a little freshly ground Black Pepper on both sides of the lamb, to taste. 
• Preheat a cast iron skillet on high with a little Olive Oil added to the pan. 
• Cook lamb steaks on one side, about one and one half minutes until browned. 
• Flip and place the pan into the hot oven for about three minutes until the steaks come up to medium rare.  Carryover cooking time will occur, so adjust time accordingly.
• Sprinkle with salt before serving. 
• Let lamb rest a few minutes before you slice into it.

I served the lamb will Dilled Mashed Potatoes and
Wilted Spinach with Olive Oil and Nutmeg

Have a great weekend! 

I'll be back next week with Thanksgiving recipes and leftover ideas.

Eggplant and Lamb Moussaka (Baked on the Grill)

Eggplant and Lamb Moussaka

Eggplant is a summertime staple in our house.  We buy it at our local farmer’s market on Sunday afternoon. 

Hubby Dan loves Eggplant dipped into Mrs. T’s Spicy Bloody Mary Mix and dredged in all purpose flour.  Then we fry it in combination of light olive oil and canola oil  – 2 minutes each side.   We pat off the excess oil and once we plate them, we hit them with a little fine sea salt.  We serve it with a ranch dip spiked with your favorite hot sauce.  Yum!  (This is your bonus recipe tonight).

We try not to fry too food much in this household.   I had eggplant that I wanted to use up, and I also had ground lamb in the freezer.  I have an abundance of oregano and fresh mint growing in my patio herb garden so I said to myself, “Self, why not make Moussaka tonight?  

This is a summertime casserole that you can bake on the grill.  Yes, I said on the grill.   Remember - a grill is an outside broiler.  You only need to use the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees to pre-roast the eggplant.  If you read this blog, you know how I feel about using the oven in the summer.

The flavors in my Moussaka will make you want to shout “Opa!” and break out the Ouzo.  The addition of the little bit of cooking cream, sweet red pepper and pepper tomato sauce, I am certain is not traditional. I think you will like my garlicky and savory version of this classic Greek delight.  Lots of good veggies (Power Foods) in this meal!

Serves 4.

For this recipe, you will need –

To Prepare the Eggplant:

18 slices of Eggplant (peeled and thinly sliced)

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Butter flavored cooking spray

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Lamb Filling:

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound Ground Lamb

1 small sweet Onion, diced

2 tablespoons chopped Red Bell Pepper

1 Plum Tomato, chopped

1 cup Prepared Spaghetti Sauce with Sweet Peppers (suggest Barilla ® Calabrese)

¼ cup Philadelphia Brand® Savory Garlic Cooking Crème

1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/4 of Dry Red Table Wine

Sea Salt, to taste

Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Pinch or two of Ground Cinnamon

Béchamel Sauce:

4 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Flour

3/4 Cup of 2% Milk

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

Sea Salt, to taste

White Pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese

Other:

Cooking Spray

1 tablespoon Fresh Oregano, stemmed and chopped

1 tablespoon Fresh Chopped Mint

Fresh chopped Parsley (optional)

¼ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Peel purple skin from eggplants and slice thin. 

Salt and pepper both sides and place on cooking sheet sprayed with butter flavored cooking spray. 

Drizzle with Olive Oil.   Bake for 15 minutes.  Set aside until cool to touch.  Turn the oven off!  That’s all you’re going to need it.

Brown lamb in Olive Oil.  Add onion and chopped tomato.  Cook for three minutes.

Add remaining ingredients for the lamb.  Stir well to mix the cooking cream and the red sauce.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer, about five minutes until heated through.

In a tin foil loaf play sprayed with cooking spray, layer 3 slices of eggplant and meat until all are used up (no meat on top of the last layer).

Add Butter to sauce pan along with the flour.  Cook for three minutes over low heat, stirring to make sure that flour doesn’t burn but is combined with the butter. 

Add the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Simmer over low until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Stir in the grated cheese at the end.

Top the eggplant and lamb mixture casserole with the Béchamel.  Sprinkle with the fresh Oregano and chopped Mint.  Reserve some for garnish if desired.  Top with crumbled feta.

Preheat your grill to 400 degrees.  Bake your casserole in a grill-safe pan for about 25 minutes or until slightly browned.  You can open and close the lid to adjust or retain the heat.  Kick back and have a cool glass of iced tea while you sit on the porch and watch your grill.

Let casserole rest for ten minutes before serving.   Top with fresh chopped parsley and reserved herbs if desired.

Note:  You’ve got to have a spinach salad with Greek Olives, tomatoes and feta with this dish, and don’t forget a glass of red wine!  Red wine and this dish are a match made in heaven.

Wine Pairing:  I suggest Lakeridge Reserve Cuvee Noir*.  This wine has a deep burgundy color and just a hint of oak (winemaker’s secret, as it’s made in stainless steel tanks).  The spices in this wine work wonderfully with the rich flavors of this dish.  

Find this wine at  http://www.lakeridgewinery.com/ *

Note about cooking with wine:   If you drink better or pricier wines, or you’re concerned about using what you plan to drink up in the food if you’ve got a lot of people to serve, here’s a tip I go by --   Try to find decent wines that are on sale for cooking.  Select a slightly better or higher quality wine with similar characteristics to drink with the meal.

I found a California Merlot  wine which was on sale 2 bottles for $9.00.   I only bought the one bottle for $4.50.  I used it in this dish and then pumped the air out.  Corked and refrigerated, it should last the remainder of the week  for cooking.  I served the Cuvee Noir with this dish.  The flavors of the two wines (the Merlot in the food and the wine we were drinking) complimented each other just fine.

Not a paid endorsement for the wine.

Grilled Spring Leg of Lamb

Grilled Spring Leg of Lamb



THIS was our Easter dinner.  Boneless and buttlerflied, I think this is by far the best lamb I’ve ever made.  The essence of garlic, lemon and rosemary and a big hit of fresh chopped herbs and more lemon at the end makes this a truly memorable meal. 

I got this idea from a Suzanne Somers recipe years ago (Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, 1999, Crown Publishers, NY, NY:  Page 219).  While SS's version is tasty, over the years, as cooks often do, I played around with it a bit until I came up with a cooking method and the exact flavors that we really like.  Like Paula Deen says, "Make the recipe the first time the way the cook intended it to be made, then make it your own."  

I like use elephant garlic as it is sweeter and milder.  This method will impart a wonderful garlic flavor into the meat.  I've told you before that Dan doesn't care for fresh rosemary due to the pine needle texture, so I often opt for the dry.  I hope you will try this recipe and then make it your own.  If you do, please feel free to post your variations here or on our community page on Facebook.

BTW- don't mean to brag -  but I've lost five more pounds (yea!) just by eating this way and by exercising.  I was worried because due to my surgeries, I've had to cut back on the intensity of my morning workouts and go for lower impact activities.  I am still losing!  Of course, your dietary needs might be different, but I hope that my scaled-down home style meals are working to reduce your waistline, too!

Serves 4-6

Prep Time:  15 Minutes

Marinating Time:  8 - 24 Hours

Cooking Time:  1 Hr. 45 Minutes

You will need –

1 – 3 ½ - 4 lb lb. Boneless Leg of Lamb*

1 cup Olive Oil, divided

Juice of 2 medium Lemons, divided

1 clove Elephant Garlic, sliced thin

1 large Lemon, sliced, divided

2 teaspoons dried Rosemary

1 1/2 tablespoons Grill Seasoning for Steak (more or less to taste)

Combination of fresh chopped Herbs (suggest mint, oregano and thyme)

Other:  Fresh Mint (for garnish), Oil for grill grates and Cooking Spray for grill.

*For this dish, I like to purchase a leg of lamb in the netting.  These are usually trimmed down so that you do not have to spend time trimming the excess fat.  You will need to keep some of the fat so that the lamb doesn't dry out on the grill.   You can always trim it up as you serve it.

Remove the netting from the lamb.  To butterfly, simply take a meat carving knife and cut the meat where it was joined around the bone before the bone was removed. 

Place the butterflied lamb in a non-metallic container suitable for marinating, fat side down.  Pour ½ cup of the olive oil over lamb and the juice of one lemon.  Place ½ of the lemon slices and the elephant garlic slices over the top of the meat.  Sprinkle with the dried rosemary.

Seal the container and marinate overnight, up to 24 hours.

Lamb Marinating in Olive Oil, Lemon Juice,
Lemon Slices, Elephant Garlic, and Rosemary

Note:  Reserve the remaining lemon juice and olive oil.  You will be combining this with the fresh herbs for your basting sauce.  You can save this step here and combine this together right before you grill if you like.

Remove lamb from refrigerator to take the chill off before tossing it on the hot grill.

Lamb, ready to grill, almost...

Oil grill grates and spray on cooking spray for the grill.  

Preheat grill to 400°. 

Remove the lemon and garlic slices from the lamb and pat with a paper towel to mop up some of the excess moisture so that the lamb will brown. 

Rub BOTH sides of the lamb with grill seasoning.  Whisk together the remaining lemon juice, olive oil and herbs for your basting sauce (if you have not already done so).



Now the lamb is ready for my grill!



Place lamb on preheated grill, over direct heat, FAT SIDE UP.  This will allow the juices from the fat to coat the lamb instead of landing at the bottom of your grill.  You will be less likely to have flair ups. 

After fifteen (15) minutes of cooking over direct heat, flip lamb to fat side down. 

Turn off center burner(s) on gas grill.  If using a charcoal grill, follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for indirect cooking.

Grill for ½ hour over indirect heat. Close lid to maintain heat, checking once or twice to check the temperature with a meat thermometer.    Heat will drop to about 350°.

Flip lamb to fat side up.  Turn center burners back on, but reduce heat to medium-low.  Grill over direct heat for another fifteen minutes.  I normally close the lid for half the time and then open it and begin checking the temp.   After the 15 minutes, my meat thermometer normally reads about 125°.   

Flip lamb to fat side down once more.  Cook for approximately fifteen minutes, continuously basting the “presentation side” of lamb with the basting sauce you created with the olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. 

I like to remove the lamb when the temperature reads 140° to allow for carryover cooking.   I place the cooked lamb on a plate and tent it with foil for about 10 minutes.   As I always say, grills vary so adjust accordingly. 

Sure, you have to watch the grill, but this is great for those days when you can take a cold beverage and relax.  We are all entitlted to that, aren't we? 



Ready for dinner?

I served this with steamed asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce and grilled potatoes with dill and parsley.  A splurge, yes, but I used lowfat milk in the sauce and only two tablespoons of butter on the potatoes.  The beauty of this cooking method is that the ends will be more well done, but the center stays pink.  This is a great recipe if you’ve got someone in your family who prefers medium-well lamb (Dan) and everyone else likes it medium or medium-rare




Easter Dinner is served!


For the potatoes, I par boil quartered red potatoes for about five minutes and then I toss them in olive oil with a little vegetable seasoning.  I grill these in a tin foil pan over direct heat for about 30 minutes until the outside is crispy.  For the last few minutes, I toss them with just two tablespoons of melted butter.  I let them continue cooking on the grill to give them that final crisp. Then I toss them with fresh dill and parsley before serving. 

These potatoes are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  

Happy grilling!