Okay… I’ve figured out how to win the current Presidential election. Create a 3 day work week. That’s right. I have been on vacation all week this week; maybe call it a “staycation” as we decided to go nowhere. But, if I promised to make the work week 3 days and the rest of the week, were to be off days, how could I lose? I imagine that the huge corporate machine would probably assassinate me before I even reached the convention, I think that giving people more of their money and their time would be a huge mission that would invite votes, don’t you? I just love being off!

We’ve managed to get stuff done around the house, watch DVDs, got to the theater to check out “The Dark Knight", and cook up some really nice dishes. I even got an opportunity to sous chef for Bren from FlanBoyantEats during her television taping for a local morning show. Stay tuned to Bren’s blog for more about that experience. It is a shame that we have to return to the grind next week. I am so not looking forward to that.

Back to the grill again…

I think the first time I even thought about grilling a leg of lamb I got so intimidated I simply ended up roasting it in the oven for fear of failing a very expensive piece of meat. Now-a-days, not so much. I have done quite a few of these babies and they always come out really well. It really isn’t that difficult at all. I simply seared the leg over high heat and then moved the leg off of the heat and let it roast until medium rare temperature of 130 degrees-f. I used my remote wireless meat thermometer to monitor the temperature.

I served the lamb with tzatziki sauce, grilled white asparagus, and my new friend, tzatziki potato salad. This turned out to be a really nice summery meal.

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For the lamb:

INGREDIENTS:

1 4-5 lb boneless leg of lamb (butterflied)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano chopped
4 cloves garlic finely diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
S&P

METHOD:

Roll lamb out on a sheet pan.

Add herbs, oil, and lemon juice to a bowl and whisk to combine.

Rub herb mixture all over lamb coating both sides.

Salt and pepper the leg.

Let marinate in the fridge for 2 or more hours.

Prepare grill for high heat. I used a charcoal grill. It is easier to control flare-ups for me. Plus I like the flavor that the hard wood charcoal imparts.

Roll leg up and skewer crosswise to keep it closed.

Place lamb on grill directly over heat. Due to the fat in the lamb, there will be flare-ups, so don’t walk away!

Grill the lamb until it is browned all over.

Move the leg off of the heat for indirect cooking.

If you have one, stick a thermometer in the leg to monitor it. If not, roast the lamb until desired temperature. It should take about 45 minutes to an hour. DO NOT OVERCOOK! I suggest 130 degrees-f for medium rare. No more than 150 degrees-f please.

Let lamb rest for 15 minutes before carving.

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For tzatziki sauce:

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
5-7 cloves garlic, finely minced (I used 10 or 11)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
6 mint leaves minced

METHOD:

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

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For potato salad:

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

METHOD:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.

Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Drain, shaking out the excess water.

Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for about 10 minutes, just until no longer warm.

Gently toss with about a cup and a half of the tzatziki sauce.

Chill and serve.

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