I rarely cook a Sunday roast these days. For a couple of reasons, not the least being the cost. Tastes have changed. We eat less meat. We spend less time in the kitchen. We’re more likely to top pasta with a modest amount of slow-cooked meat, smoked fish, or roasted vegetables.
However, at this time of the year, I eagerly seek out leg of lamb. Many markets sell lamb at promotional prices in anticipation of Easter celebrations. While a bone-in leg fills a holiday roast request, it’s the boneless leg that motivates a casual dinner. We fire up the grill and invite a few friends.
A boneless leg of lamb proves to be a cook’s dream. Its relative thinness reduces cooking time to less than 30 minutes. The lack of bones means effortless carving.
Many supermarkets sell Australian or New Zealand lamb, which tends to come from smaller animals than domestic lamb. A boneless leg of lamb from these animals will be about 4 to 5 pounds, just right for a group of six.
To prepare the boneless leg of lamb, remove it from its mesh bag or untie any string. Open out the lamb, fat side down, on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to “butterfly” any thick portions of the leg—so that it is a nearly even thickness. Insert slivers of garlic all over the roast. Generously salt and pepper the roast and then refrigerate, loosely covered, for a few hours or up to two days.
Grill the lamb like you would a thick steak—directly over the heat source, until nicely marked with the heat of the grill. If the browning goes too fast, simply move the lamb to a cooler section of the grill. Cook until the thinnest portion of the meat has an internal temperature of 140 degrees F for medium-rare. The thicker portions will be slightly rarer.
Spring lamb often gets paired with mint, a springtime companion. I like the partnership when fresh mint is on the menu—mint jelly is too sweet, in my opinion. This year, chopped fresh mint will be added to a green relish of avocado with olives and roasted green chiles. The relish can be partly prepared in advance; add the avocado and fresh herbs at the last minute.
This is a great party dish. Serve the lamb accompanied by roasted new potatoes, fresh asparagus, sliced tomato salad, and a fruity dessert.
Grilled Lamb With Avocado and Olive Relish With Herbs
Makes 6 to 8 servings- 1 boneless leg of lamb, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
- 4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
- Salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced roasted green chiles, see notes
- 1/2 cup sliced green manzanilla olives, with or without pimiento
- 2 small lemons
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 small avocados, pitted, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves, optional
- Chopped fresh herbs, for garnish
Put meat in a baking pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Drizzle each side with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Refrigerate loosely covered about two hours or up to two days.
For the avocado relish, mix the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, chiles, and olives in a small bowl. Use a zester or vegetable peeler to remove rind from both lemons. Thinly shred the rind. Add to olive mixture. Juice the lemons and add the juice to the olive mixture. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-hot.
Place the lamb, fatty side down, directly over the heat source. Cover the grill and cook 12 minutes. Turn lamb over. Cover grill and continue grilling until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F when inserted in the thickest portion, 10 to 12 minutes more. Remove lamb to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir in avocado, green onions, and cilantro into olive mixture. Season again with salt and pepper.
Use a very sharp knife to slice the lamb thinly. Sprinkle slices with a little salt. Sprinkle herbs over all. Pass the avocado and olive relish to add in small dollops.
Note: To roast green chiles: Rinse chiles and pat dry. If you have a gas stovetop, set chiles directly over a medium flame. Roast the chiles, turning often, until the skin is blistered and blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes total.
Remove to a plate and cover with a towel. Let cool. Use clean hands to rub the blackened skin off the chiles. Rinse briefly. Cut the chiles open and remove and discard seeds and stems. Roasted chiles can be refrigerated, covered, for up to several days or frozen for several months.
