From as far west as North Africa to as far east as Indonesia, the meat of choice is lamb. Just consider the sheer diversity of lamb dishes you can cook on an indoor grill: spit-roasted leg of lamb with Berber spices from Morocco; garlic and rosemary perfumed lamb chops from Friuli in northern Italy; and shish kebab from the Middle East. Hunger for something more exotic? How about lamb steaks with a feta cheese sauce or a spit-roasted kid inspired by Piedmont chef Cesare Giaccone? You can even barbecue leg of lamb, like they do in Owensboro, Kentucky.
The Berbers are a largely nomadic people of northwestern Africa, and while this particular recipe comes from Morocco, you’ll find Berber-spiced grilled meats as far afield as Israel and Ethiopia. Like Jamaica’s jerk seasoning, the spice paste likely originated as a preservative. It’s loaded with complex aromatic notes coming from coriander, cumin, and ginger and a sweetish touch in the form of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. In Morocco, the meat of choice for Berber seasoning is lamb, but the spice paste is also compelling used with chicken, beef, and whole fish. SERVES 6 TO 8
• Fenugreek (literally Greek hay) is a small rectangular seed with an earthy, pleasantly bitter flavor. There’s certainly plenty going on in the spice paste without it, but if you can find fenugreek (look for it at Indian markets, where it goes by the name methi), your lamb will be all the more authentic.
• You can also cook the meat on a fireplace rotisserie (see page 11). Trim off any excess fat before placing it on the spit. Cook over a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. It will take from 1 to 1¼ hours for medium-rare and 1½ hours for medium, depending on your fireplace.
FOR THE SPICE PASTE:
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped (for a hotter spice paste, leave the seeds in)
¼ cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅓ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 bone-in leg of lamb (4 to 5 pounds)
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter (optional), melted
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Butcher’s string
1. Make the spice paste: Place the onion, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño(s) in a food processor and finely chop, running the machine in short bursts. Add the paprika, salt, cracked pepper, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, if using, allspice, and cloves and process until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or lemon juice as necessary; the mixture should be highly seasoned.
2. Using the tip of a paring knife, make small slits on all sides of the roast about 1½ inches apart. Using the tip of your index finger, widen the holes slightly. Place a tiny spoonful of spice paste in each slit, forcing it in with your finger. Spread the remaining spice paste over the roast. Tie the lamb into a tight cylinder with butcher’s string. You can cook the lamb right away, but it will have even more flavor if you let it marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Skewer the lamb lengthwise on the rotisserie spit. Attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the roast until it is dark brown on all sides and cooked to taste, 1¼ to 1½ hours for medium-rare, about 1¾ hours for medium (most Moroccans prefer their lamb medium to well-done). Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness; don’t let the thermometer touch the spit or a bone. Medium-rare lamb will have an internal temperature of about 145°F; medium lamb will be about 160°F.
4. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board, remove the spit, and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Cut off and discard the string. Brush the lamb with butter, if desired (this may seem like gilding the lily, but it makes a luscious dish even richer). Thinly slice the lamb off the bone across the grain and serve at once.
It’s useful to know how to cook a bone-in leg of lamb in the event you can’t find a butterflied boneless leg of lamb. Try to find a bone-in roast from the loin (the upper) part of the leg; it will have more meat and less sinew than the shank end. You can certainly substitute a 3- to 3½-pound rolled butterflied leg of lamb—you’ll find the cooking time for it in the recipe below.
Lamb begs for mint—a fact appreciated by anyone who grew up eating lamb chops with mint jelly in Continental restaurants in the United States (or just about anywhere in England). Some people find mint jelly unpalatably cloying, however, so here’s a Mediterranean remake of this classic combination, featuring a decidedly unsweet wet rub made with fresh mint, garlic, and lemon. Mint jelly makes a cameo appearance in the sauce. SERVES 6
A butterflied leg of lamb is one that has had the bone removed. Tying a butterflied leg of lamb into a cylinder makes a boneless lamb roast.
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 strips lemon zest (each ½ by ½ inch), finely chopped
1 to 2 bunches mint, rinsed, shaken dry, and stemmed (for about 1 cup loosely packed leaves)
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
½ teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black peppercorns
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 butterflied leg of lamb (3 to 3½ pounds; see page 133), tied into a cylindrical roast
Sweet-and-Sour Mint Sauce (optional; recipe follows)
1. Place the garlic, lemon zest, mint, salt, and cracked pepper in a food processor and finely chop. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process to a smooth paste, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
2. Using the tip of a paring knife, make small slits on all sides of the roast about 1½ inches apart. Using the tip of your index finger, widen the holes. Place a tiny spoonful of mint mixture in each slit, forcing it in with your finger. This will use up a little more than half of the mint mixture. If you are feeling ambitious, you can force a little of the mint mixture between the seams in the roast. Spread the remaining mint mixture over the roast. You can cook the lamb right away, but it will have even more flavor if you let it marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Skewer the lamb lengthwise on the rotisserie spit. Attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14; for instructions for cooking the lamb on a fireplace rotisserie, see the Tips on page 132). Cook the roast until it is dark brown on all sides and cooked to taste, 1 to 1¼ hours for medium-rare, about 1½ hours for medium. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness; don’t let the thermometer touch the spit. Medium-rare lamb will have an internal temperature of about 145°F; medium lamb will be about 160°F.
4. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board, remove the spit, and let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired reserve the drippings for making the Sweet-and-Sour Mint Sauce. Cut off and discard the string. Thinly slice the lamb crosswise and serve it at once with Sweet-and-Sour Mint Sauce, if desired.
Here’s a simple sauce that features mint jelly, along with meat drippings and stock and a fillip of vinegar to counterbalance the jelly’s sweetness. MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
2 tablespoons drippings from the Leg of Lamb with Garlic Mint Wet Rub (page 133)
1 cup veal, lamb, beef, or chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons mint jelly
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar, or more to taste
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Place the drippings, stock, wine, mint jelly, and rice vinegar in a saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil, and let boil until the mint jelly dissolves and the wine loses its alcohol taste, about 10 minutes.
The inspiration for this dish comes from the Causses—the rocky highlands of southwest France. This stark, seemingly inhospitable region is the source of two great delicacies: Roquefort cheese, which is ripened in the limestone caves that riddle the area, and succulent spring lamb. Put the two together on a spit and you get lamb that’s crusty on the outside, moist inside, and bursting with the tangy, salty flavor of Roquefort. The spinach and pine nuts add an earthy flavor, while the melting cheese bastes the meat from the inside. SERVES 6
• Sometimes butterflied leg of lamb comes tied up in a string net. You’ll need to remove the net to stuff the lamb, then tie the meat back into a roast with butcher’s string.
• For the full effect of this recipe, you must use imported Roquefort cheese, not a domestic blue.
• You can also cook the leg of lamb on a fireplace rotisserie. For instructions for doing this, see the Tips on page 132.
8 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed (see Notes)
3 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled (for about 6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (see Notes)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1 butterflied leg of lamb (3 to 3½ pounds; see page 133)
About 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Minted Tomato Sauce (optional; recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Butcher’s string
1. Bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the spinach and cook it until the leaves are limp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the spinach in a colander, rinse it with cold water until chilled, then drain it well, grabbing fistfuls of spinach and squeezing them tightly to wring out all water (it’s important to extract all of the water). Coarsely chop the spinach with a chef’s knife and place it in a mixing bowl. Stir in the Roquefort and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spread the lamb open on a work surface and season the top with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, spread the spinach and Roquefort filling over the meat. Roll the lamb into a tight cylinder and tie it in several places with butcher’s string. Lightly brush or rub the outside of the lamb roast with the oil and season it very generously with salt and pepper.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Skewer the lamb lengthwise on the rotisserie spit. Attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the lamb until it is dark brown on all sides and cooked to taste, 1 to 1¼ hours for medium-rare, about 1½ hours for medium. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness; don’t let the thermometer touch the spit. Medium-rare lamb will have an internal temperature of about 145°F; medium lamb will be about 160°F.
4. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board, remove the spit, and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. If desired, reserve the drippings for making the Minted Tomato Sauce. Cut off and discard the string. Thinly slice the lamb crosswise and serve it at once with the Minted Tomato Sauce, if desired.
• Being a purist, I’ve called for fresh spinach here, but no great harm will be done if you use frozen. Prepare a 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach according to the instructions on the box and be sure to drain it very well before adding the Roquefort and pine nuts.
• To toast pine nuts, place them in a clean, dry, heavy skillet over medium heat (don’t use a nonstick skillet for this). Cook the pine nuts until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan to brown the nuts evenly. Immediately transfer them to a small heatproof bowl to cool.
In North America and Great Britain, lamb is often paired with mint. In the Mediterranean and Near East, it’s paired with tomato. This recipe brings the two together in a simple sauce that will be good made without lamb drippings and fabulous if you add them. Spoon off most of the fat from the drip pan before adding the drippings to the saucepan. MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS
1 cup veal, lamb, beef, or chicken stock (preferably homemade)
¼ cup canned tomato sauce
3 tablespoons mint jelly
1 clove garlic, peeled and gently crushed with the side of a cleaver
2 tablespoons drippings from Leg of Lamb with Roquefort, Spinach, and Pine Nuts (optional; page 135)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Place the stock, tomato sauce, mint jelly, garlic, and lamb drippings, if using, in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium heat and stir to mix. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then let cook until slightly thickened and richly flavored, 5 to 8 minutes, whisking from time to time. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Lamb is often served grilled and almost never smoked—unless you’re in Owensboro, Kentucky. This mellow town on the Ohio River is the birthplace of barbecued mutton, and possibly the only place on the planet where it’s popular. But smoked lamb is another story (lamb’s much milder than mutton), and if you haven’t tried it, you haven’t fully lived. Here’s a version you can make in a stove-top smoker. There are two options for sauces—a “black” barbecue sauce like they serve in Owensboro or a minted tomato sauce. SERVES 6
1 butterflied leg of lamb (3 to 3½ pounds; see page 133), tied into a cylindrical roast
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking oil spray (optional)
1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)
Black Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows) or Minted Tomato Sauce (page 137)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
3 tablespoons hickory or oak sawdust
1. Place the lamb on a baking sheet and season it generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Set up the smoker (for instructions for using a stove-top smoker, see page 16). Place the sawdust in the center of the bottom of the smoker. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil and place it on top. Lightly coat the smoker rack with cooking oil spray, or use a paper towel dipped in oil, and insert the rack in the smoker. Place the leg of lamb, fat side up, on the rack. Tent the lamb with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, crumpling and crimping the edges over the outside rim of the smoker bottom to make a tight seal. Try not to let the foil come in contact with the meat.
3. Place the smoker over high heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the lamb until it has a good smoke flavor, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. Unwrap the lamb and discard the aluminum foil. Place the lamb still on the smoker bottom in the oven and bake it until crusty and dark brown on the outside and cooked to the desired degree of doneness inside, about 30 minutes for medium-rare; about 45 minutes for medium. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness. Medium-rare lamb will have an internal temperature of about 145°F; medium lamb will be about 160°F.
6. Transfer the lamb to a platter or cutting board, cut off and discard the string, then brush the lamb with the melted butter, if desired. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes. Cut the lamb into thin slices and serve it at once with Black Barbecue Sauce or Minted Tomato Sauce.
This sauce is unique in the annals of American barbecue sauces—because it’s black and because it lacks some of the ingredients so often associated with American sauces: ketchup, liquid smoke, and molasses. It’s a terrific condiment—tart, piquant, spicy, and mercifully free of cloying sweetness—with enough gumption to stand up to the rich, smoky taste of the lamb. Be generous when you add the black pepper. MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, or ½ small onion, minced
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ cup beef, veal, or chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Melt the butter in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, allspice, and beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer until richly flavored, 4 to 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. You can serve the sauce warm or at room temperature. It can be refrigerated, covered, for several days.
The stove-top smoker is great for smoking and cooking relatively small pieces of food, like chicken wings, salmon, tomatoes, and tofu. But what do you do when you want to smoke larger or tougher cuts of meat, like leg of lamb, brisket, turkey, or even beer-can chicken? Well, you can use a stove-top smoker for these foods, too, and still get a satisfying crust, something that’s usually a challenge to do in the moist environment of a smoker. The solution is two-step smoking.
The first step is to use the smoker on the stove-top to apply a smoke flavor to the food. When cooking foods that are too tall to fit under the lid of the smoker, like beer-can chickens or turkeys, you can tent the smoker with aluminum foil, tightly crimping the foil at the top edge of the smoker to seal in the smoke. Smoking will take between 30 and 40 minutes.
To finish cooking larger items, place the oven rack on one of the lower shelf settings and preheat the oven. Once the food is smoked, remove and discard the foil. Carefully place the food, still on the smoker, in the oven. Bake the food, uncovered, until it’s cooked through. This gives you the best of two methods—smoking and roasting.
I’m always looking for new ways to use coffee in barbecue rubs and sauces. The dish here may sound American in inspiration—after all, the United States was the birthplace of redeye gravy. Actually, the idea was sparked by the young turks of nouvelle cuisine I worked with in Paris in the 1970s (the juxtaposition of unexpected ingredients was one of the hallmarks of nouvelle cuisine). Lamb has an assertive flavor, requiring a bold rub to stand up to it. The bittersweet, smoky pungency of ground espresso beans is just the ticket; it minimizes what some people call the gamey taste of lamb. And, since lamb shanks need a slow, gentle heat to melt their tough connective tissue, the rotisserie is the ideal way to cook them. SERVES 4
Once a dish of the peasantry and the poor, lamb shanks have acquired a certain cachet. You can probably find them at your supermarket; if not, visit a Greek or Middle Eastern market or a butcher shop.
2 tablespoons ground espresso beans
1 tablespoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 lamb shanks (each 12 to 14 ounces)
1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Espresso Sauce with Asian Seasonings (recipe follows)
1. Make the rub: Place the ground espresso beans, salt, paprika, brown sugar, coriander, pepper, and cardamom in a small bowl and stir to mix.
2. Place the lamb shanks in a large mixing bowl. Add the espresso rub and stir to coat evenly. Add the vegetable oil and stir to mix. You can cook the lamb shanks right away, but they’ll have a much richer flavor if you let them marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Place the lamb shanks in the rotisserie basket or skewer them on the spit, positioning the shanks so that the fat and thin ends alternate and are perpendicular to the spit. Attach the basket, if using, to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the lamb shanks until they are sizzling, dark brown, and crusty and the meat has shrunk back about ½ inch from the ends of the shank bones, 1 to 1¼ hours. Lamb shanks should be served medium-well to well-done, 170° to 190°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat but not so that it touches the spit or bone.
4. Transfer the lamb shanks to a platter or plates and serve with the Espresso Sauce with Asian Seasonings.
East meets West in this barbecue sauce, which starts with espresso but finishes with a thoroughly Asian combination of hoisin sauce and ginger, garlic, and scallions. Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet Chinese condiment made from soybeans and star anise, among other things. MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
Drippings from the Espresso-Crusted Lamb Shanks
¾ cup brewed espresso
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger and cook until the scallions, garlic, and ginger are just beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the drippings, espresso, hoisin sauce, lime zest, lime juice, honey, cardamom, and coriander. Let the sauce simmer gently until thick and richly flavored, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
You can also cook the meat on a fireplace rotisserie (see page 11). Trim off any excess fat before placing it on the spit. Cook over a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. It will take from 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your fireplace.
This recipe breathes new life into the hackneyed combination of roast lamb with mint jelly, jazzing up flash-grilled lamb steaks with a mentholated twist on Argentina’s fabled chimichurri, a garlic and parsley sauce traditionally served with grilled beef. Using fresh mint in place of parsley gives the chimichurri a whole new personality, and here it does double duty—as a marinade and as a sauce. SERVES 4
Your chief challenge in this recipe will be finding lamb steaks. Some supermarkets sell them; if not, try a butcher or Greek market. If you can’t find lamb steaks, substitute rib or loin lamb chops. Rib chops that are ½ inch thick will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 5 minutes per side; 1-inch-thick loin chops will be medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes.
1 to 2 bunches fresh mint, rinsed and shaken dry (for about 1 cup loosely packed leaves)
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 lamb steaks (each about ½ inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)
1. Set aside 4 mint sprigs for garnish, then remove the stems from the remaining mint. Place the mint leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and finely chop them, running the machine in short bursts. Add the olive oil and wine vinegar in a thin stream, again running the machine in short bursts. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water, enough to thin the mixture to a pourable sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper as necessary; the chimichurri should be highly seasoned.
2. Spoon about ¼ cup of the chimichurri into the bottom of a nonreactive baking dish that is just large enough to hold the lamb steaks in a single layer. Arrange the lamb steaks on top and spoon about a third of the remaining chimichurri over them, spreading it over the lamb with the back of the spoon. Let the lamb marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or as long as 4 hours; the longer the lamb marinates, the richer the flavor will be. Refrigerate the remaining chimichurri, covered; you’ll use this as a sauce (let it return to room temperature before serving).
3. When ready to cook, drain the lamb well, scraping off the excess marinade with a rubber spatula. Discard the marinade. Cook the lamb steaks, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at right, until nicely browned and cooked to taste. To test for doneness, use the poke method; when cooked to medium-rare the meat should be gently yielding. If desired, rotate each steak a quarter turn after 1½ minutes to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.
4. Transfer the lamb steaks to a platter or plates. Garnish each with a sprig of mint and serve the remaining chimichurri on the side.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grill, then close the lid. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the lamb steaks in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side. After it has cooled down, soak the grill pan in hot water to clean.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side.
The lamb steak is one of the best-kept secrets in the meat department—a rich, hearty steak cut crosswise from the leg. Like its beef counterpart, lamb steak has a broad surface that sears quickly and efficiently. It costs a fraction of the price of rack of lamb or lamb chops. To match the robust flavor of the lamb steaks, serve them with a Greek-inspired feta cheese sauce. SERVES 4
4 lamb steaks (each about ½ inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Greek)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup diced sweet onion
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Feta Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Place the lamb steaks in a baking dish and brush both sides with the olive oil. Sprinkle the oregano and garlic over both sides of the steaks, then season them with salt and pepper. Let the lamb marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the lamb steaks, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until nicely browned and done to taste. To test for doneness, use the poke method; when cooked to medium-rare the meat should be gently yielding.
3. Meanwhile, place the onion and parsley in a bowl and stir to mix. Set aside until ready to serve.
4. Transfer the lamb steaks to a platter or plates and let rest for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the onion and parsley mixture over the lamb and serve the Feta Cheese Sauce on the side.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grill, then close the lid. The lamp steaks will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the lamb steaks in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the lamb steaks on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 4 minutes per side; they will be medium after 5 to 6 minutes per side.
The in-your-face flavor of this sauce comes from the strong, sharp tang of feta cheese. This sheep’s milk cheese is cured in brine, which gives it its characteristic salty flavor. It’s a perfect foil for the rich flavor of any sort of grilled or spit-roasted lamb. MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
3 ounces feta cheese, drained and crumbled (about 6 tablespoons; see Note)
¼ cup milk or water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
About 3 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Coarse salt (kosher or sea; optional) and freshly ground black pepper
Place the feta, milk, olive oil, mayonnaise, paprika, and hot pepper flakes in a blender and purée until smooth. Add the cream and lemon juice and purée just to mix; overblending the cream may cause it to curdle. The sauce should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon more cream. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice as necessary and salt, if desired, and pepper to taste.
NOTE: Many countries in the eastern Mediterranean and Balkans make feta, from Bulgaria to Turkey and, of course, Greece. Each has its own unique flavor, so keep trying fetas until you find your favorite. The feta sold in sealed plastic packages in many supermarkets is not the exemplar of the species.
You’ll find Greek oregano for the lamb steaks at Greek markets and specialty food shops, or order it by mail (see page 396).
If you’ve ever doubted the authenticity of indoor grilling, consider Da Toso, a restaurant in the town of Leonacco in northeast Italy’s Friuli. The region is home to one of the world’s most distinctive indoor grills—the fogolar—a freestanding, raised stone hearth located in the center of a living room or dining room. It has an onion-shaped hood suspended from the ceiling to remove the smoke (the hood looks like one of the spires of the churches in the Kremlin). Since 1907 the Toso family has grilled steaks, sausages, chicken, and chops on a fogolar over blazing oak embers, keeping the seasonings simple—a drizzle of olive oil, a whisper of rosemary or garlic—to focus attention on the quality of the meat. The atmosphere is unbelievably hospitable and comforting, especially on a cold winter day. SERVES 4
12 lamb rib chops (½ to ¾ inch thick; about 2 pounds total; see Note)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus 1 long sprig of fresh rosemary
1. Generously season the lamb chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil over each chop on both sides and rub it onto the meat (you should use about 1 tablespoon in all for the 12 chops). Sprinkle the garlic and chopped rosemary over both sides of the chops. Let the lamb marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Cook the lamb chops, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until done to taste. To test for doneness, use the poke test; when cooked to medium-rare, the meat should be gently yielding. Use the rosemary sprig to baste the chops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil as they grill.
3. Transfer the lamb chops to a platter or plates and serve at once.
NOTE: There are two options for lamb chops, rib and loin. At Da Toso they cook rib chops, a practice I recommend, as I like having the longer piece of bone to gnaw on. You can also prepare loin chops in this manner, in which case you’ll need eight chops. Loin chops will be medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes per side.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the lamb chops on the hot grill, then close the lid. The chops will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 5 minutes. You will need to turn the chops so that you can baste both sides.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the lamb chops in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 5 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lamb chops on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the lamb chops on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Sandro Gamba may be French—he trained as a chef at Michelin three-star restaurants (his mentors include Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon)—but he cooks with an American sensibility. His restaurant, NoMI, at the Chicago Park Hyatt, is equally remarkable for its innovative menu, its refreshing lack of pretension, and its stunning view of the Miracle Mile. The Mediterranean roots of this recipe are apparent in the lavender, fennel seeds, and olive oil, but the sweet touch provided by a honey vinegar glaze is pure American barbecue. SERVES 4
• I’ve called for meaty loin lamb chops; you could also cook rib chops in this manner.
• Sandro originally developed this recipe using racks of lamb cooked on a rotisserie, and you can certainly try this. Place two racks of lamb in the rotisserie basket with the meaty part facing out. The cooking time will be about 40 minutes. Use the pause button to expose the broad sides of the racks to the heating element so they brown.
• This recipe is super-easy, but for the best results, you do need to let the lamb marinate for 24 hours.
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lavender honey (see Note)
1½ teaspoons dried lavender
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
8 loin lamb chops (each about 1 inch thick; 1¾ to 2 pounds total)
⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the honey, the lavender, hot pepper flakes, and fennel seeds in a mixing bowl and whisk until well mixed.
2. Place the lamb chops in a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the olive oil mixture over the chops, turning them once or twice to coat both sides. Let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 24 hours, turning the chops several times.
3. Place the remaining 1 cup of honey and the vinegar and cardamom in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil until the glaze is thick and syrupy, 3 to 6 minutes. It can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
4. When ready to cook, drain the lamb chops well, scraping off most of the marinade with a rubber spatula. Season the chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the chops, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until done to taste. To test for doneness, use the poke test; when cooked to medium-rare, the meat should be gently yielding. If desired, rotate each chop a quarter turn after 2 minutes to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks. After 3 minutes of cooking on each side, brush the cooked side of the chops with a little of the glaze.
5. Transfer the lamb to a platter or plates. If desired, drizzle a little more of the glaze on top of the chops and serve at once.
NOTE: To be strictly authentic, you need to use lavender honey (available at specialty food stores), but regular honey will give you tasty results too.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the lamb chops on the hot grill, then close the lid. The chops will be cooked to medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes. You will need to turn the chops so that you can glaze both sides.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the lamb chops in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lamb chops on the hot grate. The chops will be cooked to medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the lamb chops on the hot grill. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 5 to 7 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the lamb chops on the hot grate. They will be cooked to medium-rare after 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Shish kebab may seem like the ultimate outdoor grill fare, yet in Turkey a great deal of lamb is cooked on indoor hearths and in fireplaces. The traditional Turkish seasonings for shish kebab aren’t fancy: onion, either diced or puréed; lemon juice; olive oil; parsley; maybe bay leaf; and sometimes yogurt. Yet these simple seasonings make kebabs that are unforgettably flavorful. Rice pilaf makes a good accompaniment. SERVES 4
You can use either lamb leg or shoulder meat for the kebabs. I prefer shoulder because it contains more fat, which keeps the kebabs moist as they grill.
1½ pounds leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper or cracked black peppercorns
2 lemons, 1 cut into wedges for serving
1 medium-size onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
4 metal skewers (12 to 14 inches long), or 8 bamboo skewers (6 to 8 inches long)
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the kebabs on the hot grill, then close the lid. Give the kebabs a quarter turn after 2 minutes and baste again. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the kebabs in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill so that the exposed ends of the skewers extend off the grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the kebabs on the hot grill. They will be cooked to medium after 3 to 4 minutes per side (12 to 16 minutes in all).
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the kebabs on the hot grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
1. Place the lamb in a large nonreactive bowl. Add the salt and pepper and toss to mix. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 strips of lemon zest each ½ by 2 inches from the whole lemon and add them to the lamb. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the lamb (squeeze it between your fingers to catch the seeds). Add the onion, parsley, bay leaves, and olive oil and stir to mix. Let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 3 hours, stirring once or twice to mix; the longer the lamb marinates, the richer the flavor will be.
2. Thread the cubes of lamb onto the skewers, discarding the marinade.
3. Cook the kebabs, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box below, until the meat is nicely browned and cooked through. For medium, a lamb cube will feel firmly yielding when squeezed between thumb and forefinger. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, baste the kebabs with the butter.
4. Serve the lamb kebabs at once with the lemon wedges. If you’ve used metal skewers, warn everyone to take the meat off of them before eating, as they will be quite hot.
Shish kebab is quintessentially Turkish, but you may be surprised to learn that in that country meat and vegetables are usually grilled on separate skewers. The rationale is simple: Meat and vegetables have different cooking times, and moist vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, can cause meat to steam rather than sear when cooked together. Try doing this the next time you make shish kebab.
As you travel east from Turkey to Iran, the meat for shish kebabs is often marinated in yogurt and saffron. Yogurt adds an unmistakable richness and its acidity helps tenderize the meat. Use plain whole-milk yogurt, available at natural foods stores, and saffron threads, which have a bolder flavor than saffron powder. SERVES 4
1½ pounds leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper or cracked black peppercorns
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled between your thumb and forefinger
1 medium-size onion, thinly sliced
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
4 metal skewers (12 to 14 inches long), or 8 bamboo skewers (6 to 8 inches long)
1. Place the lamb in a large nonreactive bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and saffron and toss to mix. Add the onion, yogurt, and olive oil and stir to mix. Let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or as long as overnight, stirring once or twice to mix; the longer the lamb marinates, the richer the flavor will be.
2. Thread the cubes of lamb onto the skewers, discarding the marinade.
3. Cook the kebabs, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at right, until the meat is nicely browned and cooked through. For medium, a lamb cube will feel firmly yielding when squeezed between thumb and forefinger. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, baste the kebabs with the butter.
4. Serve the lamb kebabs at once with the lemon wedges. If you’ve used metal skewers, warn everyone to take the meat off them before eating, as they will be quite hot.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the kebabs on the hot grill, then close the lid. Give the kebabs a quarter turn after 2 minutes and baste. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the kebabs in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill so that the exposed ends of the skewers extend off the grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the kebabs on the hot grill. They will be cooked to medium after 3 to 4 minutes per side (12 to 16 minutes in all).
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the kebabs on the hot grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
The Indian inspiration of the kebabs here is apparent in the seasonings (ginger, garlic, curry power) as well as the sauce, a refreshing condiment made from yogurt and mint. The dates aren’t particularly traditional, but I like the touch of sweetness they add. SERVES 4
1½ pounds leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1½ teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons mustard oil (see Note)
1 medium-size white onion, peeled
2 medium-size red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares
12 large pitted dates, cut in half lengthwise
Yogurt Mint Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
4 metal skewers (12 to 14 inches long), or 8 bamboo skewers (6 to 8 inches long)
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the kebabs on the hot grill, then close the lid. Give each kebab a quarter turn after 2 minutes and baste. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the kebabs in the hot grill pan. They will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill so that the exposed ends of the skewers extend off the grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the kebabs on the hot grill. They will be cooked to medium after 3 to 4 minutes per side (12 to 16 minutes in all).
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the kebabs on the hot grate. The kebabs will be cooked to medium after 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
1. Place the lamb in a bowl, sprinkle the ginger, garlic, curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne over it, and stir to coat. Add the mustard oil and stir to coat evenly. Let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight, turning it several times so that it marinates evenly.
2. Cut the onion in half crosswise. Cut each half into quarters. Separate each onion quarter into layers.
3. Thread the cubes of lamb onto skewers, alternating them with pieces of onion and bell pepper and dates. The kebabs can be prepared several hours ahead to this stage and refrigerated, covered.
4. Cook the kebabs, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until the meat is nicely browned and just cooked through. For medium, a lamb cube will feel firmly yielding when squeezed between thumb and forefinger.
5. Serve the lamb kebabs at once with the Yogurt Mint Sauce on the side. If you’ve used metal skewers, warn everyone to take the meat off them before eating, as they will be quite hot.
NOTE: Mustard oil is a spicy oil available at Indian markets. If you can’t find it, you can use 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and add ½ teaspoon of mustard powder to it.
Variations of this sauce turn up all over, from the tzatziki of Greece to the raita of India. For the best results, use plain whole-milk yogurt. If you don’t find it at the supermarket, it’s available at natural foods stores. MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
½ medium-size cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh spearmint, or 1 tablespoon dried spearmint
Place the garlic, salt, white pepper, coriander, and cumin in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a wooden spoon. Grate the cucumber into the bowl using the coarse side of a grater. Add the yogurt and mint and stir to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or cumin as necessary.
• The best dates are the soft, sweet Medjool dates sold at Middle Eastern markets, health food stores, and many supermarkets.
• You can also make these kebabs using 1½ pounds of skinless, boneless chicken. They’ll be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes in a contact grill or 2 to 3 minutes (8 to 12 in all) in a grill pan, on a built-in grill, or on a fireplace grill.
Kid—baby goat—is the house specialty of Da Cesare in Albaretto della Torre in northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Da Cesare is the sort of restaurant every foodie and grill hound dreams of discovering, a twelve-table dining room in a virtually unmarked house with a fireplace that doubles as a rotisserie. For several decades, chef Cesare Giaccone has spit roasted baby goat over an oak and beech wood fire, and critics on both sides of the Atlantic have proclaimed it some of the best meat in Italy. You can also cook up a credible version in a countertop rotisserie—especially when you pair it with the vibrant herb flavor of salsa verde. Lamb is also delicious prepared this way. SERVES 4 TO 6
• Kid can be tricky to find. Look for it at an Italian or West Indian market. Make sure you’re buying kid, not goat, which has a much stronger flavor. Or substitute lamb, either baby lamb (look for it at an Italian market in the springtime) or regular lamb. A 2½- to 3-pound piece of lamb shoulder or leg will have the same cooking time as the kid.
• To duplicate Cesare Giaccone’s dish on a fireplace rotisserie, see page 11. Trim off any excess fat before placing it on the spit. Cook over a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. It will take from 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your fireplace.
Kid or lamb shoulder or leg (2½ to 3 pounds)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. Very generously season the kid all over with salt and pepper.
2. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Skewer the kid lengthwise on the rotisserie spit. Attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the kid until dark brown and cooked to taste, about 1 hour for medium (I like kid served medium and so does Giaccone). To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the meat but not so that it touches the spit or a bone. The internal temperature should be about 160°F.
3. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: Place the garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Add the rosemary, sage, and parsley and mash slightly with the back of the spoon to release the aromatic oils. Stir in the olive oil and season with more salt as necessary and pepper to taste. For a thicker and smoother sauce, mix the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
4. Transfer the kid to a platter or cutting board, remove the spit, and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the meat off the bone across the grain or cut it into chunks. Serve the kid with the salsa verde on the side.