serves 8
Greeks in Greece tend to go out to restaurants for a grill-fest, rarely barbecuing at home, where outdoor space, especially in cities, is always limited. This recipe makes a great Greek-inspired barbecue dish. Try brushing it with sour cherry barbecue sauce (here) in addition to the spice rub.
1 (5-pound / 2.3 kg) boned leg of lamb, butterflied
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons dried thyme, marjoram, savory, or oregano
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 lemons, cut in half, for garnish
The butterflied leg of lamb should be about 2 inches (5 cm) thick. Once the butcher has butterflied it, have him pound it with a mallet to flatten out to the desired thickness. You can do this yourself, too: Place the lamb on a strong counter and bang it all over its surface, either with a heavy skillet or a mallet, until flattened to about 2 inches (5 cm).
Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, pulverize the garlic, herbs, and peppercorns. Combine with the olive oil in a small bowl.
Season the butterflied leg generously with salt and pepper and rub the herb-garlic paste all over, pushing it into every nook and cranny within the meat. Let the lamb rest for 1 to 2 hours or up to 6 hours, covered and refrigerated.
Heat a grill to high.
Place the lamb directly over the heat and sear it for a total of about 10 minutes, turning once, to brown on all sides. Once seared, slide the lamb over to continue grilling over indirect heat. Rare lamb will take about 20 minutes more. About halfway through grilling, cut off a tiny piece to test for doneness. Remove from the heat when grilled to the desired doneness. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice into ½-inch (1.5 cm) pieces and serve, garnished with the lemon halves.