On Indian Summer evenings, stick to the BBQ. This BBQ lamb recipe is a gem – the difficult de-boning procedure is done by your butcher – and the result is a corker. The anchovies and garlic melt into the lamb enhancing its flavour greatly, and, no, it doesn’t taste fishy at all.
4-5lb leg of lamb, butterflied;3-4 cloves of garlic
3-4 sprigs of rosemary
8-10 anchovy fillets (canned)
2-3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
First, from a butcher on Jacob Richler’s Guide to Food Shopping map, choose a 4-5lb leg of lamb, butterflied for barbecuing. You should be presented with a foot long slab of thick meat.
With a sharp pairing knife make deep incisions every few inches all over the meat. Slice the garlic cloves into slivers and the anchovy fillets into thirds. Into each incision, jam a sliver of garlic, a piece of anchovy and 2-3 leaves of rosemary. (Tricky at first, it doesn’t matter if bits are sticking out.)
Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and massage the meat with the olive oil.
Heat the BBQ high and the sear the lamb fatty side down for 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium/low for 10 minutes. Flip the slab and cook the other side for another 10 minutes.
Check the lamb is a delicate pink inside and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain; serve with a simple green salad and chunks fresh bread of your choice.
The classic wine pairing for lamb? Pinot noir!
