Grilled Leg Of Lamb With Zinfandel Marinade And Mint Pesto Food

RACK OF LAMB WITH MINT-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the mint, basil, nuts, cheese, lemon juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually blend in 1/3 cup of oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Generously sprinkle the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a grill pan or heavy large skillet over high heat. Place 1 lamb rack in the skillet and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb rack meat side up on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 lamb racks.
• Roast the lamb in the oven until cooked to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb racks to a work surface. Set aside for 10 minutes. Cut the lamb between the bones into single chops. Spread the pesto over 1 cut side of each chop. Arrange the chops, pesto side up, on plates or a platter, and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The pesto and lamb racks may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover the pesto and lamb separately and refrigerate. Allow extra time for the chilled lamb to roast.
• Alternately, the racks of lamb can be sliced then broiled before serving. To broil the lamb: Use 18 to 24 meaty single lamb rib chops (about 2 1/2 ounces each, from 3 racks of lamb). Preheat the broiler. Arrange the lamb chops in a single layer over 2 heavy baking sheets. Lightly brush the lamb chops with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Watching closely, broil the lamb chops 3 inches from the heat source until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Spread the pesto over the chops. Arrange the chops pesto side up on plates or a platter, and serve.
• RECOMMENDED WINE #1: Boroli Barolo 1998
• REGION/ORIGIN: Barolo, Piedmont
• GRAPE/VARIETAL: Nebbiolo
• RECOMMENDED WINE #2: Avignonesi Vino Nobile d'Montepulciano 2001
• REGION/ORIGIN: Montepulciano, Tuscany
• GRAPE/VARIETAL: Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile - local clone of sangiovese)

LAMB LOIN CHOPS WITH MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat grill on high.
• Rub the lamb with the olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, thyme, rosemary, pepper and salt. Rub mixture all over the lamb. Let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• While chops are resting, prepare the Mint Pesto.
• Grill the lamb chops 2 to 3 minutes per side, for medium rare.
• Serve the lamb chops with the Mint Pesto.
• Add the garlic to a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the pine nuts and pulse to chop. Add half of the herbs and chop for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the herbs and chop. Add in the Parmesan and salt and pepper, pulse briefly until combined. While machine is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream and process to desired thickness.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, overnight or for up to 3 days.
• Bring the lamb to room temperature. Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Scrape the marinade off the lamb, wipe the meat with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with oil to keep the lamb from sticking, and grill on both sides until the internal temperature is 120 to 125 degrees for rare. This will take 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hot the grill is.
• Remove the lamb to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve.

GRILLED MARINATED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in sealable plastic bag. Add lamb and seal bag, pressing out air. Turn bag to coat lamb, then put bag in a shallow baking pan and marinate, chilled, turning bag over occasionally, at least 8 hours.
• Bring lamb to room temperature, about 1 hour, before grilling.
• Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure.
• Remove lamb from marinade (discard marinade) and run 3 or 4 skewers lengthwise through lamb about 2 inches apart. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over occasionally and, if necessary, moving around on grill to avoid flare-ups, until thermometer registers 125 to 128°F, 8 to 14 minutes total for medium-rare.
• Transfer lamb to a cutting board and remove skewers. Let lamb stand, loosely covered with foil, 20 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 135°F while meat stands.) Cut across the grain into slices.

SLOW-GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH MINT YOGURT AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Mint Yogurt:
• Mix garlic, yogurt, mint, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.
• Do Ahead
• Mint yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Salsa verde:
• Process anchovies, garlic, oil, parsley, mint, capers, and lemon juice in a food processor until herbs are finely chopped; season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Salsa verde can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Lamb:
• Prepare grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off).
• Blend rosemary, garlic, and 3/4 cup oil in a blender or food processor until rosemary and garlic are finely chopped. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper and smear with rosemary mixture.
• Grill lamb, fat side up, over direct heat, turning often and moving to cooler side of grill as needed to control flareups, until evenly browned all over, 15-20 minutes (lamb and marinade are both very fatty, so monitor closely and move off the grill for a moment if flare-ups get too intense). Position lamb over indirect heat and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of lamb registers 135°, 1 1/2-2 hours. (The leg is composed of several muscle groups; take the temperature in multiple spots for the most accurate reading.)
• Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Holding bone, thinly slice lamb against the grain, continuing until you reach the bone. Rotate lamb and continue to thinly slice (slice only as much as you are serving.)
• Top lamb with lemons and mint; serve with mint yogurt and salsa verde.
• Do Ahead
• Lamb can be marinated 1 day ahead; chill. Lamb can be grilled 2 hours ahead; hold at room temperature. Grill over high to reheat, about 4 minutes, before slicing and finishing as directed above.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH ZINFANDEL MARINADE AND MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Quickly rinse the lamb under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off any excess fat. With a small, sharp knife, make 1/2 inch deep slits every 2 inches around the entire surface of the meat and insert a garlic sliver into each slit. Transfer to a nonreactive container.
• For the marinade: In a bowl, combine the wine, sugar, mustard, soy sauce, shallots, rosemary and black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour the mixture over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the meat at least 3 times.
• About two hours before grilling, remove the lamb from the refrigerator.
• Prepare a covered grill for moderate indirect-heat cooking. Position a drip pan in the center of the fuel grate.
• Remove the lamb from the marinade and set aside. Pour the marinade into a saucepan; place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then set alongside the grill.
• When the fire is ready, lightly brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the lamb in the center of the rack, cover the grill and cook, turning and brushing with the marinade every 10 minutes, until done to preference when cut into with a small, sharp knife (35 to 40 minutes for medium-rare).
• For the mint pesto: In a medium bowl, combine the mint, peanuts, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. (Pesto can also be prepared in a food processor or blender, which is what I prefer to do).
• Remove the lamb to a cutting surface, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
• To serve, thinly slice the lamb on the diagonal across the grain. Arrange the slices on a warmed serving platter and place the mint pesto alongside.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH MANGO AND MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix all marinade ingredients together and pour over lamb. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
• Remove lamb from marinade. Stud with garlic cloves and rosemary leaves.
• Season with Hawaiian sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill to medium-rare, (130 degrees F internal temperature registers on an instant-read thermometer), over kiawe wood coals. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
• In a small saucepot add the vinegar and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn light brown. Add wine and cook down, reducing by half. Add the remaining ingredients and half the mint. Simmer 10 minutes to let flavors marry. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining mint just before serving.
• Slice the lamb thinly across the grain. On a platter, fan the lamb over grilled vegetables and grilled mango. Top the lamb with some of the sauce. Garnish with crumbled Feta cheese and mint sprigs.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• To a blender, add: the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Blend until thoroughly combined. Pat the lamb dry and put it on a shallow platter. Season all over with salt and pepper. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the lamb, turning the meat to get it well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove the marinated meat from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling.
• Heat the grill (or large cast iron skillet) and oil it lightly. Remove the lamb from the marinade and grill for about 15 to 20 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Adjust the time accordingly for other degrees of doneness.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Toss the mache (or mixed baby greens), mint leaves, and scallions in a bowl and dress the salad with about 3 tablespoons of the reserved vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the lamb into thick slices and serve with greens.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH MINT PESTO

Steps:

• MINT PESTO:.
• In a blender or food processor add all the ingredients except the oil for the pesto, Puree this mixture while gradually adding the oil through the feeding tube, and continue mixing until an even, smooth consistency is reached. Reserve 1/2 cup for basting and dipping and set aside for later.
• Place the cut chops in a resealable plastic bag and pour the pesto sauce overtop. Seal the bag and toss gently to coat the lamb chops evenly. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 5 hours.
• When ready, preheat the barbecue to medium high heat, 375°F.
• Remove lamb from marinade, wipe off the excess marinade from the bones to avoid them burning, but leave the marinade on the meat. Brush each chop with a small amount of olive il to help prevent the meat from sticking on the grill and season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
• Rub or spray your grill with oil to again help prevent the meat from sticking to the grates. Place chops directly on the grill and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes per side, basting every two minutes for medium rare, or adjust length to personal desired doneness.
• Remove the meat from the grill, place on a plate/platter and loosely cover with foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes eefore serving with remaining pesto as a dipping sauce.
• TIP: When grilling lamb on the bone you can cover the bones with foil to prevent burning.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH GARLIC AND HERB LEMON MARINADE

Steps:

• Mix all marinade ingredients together in a glass bowl.
• Place the lamb in a extra large heavy-duty plastic bag or glass bowl.
• Pour the marinade over the lamb, and turn to coat well on all sides.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap (if using a glass bowl).
• Place in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours (turning occasionally to distribute marinade).
• When ready to grill, remove from fridge and save marinade for basting if desired.
• Turn the grill to high heat.
• Sear both sides for about 5 minutes on each side.
• Reduce grill temperature to medium heat and finish cooking the lamb.
• You may baste the lamb with the leftover marinade if desired.

MINT-MARINATED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients in large glass baking dish. Season with generous amount of pepper. Add lamb, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Drain lamb and transfer to large roasting pan. Season both sides with salt and generous amount of pepper. Arrange fat side down in pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue roasting until thermometer inserted in thickest part of lamb registers 130°F for rare, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices. Arrange on platter. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH YOGURT-MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender, whirl yellow onion, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, and salt. With blender running, slowly pour in olive oil.
• Rinse lamb and pat dry. With a small knife, make small slashes (1 inch long and 1 inch deep) all over the lamb, and put it in a nonreactive dish. Coat lamb with onion marinade, making sure the mixture gets into the slits. Cover and chill 2 hours or up to overnight, turning occasionally.
• Remove lamb from refrigerator about 1 hour before you plan to cook it. Spread lamb flat on an oiled barbeque grill over a solid bed of medium-heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 4 to 5 seconds.). Close lid. Cook lamb, turning once and brushing with marinade, until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part registers 140 degrees, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer meat to a platter and cover. Let rest 15 to 20 minutes. Thinly slice meat, garnish with sliced red onion and radishes, and serve with yogurt-mint sauce.
• Yogurt-Mint Sauce:.
• In a blender whirl all ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in an additional 3/4 cup plain whole plain yogurt. Makes about 1 cup sauce.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH GARLIC AND MINT

Steps:

• Combine oil, mint, garlic, zest, 3 tablespoons salt, and the red-pepper flakes; season with pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade.
• Pound lamb to an even 1-inch thickness. Place lamb in a baking dish, and massage marinade into meat. Refrigerate overnight.
• Let lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush grates with oil. Remove lamb from dish, and brush off any excess marinade. Grill lamb, flipping every 5 minutes for even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 degrees to 135 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Let stand for 10 minutes. Slice lamb across the grain. Drizzle with reserved marinade.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB ZINFANDEL

Steps:

• mix sauce ingredients, add to 13x9 pan, add lamb and marinate overnite, turning a few times.
• reserve 1/4 c of sauce.
• pour the rest into a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half, and has thickened.
• meanwhile, heat the grill to hot.
• add lamb, cook aprox 15-20 minutes per side for med rare, basting with sauce as needed.
• allow meat to sit 15 minutes before carving against the grain.
• serve with sauce.