Lamb On A Spit Gaucho Style Carneiro à Gaúcha Food

STEAK GAUCHO-STYLE WITH ARGENTINIAN CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Place all chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Reserve.
• Dissolve cayenne pepper and salt in 1 cup hot water. Transfer to a squeeze container.
• Place the steak directly over a hot grill, baste with the chimichurri grilling sauce, and grill until the outer portion of the meat reaches the desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from the grill and slice long strips from the outer edges of the steak. Instruct guests to pick up a steak slice from the cutting board with their fingers, place it on a slice of baguette, and enjoy. Return the remaining steak to the grill, baste, and grill until more of the steak is cooked. Remove and repeat the slicing and serving procedure until steak is consumed. For extra spicy steak, baste 2 or 3 additional times with the cayenne pepper mixture during grilling process. Spoon chimichurri sauce over steak. (Also brilliant on any grilled fish or chicken)
• Recommended beverage: Argentinian Malbec (red)

LEG OF LAMB WITH GARLIC BUTTER (PERNIL DE CARNEIRO COM ALHO)

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the leg of lamb and bone being careful not to tear the meat. Mix softened butter, onion, parsley and garlic and salt and pepper with a fork. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll the rest into a piece of aluminum foil and freeze to make it firm. Remove the aluminum foil and put the roll of butter mixture in hole made by removal of leg bone. Sew shut and tie to make a firm roast. Spread the rest of the butter mixture on top of the leg of lamb and place in a hot oven (400 degrees). Brown and turn until brown on all sides. When done (approximately 1 hour) turn oven off and let rest for a few minutes. Cut in thin slices and arrange on a serving platter. Put roasting pan on the stove with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and stir to loosen the meat drippings. Serve this sauce to accompany the meat.

GRILLED LAMB STEAK WITH GARLIC (COSTELA DE CARNEIRO)

Steps:

• Brush each lamb steak with cooking oil. Heat grill to maximum, and grill 4-6 minutes on each side. Prepare garlic butter by creaming garlic. Mix well with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Put in tinfoil, form into a roll, and chill for at least 2 hours or until firm. When the steaks are ready to serve, cut butter in thin slices and place 2 on each steak as they are removed from the grill. Serve with au gratin potatoes.

BRAZILIAN ROAST LEG OF LAMB (PERNIL DE CARNEIRO)

Steps:

• Wash leg of lamb and remove the find skin that covers it. Brown leg of lamb on top of the stove in a hot pan with a little cooking oil. With a knife make some small slits, and into each put a small piece of garlic. Melt butter and pour over leg of lamb and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the leg of lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. Place the leg of lamb in a preheated 425 degree oven. After roasting for 30 minutes reduce heat to 350 degrees. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan and continue cooking. Let cook about 40 minutes, check to see if it is ready by puncturing with a fork. Clear juice should escape. Let the leg rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut meat in slices and serve with juice remaining in roasting pan and white beans.