Grilled Butterflied Top Round of Lamb |
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Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Top round, a muscle from the leg, is starting to pop up in supermarkets around the country. (If your market doesn't carry it yet, ask your butcher.) This small, quick-cooking cut has the succulence you'd expect from lamb but is so convenient that you needn't wait for a special occasion or a large gathering to savor it. Ingredients:
1 (1 3/4-pound) top round of lamb |
1 teaspoon cumin seeds |
1 teaspoon coriander seeds |
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns |
3 garlic cloves |
2 tablespoons thick yogurt such as greek |
Directions:
1. Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking by preheating all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes. 2. Butterfly lamb horizontally through middle (without cutting all the way through, so piece opens out like a book to double its size and is 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick). Pierce meat in several places with tip of a sharp knife (so seasoning will penetrate). 3. Finely grind together cumin, coriander, and peppercorns in grinder. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, then stir together with ground spices and yogurt in a bowl to make a paste. 4. Rub paste all over lamb. 5. Reduce grill heat to medium-high and oil grill rack. Sear lamb over middle burner, covered, turning once, until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes total. 6. Turn off middle burner (burner under lamb if there are only 2) and grill, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes before slicing. 7. Serve with: orzo with feta, tomatoes, and dill , corn on the cob 8. Cooks' note: Lamb can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes total for medium-rare. |
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