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Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb and Vegetables with Lemon-Herb Dressing

4.6

(20)

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Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb and Vegetables with Lemon-Herb DressingBrian Leatart

You'll want to get this started a day ahead.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Lamb

3/4 cup olive oil
12 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 5- to 5 1/2-pound leg of lamb, boned, butterflied, trimmed

Dressing and vegetables

1 cup fresh lemon juice
5 shallots, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
6 medium-size zucchini, trimmed, each quartered lengthwise
6 medium-size yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, each cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
3 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, each cut lengthwise into 6 strips
4 medium-size red onions, peeled, halved through root end, each half cut into 3 wedges with some of core attached
2 cups red Zinfandel

Grilling and serving

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 3/4 cups)
Fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint sprigs

Preparation

  1. For lamb:

    Step 1

    Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Place lamb in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Turn lamb, spreading marinade to coat evenly on all sides. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 day, turning lamb occasionally.

  2. For dressing and vegetables:

    Step 2

    Whisk lemon juice, shallots, oil, parsley, and mint in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Place zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell peppers in separate dishes. Sprinkle each lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/3 cup dressing over each and turn to coat; reserve remaining dressing. Arrange red onions in large glass dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour wine over onions. Let vegetables and onions marinate at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours, basting or turning occasionally.

  3. For grilling and serving:

    Step 4

    Spray grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill vegetables in batches until just tender, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes for onions, 10 minutes for red bell peppers, and 8 minutes for zucchini and yellow squash. Transfer vegetables to baking sheets. Reserve red Zinfandel from onions to baste lamb.

    Step 5

    Place butterflied lamb on grill rack with some rosemary and thyme marinade still clinging to lamb. Grill until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 130°F for medium-rare, turning occasionally and basting with reserved red Zinfandel from onions, about 35 minutes. Transfer lamb to work surface; let rest 15 minutes.

    Step 6

    Starting at 1 corner and positioning knife at slight angle, slice lamb thinly across grain. Arrange lamb slices on large platter. Arrange grilled vegetables around lamb. Drizzle vegetables with reserved lemon-herb dressing. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Garnish with fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint sprigs.

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