AUSTRALIAN LAMB
Barbecued Lamb Leg with Grilled
Vegetables and Pesto Dressing
1 whole boneless leg of Australian lamb, butterflied and trimmed
MARINADE PESTO DRESSING
1 cup red wine 1/3 cup dry-roasted or
1/4 cup olive oil blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons dried basil 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice
GRILLED VEGETABLES 2 tablespoons soft goat or feta cheese
Halved red bell peppers, sliced
eggplant and zucchini,
portobello mushrooms
and asparagus
Olive oil
1. Place lamb in a shallow ceramic or glass casserole dish. Combine the marinade
ingredients and pour over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight,
turning over once or twice during that time. Discard marinade.
2. Preheat a hooded barbecue to medium-high. Place the lamb on the grill and
sear on all sides for 1-2 minutes to brown. Reduce heat to medium, pull down
the hood and cook lamb, turning once or twice, about 10-15 minutes on each
side, or until internal temperature is 135-140°F in the thickest part of the leg.
Remove from the grill and transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let
rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
3. While the lamb is resting, brush the vegetables with oil and grill until lightly
browned and tender. Arrange on a large platter with the sliced lamb.
4. To make the pesto dressing, place almonds, parsley, basil, oil and lemon juice
in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. Add cheese and process just
to combine. Makes 6-8 servings.
To butterfly the lamb, remove netting and open out the leg to make as flat as possible. With a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound to an even, desired thickness.
