Grilled Lamb Leg Sirloin, Roasted Potatoes, and Spring Salad

For ground or stew beef and chicken, I generally visit Harris Teeter. They have decent meats that are hormone free and that you won't have to take out a loan to afford. However, when looking for something a bit more special, say, a decent piece of fish, a gigantic brisket, steak, or lamb, I try to visit a grocer where the meat is not prepackaged.

When Dan said he wanted to grill tonight, I knew I should head on over to Whole Foods to see what I could find.

In the end, shopping at stores with butcher counters saves, because I don't buy as much as we would get in a package. When it is only 2 people, you don't need much. Nice meat for dinner is generally under $10.

When I saw the boneless lamb leg sirloins being placed in the case, I knew precisely what we were going to have for supper.

Realistically, this recipe feeds 3-4. We only ate about 1/2 the meat, or about .4 lbs.

For the lamb:

2 lamb leg boneless sirloins, butterflied, about .8 lbs
about 1.5 TBS red wine vinegar. (I was out, so I used red wine and cider vinegar.)
1/2 large shallot
1 tsp chopped garlic
salt
white pepper
fresh rosemary (dried will do, but isn't the same)

Combine the above (except the lamb) in a blender, or crush it into a paste.
Place lamb in a nonreactive container and rub with paste. Allow lamb to come to room temperature before cooking. This is important with any red meat, as if the muscle is cold, it will seize up and make the meat tough. Do NOT let chicken, pork, or fish come to room temperature.

While the lamb is marinating, prepare a charcoal grill. Dump the coals on one side of the grill.

Once the meat is ready, cook over indirect, uncovered heat for the first 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side), and finish over the coals for 5 more minutes, covered (at least 3 minutes on one side, and 1 or 2 on the other). This will give you medium rare results - a warm redish pink center, depending on the thickness of your sirloins. For less, shorten direct heat time. I wouldn't cook much more than this, though, as lamb is most flavorful cooked no more than medium-rare.


For the potatoes:
Preheat oven to 450.

Dice red potatoes into bite-sized pieces. I used about 10 potatoes (I always choose small reds, as I love skin on the potatoes) which made about 4 servings.

Mix potatoes with 1/2 large shallot - diced, rosemary, salt, and 1.5 TBS EVOO. Toss well, and spread out on a non-stick cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking.


Salad:

This salad had baby romaine, diced basil, cucumbers, kidney beans, goat cheese, beets, and dressing.

Dressing:

2 parts citrus EVOO
1 part balsamic
1 part mustard


To make this meal:

1) Marinate meat. 1-2 hours is ideal.
2) 40 minutes before eating, preheat oven.
3) Prepare potatoes and start coals.
4) Assemble salad, minus dressing.
5) Put potatoes in the oven. Place lamb on grill.
6) Stir potatoes. Dress salad. Remove lamb from grill and potatoes from oven.
7) Enjoy!