I’VE BEEN MAKING VERSIONS OF THIS DISH FOR YEARS. YOU GET YOUR BUTCHER TO DE-BONE A LEG OF LAMB, MARINATE IT AND EITHER GRILL IT OUTDOORS OR BROIL IT INDOORS. MY PREFERENCE IS FOR THE FORMER, SINCE THE BLACKENED CRUNCHY EXTERIOR IS SUCH AN ATAVISTIC COMBO WITH THE RARE AND FLAVORFUL MEAT. (MAKE SURE YOUR BUTCHER TRIMS OFF THE FAT AND SILVER SKIN.) UNLIKE A STEAK, WHICH IS OF UNIFORM THICKNESS, PART OF THE BONELESS LEG WILL BE CONSIDERABLY THICKER THAN THE REST. SOME BUTCHERS BUTTERFLY THIS CUT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A CONSISTENT THICKNESS, BUT THE ADVANTAGE OF AN UNEVEN BONELESS LAMB IS THAT IT GIVES YOUR GUESTS A RANGE OF DONENESS. SOME PEOPLE DON’T LIKE RARE LAMB AND THE THINNER SECTION WILL BE COOKED THROUGH TO THEIR LIKING WITH PLENTY OF BLOOD RED RARE LAMB FOR THE OTHERS, INCLUDING ME. YOU CAN MARINATE THE LAMB IN WHITE WINE, GARLIC, HERBS, AND ONIONS OR JUST LEMON JUICE AND OLIVE OIL. THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE IS A TAKE ON A JULIA CHILD RECIPE. YOU MAKE A KIND OF MUSTARD MAYONNAISE AND SLATHER IT ON THE LAMB. JULIA ADDS SOY SAUCE AND SO CAN YOU, BUT I DON’T, BECAUSE IT TENDS TO OVERPOWER THE LAMB. SINCE THE RECIPE IS SO SIMPLE, I’VE INCLUDED SOME SIDE DISHES — GRILLED EGG PLANT AND A ROOM TEMPERATURE SALAD OF STRING BEANS AND RED PEPPERS. I ALSO LOVE TO SERVE LAMB WITH FLAGEOLETS OR CANNELINI BEANS. YOU CAN SPREAD ARUGULA ON YOUR SERVING PLATTER AND LET THE LAMB JUICES DO THE REST. SINCE I DON’T GRILL AT HOME, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR ANNUAL VISIT TO MAINE, WHERE ALL I DO IS GRILL.
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