Moroccan Inspired BBQ Leg of Lamb

We finally get a glimpse of the sun, hurrah!!!! Barbeques at the ready………… This weekend I’m having a ‘BBQ’ but I’m not going to do the typical burgers, hot dogs thing. Instead I went to my lovely butcher last night and got a leg of lamb, boned and butterflied and I’m going to throw it on the BBQ and serve with loads of salads. It’s nice to try something different when BBQ’ing, and this is a real life saver if you are having guests and not to much time to prepare the day of the BBQ. I marinated the meat over night, and made the cous cous salad. So all that was to do today was make a taztiki and heat some pittas and throw a few salads together, and then I just have to whack the lamb on the BBQ and serve to table in its entirety so people can look at it in all its splendour. It may seem like I went to a lot of effort, but I didn’t really, with the majority of the work done the evening before. Leaving plenty of time for making cocktails.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp of cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp of coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp of black pepper corns
• 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• Zest of juice of a lemon
• Juice of 2 clementines
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Leg of lamb, boned and butterflied

Method

1. Heat frying pan to medium and dry fry the seeds and peppercorns, Careful not to burn them, we only want them warmed through to intensify their fragrance.
2. Transfer them to a pestle and mortar, add the salt for friction and pound away.
3. Add some smashed peeled garlic cloves and incorporate them to the rub and continue to pound.
4. When the seeds are pounded to a finer consistency (we’re not looking for dust), add in the oil and stir well.
5. Grab yourself a roasting tray, and put the spice rub into it spreading it over the whole surface.
6. At this stage, add the zest and juice of the lemon and the Clementine juice.
7. With a fork stir to combine the citrus juices into the spice rub.
8. At this stage, place the butterflied lamb to the tray, and massage the rub in all over.
9. Cover with foil and put in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
10. On the day of reckoning, heat up your Barbie so its nice and hot. When the coals for grey, time to introduction mr. lamb to the heat. ( take the lamb out of fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking).
11. Grilled on each side for 12 minutes (for medium-rare) and allow to rest for 10 minutes on a wooden board, and cover with foil.
12. Serve the lamb, carved to the centre of the table on the board and allow your guests to help themselves.