Lamb Feast For Labor Day

Seattle Chef Tom Douglas Has Special Holiday "Shoestring" Budget Of $80

(CBS) 

Charcoal Grilled Lamb Skewers with Washington Merlot and Honey Glaze

Makes 8 servings

Note: The lamb skewers marinate several hours or a day ahead, so plan accordingly.

INGREDIENTS: For Lamb Skewers
2-1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch chunks
8 ten-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes and drained
Merlot and Olive Oil Marinade (see recipe)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2-1/2 cups Washington Merlot
2-1/2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley Salad (see recipe)

METHOD: For Lamb Skewers

Thread the lamb chunks on the bamboo skewers and place them in a non-reactive pan.

Pour the marinade over the lamb, turning the skewers to coat.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 6 hours or overnight.

To make the red wine and honey glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the shallots a few minutes until lightly browned.

Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and boil until the wine is syrupy and reduced.

Whisk in the honey, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook the glaze another minute. Then remove from the heat and allow the glaze to cool.

When you are ready to grill the lamb, fire up the grill.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and allow the meat to come to room temperature. Remove the skewers from the marinade, shaking off excess marinade.

Season the skewers on both sides with salt and pepper.

Grill the lamb over direct heat, with the lid off, turning frequently with the tongs.

Brush with the glaze as you turn them the first time and keep brushing as you turn them, using up all the glaze, until the lamb is done to your liking.

The skewers will take about 7 to 8 minutes for medium rare, depending on how hot your fire is.

Pile the skewers on a platter and top with the parsley salad.

Serve the lamb with the Cool Cucumber Yogurt and the Smashed Greek Potatoes.

INGREDIENTS: For Merlot & Olive Oil Marinade
(for 2-1/2 pounds lamb chunks)

1/2 cup Washington Merlot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano, or other fragrant dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

METHOD: For Merlot & Olive Oil Marinade

In a bowl, whisk together the wine, garlic, oregano, zest, salt, and pepper.
Gradually whisk in the olive oil.

INGREDIENTS: For Parsley Salad
1/2 large bunch of parley, the leaves picked from the stems, washed and dried well (about 1-1/2 cups picked leaves)
1/4 lemon
About 1/2-to-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD: For Parsley Salad

Put the parsley leaves in a bowl.

Squeeze the lemon over the parsley and toss.

Drizzle the oil over the parsley and toss again.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.


Smashed Greek Potatoes

Makes 8 servings

Note: You can use any kind of small thin-skinned potatoes, about the size of a golf ball or a little smaller.

INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds small red potatoes, washed and dried but not peeled
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano, or other fragrant, dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Put the potatoes in a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer, and roast them until they are just tender, about 40 to 45 minutes, depending on their size.

When the potatoes feel tender, remove the roasting pan from the oven and place it on top of the stove or on another heat-proof surface.

Using the flat bottom of a sturdy china mug, press down on and flatten each potato, one at a time, right in the roasting pan.

A smashed potato should be about ½-inch thick.

The potato skin will break, showing some of the white flesh, but the potato should still more or less retain its round shape. Don't worry if a few of the potatoes break up and fall apart. Repeat until all the potatoes have been smashed.

Drizzle 1/4 cup of the oil over the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, and return them to the oven.

Roast the potatoes until they are browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes, then remove them from the oven and turn them over with a large spatula.

Drizzle another 1/4 cup oil over the potatoes and return them to the oven.
Roast the potatoes until they are browned on the second side, about 25 minutes more, then remove the pan from the oven.

Scatter the oregano and garlic over the surface, season again with salt and pepper, and drizzle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.

Toss the potatoes with the spatula to distribute the seasonings evenly, then return them to the oven for 5 more minutes.

(Roasting time after the potatoes are smashed is about 55 minutes, total time is about 1 hour plus 35 minutes.)

Use a spatula to transfer the potatoes to a large platter. Serve immediately.


Cool Cucumber Yogurt

Makes about 3-1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS:
1 cucumber (about 14 ounces)
Kosher salt
3 cups plain yogurt, preferably whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Peel and seed the cucumber.

Grate the cucumber and place it in a strainer set over a bowl.

Generously salt the cucumber and let drain for half an hour, then squeeze the liquid out.

In a bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, parsley, mint, and lemon juice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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[sociald63]

how about baaaaaa-b-q lamb ???