Grilled Leg of Lamb with Cranberry Salsa Verde

• PREP - 15 MINUTES

• COOK - 1.5 HOURS

• SERVES - 8

DIRECTIONS

     Put the lamb in a large roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Using your hands, rub the paste all over the lamb. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or even better overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat an outdoor gas grill and get it very hot. Rub the grill grates with oil to prevent sticking. Put the leg of lamb on the grill, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and close the cover. Grill the lamb for 75 minutes, turning periodically, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the lamb registers about 135F (be careful that the thermometer does not touch the bone). Remove the lamb to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. The internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees. Right before serving, put the lemon halves, cut-side down, on the grill and char for 1 minute – you won’t believe how much juice you get.

     In a large sauce pan over high heat, bring 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar to a boil. Add the cranberries and cook for about 1 minute. Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and place on a large plate (or small baking sheet with rim) to cool. They shouldn’t be mushy, but should be just popped. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, parsley, capers, anchovies, garlic, shallot, zest, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oil. Mix with a spoon to combine.

     To serve: Drizzle the lamb with salsa verde and give a good squeeze of lemon juice.

     Rainy-day method: Prepare the lamb as above, but roast in a roasting pan in a preheated 325F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for medium-rare.