BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB, KOREAN STYLE

By á-58

Ingredients

• For the marinade:
• Butt end of a leg of lamb (4 to 5 pounds bone-in; 3 to 4 pounds
• butterflied)
• 2 tablespoons peeled, chopped fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely chopped (set aside 1/4 cup scallion greens for garnish)
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup sake, rice wine, or dry sherry
• 1/2 cup Asian (dark) sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For the glaze:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• For serving:
• 2 Asian or Bosc pears, cut into thin wedges and seeded
• Asian Pear Dipping Sauce (see below)
• 1 head romaine lettuce (or two heads of romaine hearts), separated into leaves and washed

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Butterfly the lamb or have your butcher do it.
2. Prepare the marinade. Combine the ginger, garlic, and scallions in a food processor and process to mix. Work in the soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, sugar, and pepper and process to mix. Pour 1/3 of this mixture over the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the lamb. Arrange the lamb on top and pour the remaining marinade over it. Marinate the lamb, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours (or even overnightthe longer the better), turning the lamb once or twice to insure even marinating.

3. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium high.
4. Drain the lamb, pouring any marinade into a saucepan. Add the butter and sugar and boil the mixture until thick and syrupy, 3 minutes. Youll use this glaze for basting.

5. Brush and oil the grill grate. Spread out the lamb on the grate, fat-side down. Grill until the lamb is cooked to taste, 10 to 15 minutes per side for medium-rare. (If the lamb starts to burn, lower the heat to medium or move the lamb to a cooler section of the grill.) During the last 5 minutes on each side, brush the lamb with the glaze.

6. Grill the pear wedges over the hottest section of the grill, turning the slices 90 degrees after a minute or so to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.

7. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp carving knife or electric knife, thinly slice the lamb across the grain. Arrange the slices on a platter and sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens. Arrange the grilled pears, lettuce leaves, and bowls of dipping sauce on the platter.

8. To eat, wrap a piece of lamb and a wedge of pear in a lettuce leaf, dip it into the sauce (if using), and pop it into your mouth