GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH SPICY LIME YOGURT SAUCE

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH SPICY LIME YOGURT SAUCE image

Yield 12 to 15 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

FOR THE LAMB:
1 (5- to 6-pound) boneless butterflied leg of lamb, well trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup mixed chopped thyme and rosemary
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
1 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE:
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (1-inch-thick) slice of ginger, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small jalapeño, halved and seeded if desired
1 large scallion, trimmed
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

Steps:

1. Pat lamb dry with paper towels and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, combine oil, herbs, orange zest and juice, the minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Rub mixture all over lamb. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if you like. 3. Heat the grill. Wipe lamb with paper towels, removing most of the rub, then grill until a digital thermometer reads 120 degrees for rare or 130 for medium (about 6 to 15 minutes per side, depending on how you like your meat and how thick the lamb is). If the meat starts to char before it's done, move it to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the yogurt sauce.