Searching for a phantom lamb marinade

[VivreManger]

This is going to be a slightly weird query. I am planning to make a leg of lamb in a couple of days. Normally I use the Bertholle-Beck-Child rosemary soy mustard glaze, but I want to try something different for our guests since she cooks that one as well. There is a marinade I remember smelling when I was a teenager, visiting a masterful cook, an eccentric scholar of English literature who made dandelion wine, wrote wonderful books about Blake, and taught for many years at Brown University. He had the delightful name of S. Foster Damon, a Rabalesian walrus-like character, of great distinction. He always reminded me of someone who had stepped out of an illustration from a book by Lewis Carroll.

Lamb in this marinade had a wonderfully meaty, gamy quality. There was probably some lemon juice and garlic in it, certainly some rosemary, but what else I cannot reconstruct. Remembering it recalls his summer cottage that bright day on the North Shore of Boston, in the very waspy village of Annisquam, near Cape Ann. His kitchen was cluttered and suffused with herbs grown in his garden, pots filled with sauces, bubbling away, and that marinade.

What could create a marinade of such abiding savory richness? I would love to recover that phantom marinade and its rich aroma. Any lamb-lovers out there who can offer some suggestions?

Edited February 6, 2003 by VivreManger (log)

[Jaymes]

Obviously there's little-to-no chance that this is the exact same one, but I immediately thought of it. It's how I first prepared leg of lamb some 35 years ago, and never found a method I liked any better.

When I began reading your description, I swear I could smell it once again.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb

3 to 4 lb. leg of lamb (preferably from a country where the little darling has been snacking on grass constantly misted with salty sea air, like New Zealand)

several cloves fresh garlic

handful fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves (preferably fresh)

zest from one lemon

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp Beau Monde seasoning, or favorite seasoned salt or other all-purpose seasoning

1/4 cup chopped flat parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

2 T soy sauce

1/4 c dry sherry

Bone and butterfly leg of lamb (I have butcher do this). Cut off gristly pieces. Poke holes at 3-4" intervals across both sides of lamb. Into each hole shove a sliver of garlic, two or three leaves of rosemary, a piece of cracked bay leaf.

Combine lemon zest, parsley, oregano and all-purpose seasoning. Rub well into lamb. Place studded, seasoned leg of lamb into heavy plastic bag. Combine olive oil, soy sauce, sherry and pour into bag. Marinate in fridge overnight, turning occasionally.

Barbecue or broil, fat side up initially, turning once. Cook fat side up for about 30-40 minutes, then turn and broil for 10-15 minutes (or to desired doneness).

[VivreManger]

Thanks.

I think that the dry sherry might be the key. Margaret Pilgrim graciously PM'd me a similar version but w/o the wine.

By the way since the leg of lamb is frozen and a month distant from the butcher's counter, I won't be cooking it butterflyed, but more generally I have not been enamoured of butterflyed leg of lamb. I like my meat black and blue and removing the bone means that the meat tends to be more uniformly cooked so that one loses the contrast between crispy well-cooked outside and the rare juicy meat near the bone. On the other hand the marinade does penetrate a boned leg better. I will just have to let the creature soak a bit longer.

[Jaymes]

RE: Texture & uniformity of meat/cooking.

I didn't find that to be the case, at all. For one thing, the boned leg doesn't really lie flat, as in "flank steak." It is lumpy and bumpy.

And I usually put this outside on the BBQ grill, on fairly high heat. The outside does indeed crisp up beautifully, and the interior of the roast cooks to varying degrees of doneness, depending on how thick it is at just that point - all the way from medium to as rare as you'd like it.

And, it is VERY easy to serve this way. Easy to put it on a serving platter surrounded by roast potatoes or whatever and slice against the grain into nice, pretty slices. Just lovely.

I really don't think you'd be disappointed.

[Jinmyo]

A thing I do with a butterflyed leg is to get the oven pre-heated to 450. I sear the spread leg briefly on the griddle, then put it right on the oven rack with some vegetables to be roasted in a pan underneath.

I usually marinade for about 4 hours, usually with some garlic, lemon, rosemary, crushed cumin seeds, ancho or guajillo chile paste, and some red wine.

But I prefer bone-in.

[DaveFaris]

A thing I do with a butterflyed leg is to get the oven pre-heated to 450. I sear the spread leg briefly on the griddle, then put it right on the oven rack with some vegetables to be roasted in a pan underneath.

I saw Jamie Oliver do this on one of his shows last year, and tried it myself with great success.... (aside from dirtying up the oven rack.)

I find that unless I remove every single ounce of fat on lamb, the meat tastes too gamey to enjoy.

[Jinmyo]

Jamie did that? I don't know whether to laugh or bite the veins out of my wrists.

Let me think.

Hm. Was pretty obvious, which is how I came on it.

Otay. I'll laugh.

As to lamb's fat, I know what you mean but I grew up on mutton so I'm fine with it.

[CathyL]

Jamie did that? I don't know whether to laugh or bite the veins out of my wrists.

Oy. Buck up, Jin. The lippy lad is bound to hit on a sound idea once in a while, if only by chance. Think a million monkeys pounding on a million typewriters.

Julia Child's broil on one side/then roast method works well with a butterflied leg, if live coals aren't possible. I like bone-in also but there's something rustic and summery about a charcoal-grilled butterfly, especially if a few rosemary sprigs are tossed on the fire before the lamb goes on.

[DaveFaris]

I don't know whether to laugh or bite the veins out of my wrists.

I confess, I said it only to get a wee rise out of you.

[VivreManger]

Julia Child's broil on one side/then roast method works well with a butterflied leg, if live coals aren't possible. I like bone-in also but there's something rustic and summery about a charcoal-grilled butterfly, especially if a few rosemary sprigs are tossed on the fire before the lamb goes on.