BBQ Bistro: Simple, Sophisticated French Recipes for Your Grill (2015)

CHAPTER 9

AGNEAU

LAMB

Grilled Lamb Chops, Paillard-Style

Thick Little Lamb Chops with Mustard-Cornichon Beurre Blanc

Grilled Lamb Steak with Sauce Paloise

SIDEBAR: Grilling Savoir Faire: Bistro Lamb Cuts and the Best Barbecue Methods

Lavender-Smoked Rack of Lamb

Grilled Leg of Lamb Pistou with Mediterranean Vegetables and Aioli

Smoky Lamb Daube

Bistro lamb dishes go one of two ways—cooked hot and fast to a rare or medium-rare finish, or slow-cooked to fall-apart tenderness.

You can get the same results, but with decidedly more flavor, on your grill. Take the classic bistro dish, a leg of lamb or gigot served with white beans or flageolets. Both get an extra smoky oomph from the grill, so they go back in time to the original hearth recipe of French home cooks. What goes around, comes around.

A boned and butterflied leg of lamb, marinated in an herby mixture like Four-Herb Pistou (page 27), gets charry on the outside but stays moist and pink on the inside.

Lamb chops—as paillards, thick chops, or rack of lamb—pair well with the piquant sauces that the French do so well—Béarnaise Sauce (page 36), Sauce Paloise (page 36), and Mustard-Cornichon Beurre Blanc (page 38).

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS, PAILLARD-STYLE

APAILLARD IS BASICALLY A CUTLET—A BONELESS, SKINLESS PIECE OF CHICKEN OR meat that is pounded to a uniform thinness so it cooks quickly, bistro-style, over a hot fire. You can also make a paillard from a bone-in lamb chop—just pound the boneless part until it is ½ inch (1 cm) thick, leaving the bone intact. A squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil after grilling would be a simple and delicious finish to this dish, but a dollop or two of Sauce Paloise (variation, page 36), Béarnaise Sauce (page 36), Lime-Cilantro Remoulade (page 32), or Avocado Crème Fraîche (page 33) would add a certain je ne sais quoi, as well. If you like, grill asparagus along with the lamb and serve them both with a sauce of your choice.

SERVES 8

12 lamb loin or shoulder chops (about 2 pounds/1 kg), pounded to ½-inch (1-cm) thickness

Olive oil for brushing

Rosemary Salt (page 24)

Lemon wedges and fresh rosemary branches, for garnish

Prepare a hot fire in your grill.

Brush the lamb with olive oil and season with Rosemary Salt. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare, or until your desired doneness. Garnish with lemon wedges and rosemary branches and serve right away.

THICK LITTLE LAMB CHOPS WITH MUSTARD-CORNICHON BEURRE BLANC

THICK LITTLE LAMB CHOPS MAKE A MEAL WITH ACCOMPANIMENTS LIKE SIMPLE grilled fingerling potatoes and maybe a Smoked Goat Cheese Salad with Sweet Cherries (page 77). For bigger appetites, you might want to serve two of these chops per person. Prepare the Mustard-Cornichon Beurre Blanc (page 38) a day or so ahead of time.

SERVES 4 TO 8

8 thick boneless lamb loin chops, about 1½ pounds (750 g)

Olive oil for brushing

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe Mustard-Cornichon Beurre Blanc (page 38), prepared

Lemon wedges and fresh rosemary branches, for garnish

Prepare a hot fire in your grill.

Brush the lamb with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare, or until desired doneness.

Serve with Mustard-Cornichon Beurre Blanc. Garnish with lemon wedges and rosemary branches.

VARIATION:

Think outside of the box and use these delicious little chops as the meat for a composed Salad Niçoise (instead of the traditional tuna). You’ll need lettuce, tomatoes, Niçoise (cured) olives, hard-boiled eggs, and new potatoes; dress with the Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette (page 26). Formidable!

GRILLED LAMB STEAK WITH SAUCE PALOISE

AHOT FIRE AND THIN LAMB STEAKS, PROVENÇAL ROSÉ WINE, A WARM LOAF OF crusty bread, Provençal Grill-Roasted Tomatoes (page 108) or Planked Goat Cheese-Topped Beefsteak Tomatoes (page 107), and you’ll have a fresh-tasting, summery meal to remember. Sauce Paloise is a version of the classic béarnaise, made with mint instead of tarragon.

SERVES 4

4 boneless lamb leg steaks (about 1½ pounds/375 g), cut about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick

Olive oil for brushing

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe Sauce Paloise (variation, page 36), prepared

Prepare a hot fire in your grill.

Brush the lamb steaks with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Serve with the Sauce Paloise.

GRILLING SAVOIR FAIRE: BISTRO LAMB CUTS AND THE BEST BARBECUE METHODS

For the best-tasting lamb, grill it hot and fast so that it reaches a doneness of rare or medium-rare, or go low and slow with a kiss of smoke. Tougher or thicker cuts of lamb benefit from lower and slower cooking, while thin, tender cuts benefit from high-heat direct grilling.

LAVENDER-SMOKED RACK OF LAMB

SMOLDERING LAVENDER STICKS, CUT FROM THE PLANT IN LATE SUMMER, ADD EVEN more aromatic flavor to rack of lamb on the grill. We use lavender cut from our gardens, but you can also use any aromatic, woody herb such as rosemary, thyme, fennel, or even grapevines. Ask your butcher to French the racks of lamb for the grill. This process removes excess fat from the bones, and some from the meat, too. Plan ahead and pop a Potato Gratin (page 98) in the oven ahead of time, toss a salad of baby greens, warm a baguette (wrapped in foil) on the grill, and dinner is served!

SERVES 2 TO 4

Suggested wood: Dried lavender sticks, fennel stalks, or grapevines

2 racks of lamb (each about 1½ pounds/750g), fat removed and bones Frenched

1 recipe Herbes de Provence Flavoring Paste (page 28)

Slather the lamb with the flavoring paste and set aside.

Prepare a hot indirect fire with a kiss of smoke (page 15) in your grill and add your desired type of wood.

Place lamb over the fire and sear on all sides. Transfer to the indirect side of the grill. When the lavender starts to smolder, close the lid and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a rack registers 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB PISTOU WITH MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES AND AIOLI

THIS CELEBRATORY LEG OF LAMB BATHES IN PISTOU BEFORE IT SEARS ON THE grill. The mixture of vegetables grills right along with the lamb. Then it’s all finished off with garlicky Food Processor Aioli (page 29) and served on big white platters, true bistro-style.

SERVES 8

1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb, 3 to 4 pounds/1.5 to 2 kg

1 recipe Four-Herb Pistou (page 27), prepared

2 pounds (1 kg) Japanese or baby eggplant

4 large red, yellow, green, or orange bell peppers, cored, seeded, and quartered

2 large red onions (about 2 pounds/1 kg), peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick (2.5 cm) slices

Olive oil for brushing

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1 recipe Food Processor Aioli (page 29), prepared

Place the lamb in an extra-large sealable plastic bag. Add the Four-Herb Pistou. Seal the bag, toss to coat, and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, tossing occasionally.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.

Brush the vegetables with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and pat dry. Discard the marinade and the bag. Place the lamb over direct heat and grill for 15 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the lamb registers 125 to 130°F (48 to 50°C) for medium-rare. Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Grill the vegetables until blistered and softened, turning often, about 20 minutes. To serve, place the lamb slices on a platter surrounded by the vegetables. Garnish all with chopped parsley. Spoon the aioli into a serving bowl and a bowl pass around to everyone at the table.

SMOKY LAMB DAUBE

FALL-APART TENDER, THIS LAMB HAS THE ANCIENT FLAVOR OF THE INDOOR hearth, but it is prepared outside on the grill or smoker. We use the same technique in Provençal Beef Daube (page 170), with good-sized chunks of meat and red wine, which typifies a French daube (or stew). Use a good-quality (but not expensive) dry red wine, such as Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Burgundy. Do not overcrowd the pan when browning the lamb, or it will not brown properly. Instead of the foil pans, you could use an old pot that you don’t mind getting smoke-stained. Place the foil pans or the pot on a large baking sheet to take out to the grill, as it is easier to carry this way. For contrast, serve this with one of the Simple Bistro Salads à Deux (page 70) or the Bistro Grated Carrot Salad (page 73) or Celery Root Remoulade (page 71) made with grated fresh vegetables. Serve the Smoky Lamb Daube over mashed potatoes, polenta, or Barbecued White Beans with Bacon and Pear (page 102), which you could put on the grill at the same time as the lamb.

SERVES 8

2 large heavy-duty foil pans (doubled up to use as one pan) or an old, large pot with a lid

Suggested wood: Apple and/or oak

3 tablespoons olive oil (approximately)

3 pounds (1.5 g) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes

2 tablespoons water

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 shallots, diced

1 (3-ounce/90-g) carrot, diced

1 small stalk celery, diced

1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 bottle (3 cups/750 ml) medium- to full-bodied dry red wine

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Additional fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish (optional)

In a wide-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Using paper towels, blot moisture from the chunks of lamb to help it brown better. Working in batches, sauté the lamb for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides, adding oil as necessary between batches. Transfer the lamb to the doubled foil pans.

Add the water to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour the pan juices into the foil pan. Stir in the thyme, shallots, carrot, celery, and garlic. Whisk in the flour, and then stir in the wine.

Prepare an indirect fire with a kiss of smoke in your grill (page 15) and add your desired type of wood. (Replenish the wood chips as necessary.)

Place the pan on the indirect side of the grill. When you see the first wisp of smoke, close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. Stir, cover with foil, close the lid, and smoke for another hour, or until the lamb is fork-tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the lamb to a platter and keep warm.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender, discarding the thyme, and purée. Stir in the vinegar. Pour the sauce over the lamb and garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

VARIATION:

Any type of shoulder meat, such as beef chuck or pork shoulder blade (butt), can be cooked this way. Just smoke until fork-tender. You can also cook the lamb daube, covered, in a 350°F (180°C) oven, then put it on the grill, uncovered, for the last hour or so.