Cumin-Lemon Lamb Grill in Lettuce Rolls with Grilled Vegetables

Copyright 2007 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Serves 4

What I like most about this dish is it can be a meal for vegetarians or carnivores all at the same time. And everyone engineers their favorite combinations.

I love options, and I love eating with my fingers. Summer seems the time to play both these predilections. Eating outside means we get permission to pick up all sorts of things from chicken wings and hot dogs to these lamb/vegetable filled roll ups. And those options open up once you've grilled the lamb and the vegetables in this North African inspired spicing.

This is the way it works: Set out a pile of lettuce leaves, a pile of fresh herbs, some ground chile, a bowl of store-bought chickpea dip, and some instant yogurt sauce. Heap the grilled vegetables on one platter, the cooked lamb on another.

To eat, spread a lettuce leaf with chive-yogurt sauce, add a few pieces of lamb, top them with fresh mint and maybe some chile. Roll up and taste the mix of hot, cool, fresh, tangy and garlic, all in each bite. A second go could be with hummus on the lettuce, coriander and yogurt, and a pile of vegetables. Possible combinations do go on.

Spice Paste/Marinade:

• 3 to 4 large garlic cloves
• Pulp of 1 large lemon (cut away all zest and white pith), seeded
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika (California, Spain, or Hungary)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (fresh ground if possible)
• 1/2 teaspoon each coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Meat:

• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds lamb steaks cut from leg (or other tender cut), trimmed of fat and cut into strips about 1/2-inch thick by 2 to 3 inches long

Vegetables:

• 4 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch by 3-inch unpeeled strips
• 2 medium red onions, sliced into 3/4-inch by 3-inch strips
• 2 large yellow peppers, cut into 3/4-inch by 3-inch strips

Instant Yogurt Sauce:

• 2 cups whole milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup thin sliced chives, or whole scallions

Garnishes:

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 large or 2 small heads Bibb lettuce, whole leaves washed and dried
• 10 to 12 sprigs fresh mint
• 10 to 12 sprigs fresh coriander
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Aleppo chile, or other medium-hot pure chile powder
• 2 cups homemade or store-bought Middle Eastern chickpea dip (hummus)

1. In a small food processor, puree together all the spice paste ingredients. Place the lamb in a medium bowl and toss with half of the blend. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and toss them with the remaining spice paste. Make the yogurt sauce by blending the yogurt and chives together. Set out the sauce with all the garnishes except the juice from the half lemon.

2. Heat your gas grill to high heat. If working with charcoal, use real wood charcoal and instead of lighter fluid, use a chimney with newspaper to light the coals. Let them burn about 10 minutes, or until they are glowing bright orange for a very hot fire (you should be able to hold your hand over the grill no more than 2 seconds). See below for how to set up a charcoal fire.

3. Grill the vegetables first. Spread them on the grill and cook over medium-high heat about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they are browning but still have a little crispness to them. With tongs lift them to a serving platter.

4. Grill the lamb strips 1 to 2 minutes on one side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other, turning with tongs. You want the interior to be very pink. Cut into a piece to check. With tongs, remove the meat to a serving platter. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the meat. Set the vegetables and lamb out and invite everyone to create their own lettuce rolls.

LYNNE'S QUICK TIPS

• Using all the flesh or pulp of citrus fruits in marinades gives an edge of flavor you don't get with solely their juice. Just be careful to cut away all the white pith because its bitterness can ruin a dish.



• Chicken thighs and pork shoulder can be substituted for the lamb. You will need to cook them 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked all the way through.



• If time allows, the meat could be marinated in the refrigerator from 3 to 12 hours. Don't marinate the vegetables as some will throw off water and become soggy before they ever touch the grill.



• Obviously, as the summer moves on there will be lots of opportunities to use other vegetables in this recipe. Just remember, if they are very firm like carrots, cut them very thin so they cook in the same time as softer vegetables like zucchini do.

Be notified when new recipes are posted and talk with other fans of the show for people who love to eat.
See what it's all about»

Weeknight Kitchen® is a free weekly e-mail newsletter full of new recipes and tips from Lynne and our guests.
Sign up »
This week's newsletter »

The Splendid Table®, is available in podcast form. Follow the Sterns as they travel the country, hear all our unique and wonderful guests and, as always, Lynne takes your calls, downloaded direct to your computer every week.
Get the podcast