Meat Market

The chef and the butcher savour the final days of summer.

Anthony: Lamb leg on the barbecue is a favourite of mine.

Colin: My mum used to make this rice salad to go with lamb. She used tinned mandarins in it! Here, though, you could use fresh peach. But I am just going to go with herbs, seeds and a kick of chilli. It’s like a bang to go with the lamb! The cold rice soaks up all the flavours and it has different textures.

Anthony: It almost sounds

Middle Eastern.

Colin: It’s not Middle Eastern, my mum made it in Ireland!

Anthony: Well maybe your mum isn’t actually from Ireland. With this recipe we’re holding onto the last of summer – clinging on with our fingernails, we don’t want it to go! Despite Australians not really understanding what a proper winter is, we still don’t like going into it. Colin: Absolutely. And you know what, the leftover lamb with the leftover rice is even better the next day. The yoghurt dressing is so simple, too.

Anthony: It’s the simplest thing. Everything is prepped for the salad and dressing and roasting the lamb would take a few hours, but barbecuing it like this is so fast. Are you a barbecue master?

Colin: I wouldn’t say I am a master! Anthony: I am. I am like the barbecue Jedi. You’re an Ewok. Or maybe you’re more like the Chewbacca.

Colin: You’d be Luke Skywalker and

I’d be Han Solo. March 2020 was when we all hit the booze and ate whatever we wanted. Twelve months on, let’s change it up.

Anthony: It’s not fried food and bread, it’s barbecued lamb and rice salad!

BARBECUED LAMB LEG WITH RICE SALAD SERVES 4-6

Begin this recipe at least 5 hours ahead.

2kg boneless

lamb leg 1/3 cup (80ml) extra

virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves,

chopped 2 tbs each chopped rosemary and

marjoram leaves

Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra

lemon wedges to serve

YOGHURT DRESSING

1/2 cup (140g) natural yoghurt 1 tsp dried mint

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1/2 lemon

RICE SALAD

2 cups cooked long grain

white rice, cold

1/2 cup each loosely packed mint &

flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 Lebanese cucumber,

finely chopped

2 tbs each roasted pepitas and

sunflower seeds

Lemon zest

To marinate the lamb, place the oil, garlic, herbs, lemon zest and juice in a large non-reactive bowl, season and whisk to combine. Add lamb and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours or, if time permits, overnight.

For the yoghurt dressing, place all ingredients in a bowl, season and stir to combine. Set aside.

Remove lamb from the fridge and stand at room temperature for 2 hours or until it is at room temperature. Preheat a lightly greased barbecue with a lid or chargrill pan to medium-high. Remove lamb from the marinade, and place directly on the barbecue chargrill. Don’t drain off the excess dripping marinade.

Barbecue, basting with the remaining marinade in bowl, turning occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until browned. Close the lid and barbecue, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes for medium or until cooked to you liking. If using a chargrill pan, cook for 6-8 minutes or until charred, transfer to a roasting pan and roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20-25 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the barbecue or oven and rest, loosely covered in foil, for 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, for the rice salad, place all the ingredients in a bowl, with half of the dressing, season and toss to combine.

Place lamb on a platter with the salad alongside. Drizzle salad with remaining dressing and serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Whether bone in, or boneless and butterflied, this cut of lamb is king when it comes to flavour and tenderness. We went with a boneless piece for this recipe as it’s not only great to barbecue but also a cinch to carve.