Grilled Leg of Lamb Kebabs

Bonne fête, folks, we've made it to another Bastille Day. I struggled a little with what to make for this dearest of No Free Lunch traditions, and ended up settling on a recipe that's been overdue on the blog - a Julia Child-inspired leg of lamb. I've been making this with some regularity for the last two years, and it even made a pictorial appearance in the 2016 birthday special. I believe Child's original recipe is for a whole butterflied leg of lamb (for which this marinade would do nicely), but I generally make it into kebabs. Although kebabs might be stretching the theme a touch, let me remind you that less than 12 years after the storming of the Bastille, Egyptian Mamluks were recruited into the French army, and would eventually become part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard cavalry. I'm calling it close enough.

I must make an admission here in the ingredients section. The lemon juice completely slipped my mind when making the marinade today. If you do happen to be lacking lemon juice, I can report the lamb is still excellent. However, I normally include it, and it does add a nice element. This was also a great opportunity to use some fresh rosemary we've been growing on the deck, and while dried will do the job, it doesn't quite compare with the fragrance of fresh. Finally, let's talk about soy sauce. If there's anything food-related I could possibly claim to know more about than Julia Child, it might just be Chinese fermented bean products. For the uninitiated, Chinese soy sauce comes in two varieties: dark and light. Dark soy sauce is, as the name suggests, very dark, a little viscous, and will dye anything it comes in contact with a lovely dark brown, including your shirt. It's great for marinades and stews, but a little goes a long way. Light soy sauce is the "default" Chinese soy sauce and is typically used for saucing stir fried dishes, where a more delicate touch is required. I often mix the two, as I've done here.

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless leg of lamb
• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. light soy sauce
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary (about 1 tsp.), chopped
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 large onion

Instructions

For kebabs, cut the lamb into small chunks, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch square. Trim fat as needed, as the large chunks of fat can be tough. Transfer the pieces to a gallon bag.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, mustard, soy sauce, rosemary, oregano, and lemon juice. Mix well into a loose paste and pour over the lamb. Mix thoroughly to coat the meat. Transfer to refrigerator and marinate for a few hours.

Cut the onion into small pieces, about an inch square. Toss with a little olive oil. Thread the lamb on skewers, alternating with onion pieces. This will make about 4 skewers.

Grill on high flame until well browned on all sides and cooked to preferred temperature. Turn frequently for even browning. I generally keep the hood open on a gas grill to avoid overcooking.