Skewered Leg of Lamb

This flavorful and tenderizing marinade makes an ordinary leg of lamb melt-in-your-mouth perfect.

1 8-ounce jar Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dry red wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 leg of lamb (about 4 pounds), boned and butterflied

In a medium bowl, combine mustard, oil, wine, garlic, rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, and pepper.

Remove fell (paper-thin, pinkish-red layer) from outer surface of meat. Trim fat. Place lamb in a shallow dish. Spread lamb with mustard mixture. Cover and marinate 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove lamb from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread two 12-inch skewers through meat, crisscrossing diagonally. Place lamb in center of cooking grate. Grill 45 to 55 minutes for rare (or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of meat registers 140°F/60°C), 55 to 65 minutes for medium (160°F/71°C), or 1 to 1-1/4 hours for medium-well (170°F/77°C). Brush with reserved marinade during the last 10 minutes of grilling time.

Makes 16 servings.

Note: This juicy lamb makes extraordinary sandwiches for a crowd. Split three one-pound loaves of French or sourdough bread lengthwise and spread softened butter on cut surfaces. Place bread, cut side down, on the outside edge of the grill for 1 to 2 minutes or just until lightly toasted. Slice lamb and place on bottom halves of bread. Replace tops and cut each loaf into 6 servings.