Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Olive Tapenade

Ingredients:

1.25 c black kalamata olives with pits, yielding 1 packed cup of olive meat

0.25 c olive oil

2 t lemon juice

0 clv garlic, thinly sliced

2 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves

0 fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 t lemon zest, from a microplane grater

2 t orange zest, in long thin strips

4 lb boneless leg of lamb

Yield	Servings
Source	Cook and Be Merry & Laurent Tourondel
Prep time	1 1⁄2 hours
Recipe	Meat
Ingredients	rosemary orange zest olive oil lemon zest lemon juice kalamata olives garlic boneless leg of lamb

Directions

Remove pits from olives.

Place the olives, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in a mini food processor and process until a paste is formed. Transfer to a clean container and refrigerate until needed. Will keep three to four weeks. This recipe makes more than you will need.

Stuff the lamb: Unroll the lamb and spread the boned-out side with 1/2 cup of the olive tapenade. Sprinkle the orange zest on top. Roll up the lamb tightly, returning it to as close to the original shape as possible. Tie it at 2-inch intervals with kitchen twine. With a small, sharp knife, cut slits 2 or 3 inches apart in the top of the roast. Push the garlic slices into the slits. Sprinkle the roast all over with the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Wrap the lamb tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 days ideally, but not less than1 day.

Prepare a charcoal grill with two areas of heat, direct and indirect. Place the tied up lamb onto the grates over the flame. It will sputter and flare up so watch it carefully. Grill it turning often to achieve charring on all sides.

Move the lamb to the low, indirect heat portion of the grate and cook with a closed grill about 1 hour until 120 degrees F. is achieved internally.

Remove the lamb to a tray and cover loosely with foil. Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes:

serves 6

Cook and Be Merry & Laurent Tourondel