Eat: Grilled Leg-o-Lamb

Torn between entertaining out on the deck and linens and fine china in the dining room? I offer this tasty compromise. Grilled leg of lamb with fresh herbs and lemon. U? cooked this up on his birthday last month and served it with a nice '98 Barollo - a birthday gift from Mrs. U?. A killer combination. Would probably also pair up well with a Brunello (try any, please!) or a Petite Sirah (try Bogle, <$10).

The recipe I used is below - straight from www.foodtv.com. Consider finishing with a nice lemon-infused olive oil instead of just lemon. And for god's sake, don't overcook it - buy a meat thermometer!

Salute.

- UTalkinToMe? Senior Food and Wine Editor
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Grilled Leg of Lamb

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (7 to 8-pound) leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat, boned, and butterflied by butcher (4 to 4 3/4 pounds boneless)
1 lemon

In a small bowl stir together herb-rub ingredients. Secure loose flaps of meat, by runnning 2 long metal skewers lengthwise and 2 skewers crosswise through the lamb, bunching the meat together.
Put lamb in a large dish and with tip of a sharp small knife held at a 45-degree angle, cut 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb, rubbing herb mixture into slits and all over lamb. Marinate lamb at room temperature 1 hour.
Prepare grill.
Lightly pat lamb dry. On a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill lamb about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125 degrees F for medium-rare. (Alternatively, roast lamb in a roasting pan in middle of a 425 degrees F oven about 25 minutes.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board. Halve and seed lemon. Squeeze juice over lamb and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
Cut lamb into slices and serve with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board.