My wife’s family has been helping us repair our bathroom. So for a thank you dinner one evening we decided to cook up some lamb and potatoes. A unique twist to an Irish fare.

• Lamb
  • 4 lbs lamb legs deboned and butterflied to an 1 1/2 in thickness.
  • Combine in a bowl:
    • 10-12 garlic cloves thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup rosemary leaves thinly sliced
    • 1 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 4 lemons halved and squeezed
  • Put lamb in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Place in the fridge overnight.
• Potatoes
  • 5 lbs of small yellow new potatoes.
  • Parboil the night before.
  • Shock the potatoes in an ice-bath.
  • Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Place in the fridge overnight.

• Mint pesto for lamb.
  • In a blender combine the following:
    • 12 garlic cloves
    • 4 oz of pine nuts
    • 4 oz parmigiano reggiano
    • 1 cup basil leaves
    • 3 cups mint leaves
    • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Pulse a few times to start breaking up the ingredients.
  • Run the blender to make a paste, add to thin out the mixture:
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

• Heat the grill to medium high.
• Place lamb on the grill with the fat side down.
• Close the lid for 10-15 minutes.

• Flip the meat over.
• Close the lid and let cook for another 10-15 minutes.
• The lamb will need to be 130 F for medium rare.
• Take lamb and place on a cutting board.
• Cover with foil let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes.

• Potatoes
  • 2 bunches of scallions cut into 1-2 in strips.
    • Saute for 2-3 minutes
  • Add 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • Add to deglaze the pot:
    • 1/2 cup white wine
    • 1/2 cup water
  • Add potatoes and cover the pot.
  • Turn down the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
• Vegetables
  • Saute
    • 1 head of broccoli
    • 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
    • salt and pepper to taste

The final plate with the sliced lamb with the pesto sauce placed over it along with the potatoes and vegetables.