Recipe: Grilled marinated lamb skirt with bread and butter pickles
In Real Food by Mike, acclaimed chef Mike McEnearney reminds us that we are what we eat.
Mike, executive chef and owner of No. 1 Bent St by Mike and Kitchen by Mike, harnesses the best produce to provide fresh, wholesome and delicious recipes.
Real Food by Mike is divided into seasons and is packed with beautiful photographs and illustrations.
Recipe: Grilled marinated lamb skirt with bread and butter pickles
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1kg lamb skirt
- 125ml balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1/4 bunch rosemary, leaves picked
- 3 garlic cloves, squashed with the heel of your hand
- 125 ml extra virgin olive oil
- plain yoghurt, to serve
- ¼ quantity Bread and butter cucumbers (see recipe)
If the skirt is too fatty, trim a layer off so the fat is evenly dispersed across the belly. Place the lamb in a non-reactive tray – such as stainless steel, earthenware or plastic – and pour all the ingredients over it, except the yoghurt and cucumbers, massaging them into the meat well. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, or preferably overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the lamb, fire up the barbecue or chargrill pan to super hot.
Lift the lamb out of the marinade and sit it on a wire rack set over a bowl, to allow the liquid to drain so it doesn’t spit and steam everywhere when it hits the pan.
Depending on the size of your grill, you may need to cut your meat to fit. Cut it in half or thirds but don’t cut it into smaller pieces – you want the pieces as large as possible.
Place the meat on the grill and allow it to sizzle and smoke hard for a good
10 minutes. Then turn it over and give it another 10 minutes. Don’t be worried by its very dark colour, as this is simply the balsamic vinegar caramelising – the flavour of the balsamic is robust and helps cut through the fattiness of the lamb.
Remove the meat from the grill and rest for a minimum of 5 minutes, although 10 is preferable. Slice the lamb into strips and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and the bread and butter cucumbers.
Lamb is rich in vitamins B3 and B12, essential for a variety of functions including the maintenance of the nervous and digestive systems. It also contains zinc, which plays an important role in immune function as well as in the synthesis of proteins and DNA. Phosphorus is in the mix (good for bones and teeth), as is iron (vital for the healthy production of red blood cells).
This is an edited extract from Real Food by Mike published by Hardie Grant Books. Photographer: ©Alan Benson