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Although hamburgers and steaks are always delicious, I like to mix up my grilling with some more unusual items:
-Try stuffing a whole bluefish with fresh lemon slices and herbs. Wrap foil firmly around the fish and pop it on the grill for a few minutes on each side. Finish it with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a squirt of fresh lemon juice.
-Try any cut of Heritage pork, lightly brined, grilled with corn on the cob.
-Scatter some thoroughly scrubbed Littleneck clams or mussels on the grill and cook until they naturally open. They are so juicy, and an appetizer of chilled oysters offers great flavor and a pleasant contrast in temperature.
-And here's one more of my favorite grilling recipes:
Summer Grilled Leg of Lamb
1 Medium-Sized Leg of Lamb, bone in, 8-10 pounds
(Note: I find that leaving the bone in the lamb leg adds more natural flavor to the dish. The strength of the leg tissue and collagen lends itself to a prolonged cooking process, which results in a tender, juicy meat.)
About 2 tablespoons kosher salt
About 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1. Clean and then preheat the grill on high heat to about 500ºF.
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large roasting tin, rub the outside of the lamb leg with the olive oil and garlic, then dredge the leg in the seasonings and spices, coating both sides of the meat.
3. Place the lamb leg on the grill and "mark" it on both sides until it browns. Turn the grill to low heat, about 275ºF, and place the top over the grill. (Alternatively, cover the meat with foil)
4. Turn the meat about every ten minutes and cook for about 75 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat registers between 150-155 F. Shut the grill off and leave the meat to "rest" for about 20 minutes. There will be some "carry over" cooking as the meat sits.
5. Carve the lamb in vertical slices with a serrated knife down to the bone.
If you are a barbecue enthusiast, you can add more flavor to this dish by adding a "smoke" to this preparation. Choose a flavorful smoking wood such as hickory or mesquite, soak the wood chips in water for 30 minutes, place the chips in a tin foil pouch, poke about a dozen holes in the pouch with a roasting fork, then rest the pouch on the grill next to the lamb after searing with the grill top down. The smoke will circulate around the meat and enrich its flavor.
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