I know this doesn’t look like much, but please believe me, this grilled lamb salad recipe is “much”!
Maybe I should have put a shiny fork across the salad bowl. But not to fret, I’ll have plenty more photography chances with this one as I’ll definitely be serving it up over and over.
I found this on Sunday while leisurely catching up on food magazine reading. You see, I have this pile of food magazines next to the bed that can get quite unruly if I get behind on my reading. My husband calls it the “Rat’s Nest”.
Currently in the Rat’s Nest, you’ll find Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Sunset, The Food Network Magazine…Oh, I guess you can count Wine Spectator too, since some of those wineries can put out some great little recipes here and there.
I’ve been wanting to prepare lamb since Easter and haven’t done it, so this recipe with its interesting combination of lamb and cumin vinaigrette promptly received a sticky note to mark its location.
This salad is as texturally interesting as it is in flavor. Matchstick pieces of jicama, cucumber and carrot all with different levels of “crunch” make a fabulous combination as well as looking quite pretty. And tossed with that Cumin Vinaigrette…Lordy! Delicious. So delicious that you almost forget about those tender slices of grilled leg-0-lamb until they melt in your mouth with flavor. Did I mention easy? Especially easy using a mandolin for those matchsticks. Take a look:
I love Chef Sang Yoon’s comment for this creation: “Lamb seasoned with cumin is very Indian, as well as Sichuan and Yunnan. But no one in Asia would serve lamb on a salad; that’s just me being Californian”.
You’ll find the recipe below, or hop on over to http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-lamb-salad-with-cumin-vinaigrette to add it to your “favorites” over at foodandwine.com. It’s really a more high tech method for marking recipes you want to try. 🙂
- One 1-pound piece boneless leg of lamb about 3 inches thick
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil plus more for rubbing
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
- One 6-ounce piece of jicama peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 large carrot cut into matchsticks
- 1 medium seedless cucumber peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup shredded basil plus 4 sprigs
- 2 red jalapeños seeded and sliced
- 4 cilantro sprigs
- Light a grill. Rub the lamb with oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the cumin and season with salt and black pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cumin. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of oil and season with salt and white pepper.
- Grill the lamb over moderate heat, turning a few times, until charred and medium-rare, about 12 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a carving board; let rest for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the jicama, carrot, cucumber, shredded basil and jalapeños. Add the dressing and toss well. Transfer to plates. Thinly slice the lamb and arrange the slices on the salad. Garnish with the cilantro and basil sprigs and serve.
Grilled Lamb Salad With Cumin Vinaigrette…It’s What’s For Dinner
Phoo-d says
May 11, 2010 at 4:32 pmThis sounds fabulous! I love lamb and we don’t eat it often enough! Perfect for summer.
leaannbrown says
May 11, 2010 at 5:31 pmI agree, perfect for summer. Thanks for stopping by
Larry says
May 11, 2010 at 4:55 pmLots of chopping into matchsticks, but the salad sounds delicious and the lamb looks perfectly cooked.
leaannbrown says
May 11, 2010 at 5:30 pmThanks Larry, and by the way, I leave that matchsticking to my mandolin. As always, thanks for stopping by.
buffalo dick says
May 11, 2010 at 6:11 pmYou had me at lamb….I’d eat a salad to get at the meat!
leaannbrown says
May 12, 2010 at 2:33 pmI’ll remember that. If you’re ever over for dinner, I’ll put the meat on the bottom. 🙂
Vickie says
May 11, 2010 at 7:36 pmLOL – if I added many cooking magazines to all the printed out recipes laying on my kitchen stack, I’d never catch a break.
This recipe sounds so yum – I love lamb so much, but D doesn’t, so I rarely get to fix it. HOWEVER, I also love cumin, and that dressing will be enjoyed on my next salad. I never would have thought of adding cumin to a vinagrette, so I’m excited!
leaannbrown says
May 12, 2010 at 11:12 amThe dressing is wonderful. I’m sure it would be good on any tossed salad.
Zia Liz says
May 11, 2010 at 4:27 pmZio loves lamb. And I love the crispy veggies (especially the jicama). I’m going to have to make this as soon as I’m back on my feet!
leaannbrown says
May 11, 2010 at 5:32 pmAnd hopefully that will be very soon Liz!!! As always, thanks for stopping by and for the comment
Marguerite says
May 11, 2010 at 10:58 pmThis recipe is fabulous! Love the vinaigrette and the lamb looks divine! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind comment!
Joanne says
May 11, 2010 at 5:50 pmI’ve never thought to make a lamb salad before but what a great idea! I have a pile of cookbooks/magazines next to my bed also. It’s bad. Really bad.
Pam says
May 11, 2010 at 7:21 pmI had this one marked to try! So glad you liked it!
Steph says
May 12, 2010 at 3:31 pmLooks great. My hubby would love that salad.
Barbara Kiebel says
May 12, 2010 at 10:40 pmA salad made me a lamb lover, so have to try this…now my turn to find that magazine in MY pile.
If you ever need a nudge in a different direction…this is really good too!
http://vinolucistyle.com/2009/12/honey-roasted-lamb-and-pine-nut-salad-2/
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:45 pmBarb, that lamb and pine nut salad looks really good. Thanks for passing it along.
Lea Ann
rebecca says
May 12, 2010 at 6:13 pmwow love lamb this looks divine
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best says
May 13, 2010 at 1:36 amThis looks like a terrific lamb salad recipe, truly fusion! I like that it calls for jicama, this veggie adds such a refreshing texture to salads.
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:40 pmThanks for stopping by Christine. Yes, fusion is the perfect word for this recipe. Why didn’t I think of that! 🙂
Barbara says
May 13, 2010 at 8:55 pmFirst of all, Lea Ann, I love the bowls you served your lamb salad in. And second, I love that the lamb is rare. I dislike overcooked lamb, don’t you?
And then, the vinaigrette sounds delicious! That’s what makes a great salad, I think. Good use of jicama….saw some in Whole Foods and almost bought some, but wondered what I had new and different to try with it. Now I have a lovely salad recipe!
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:34 pmThanks for noticing those bowls. I’m a dishaholic and am always picking up a couple of bowls here and there. Thanks for stopping by Barbara
Reeni says
May 14, 2010 at 12:30 amI have the same rat’s nest going on! This is a wonderful and very flavor salad! I would have to swap out the lamb – I bet it would be just as delicious with thinly sliced steak.
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:31 pmI agree, I think about any meat would work on this salad. Thanks for stopping by!
Kristi Rimkus says
May 14, 2010 at 1:18 pmWe don’t eat lamb very often. This dish is a must try. Perfect for the coming summer months!
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:24 pmI hardly ever eat lamb. Don’t know why it’s not on my radar more often. You must try this salad, it is a good one. Thanks Kristi
sweetlife says
May 14, 2010 at 6:27 pmI love this…oh my heaven..I also have tons, tons of magazines to read through (it’s fun) great find..yum
sweetlife
jicama is my fav
leaannbrown says
May 15, 2010 at 12:12 pmThanks for stopping by. I hope to get caught up a little more this weekend.
Chris says
May 15, 2010 at 5:18 pmLamb? I thought it was flank steak at first. It looks good. I see you like to tab the hell out of your food mags too:)
Crepes of Wrath says
May 16, 2010 at 3:38 amI love lamb! Your photo is beautiful, too! I need to make something like this to ease my husband into the idea of salads for dinner.
Donna says
May 16, 2010 at 11:04 pmWhat an absolutely fabulous find. Magazine recipes are my favorites.. I subscribe to a ton. GORGEOUS photo!!
Velva says
May 18, 2010 at 1:04 amFirst, let me say that I have the same exact rat nest on my bedside table, and except for the Sunset, the same magazines too 🙂
Awesome lamb dish.
leaannbrown says
May 18, 2010 at 12:15 pmAnd don’t you just love your “rats nest?” 🙂 I’d like to add Southern Living to the pile, but haven’t. As always, thanks for stopping by Velva.
Nancy aka Spicie Foodie says
May 19, 2010 at 1:52 pmWhat a great recipe, I love lamb and salads. I love your term “rats nest” hilarious, for me it’s my book stash just piled up. Congratulations on you 1st year, here’s to many more:)