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GOODNESS
Garlic: Garlic is in the same family as onions and leeks, and purportedly provided ancient Roman soldiers the courage to battle the barbarians. Whether or not it gives you courage, it is known to lower blood pressure, which is great for your heart and helps prevent stroke. In addition, it has a long history as a digestive aid, so don't be shy with this wonderful herb, no matter what it does to your breath!
Parsley: This refreshing herb is good for your breath and is apparently refreshing to the rest of your body. Like all green herbs, it is loaded with chlorophyll, which is just good for people. It helps you build tissue and fight inflammation. It has even been shown to help manage blood sugars and helps to keep your weight in check. More studies are needed, but it may even help to fight cancer. All that, and a breath freshener too? Who could ask for more?
Rosemary: This piney herb adds great flavor to many meats, but the surprise is how good it is for you. It has anti-inflammatory chemicals, making it useful in the treatment of liver and heart disease as well as asthma. It seems to have some potent anti-tumor properties and has been researched for its use against breast, colon and skin cancer. Although still being researched, it may be a useful tonic for the brain and has been used since ancient times as a memory enhancer. Although it is just fine in foods, you should avoid strong tinctures of rosemary if you are pregnant.
Thyme: This aromatic herb has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and contains thymol, a well-known antiseptic (you might be gargling with it). It's good for the digestion and is supposed to have some aphrodisiac qualities, although that just may be be due to the well-known connection between love and good food.
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Recipe

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb and Vegetables with Lemon-Herb Dressing

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 443

ingredients

  • Lamb
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 12 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 5- to 5 1/2 pounds leg of lamb, boned, butterflied, trimmed
  • Dressing and vegetables
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 5 shallots, minced
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 6 medium-size summer squash, trimmed, each quartered lengthwise
  • 6 medium-size yellow summer squash squash, trimmed, each cut lengthwise into 0.333 inch-thick slices
  • 3 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, each cut lengthwise into 6 strips
  • 4 medium-size red onions, peeled, halved through root end, each half cut into 3 wedges with some of core attached
  • 2 cups red Zinfandel
  • Grilling and serving
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 7/8 cup feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • Fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint sprigs

directions

lamb:

Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Place lamb in 15x10x2 inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Turn lamb, spreading marinade to coat evenly on all sides. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 day, turning lamb occasionally.

dressing and vegetables:

Whisk lemon juice, shallots, oil, parsley, and mint in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Place summer squash, yellow squash, and red bell peppers in separate dishes. Sprinkle each lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/3 cup dressing over each and turn to coat, reserve remaining dressing. Arrange red onions in large glass dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour wine over onions. Let vegetables and onions marinate at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours, basting or turning occasionally.

grilling and serving:

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill vegetables in batches until just tender, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes for onions, 10 minutes for red bell peppers, and 8 minutes for summer squash and yellow squash. Transfer vegetables to baking sheets. Reserve red Zinfandel from onions to baste lamb.

Place butterflied lamb on grill rack with some rosemary and thyme marinade still clinging to lamb. Grill until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 130 degrees for medium-rare, turning occasionally and basting with reserved red Zinfandel from onions, about 35 minutes. Transfer lamb to work surface, let rest 15 minutes.

Starting at 1 corner and positioning knife at slight angle, slice lamb thinly across grain. Arrange lamb slices on large platter. Arrange grilled vegetables around lamb. Drizzle vegetables with reserved lemon-herb dressing. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Garnish with fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint sprigs.