Mediterranean lamb – marinated, grilled, devoured

One of the best hot tub accessories is of course the barbecue. But when you’re barbecuing in the spring, you can’t always rely on the weather being warm and sunny. Sometimes you need to reach out to recipes from sunnier climates like the Mediterranean to make up the difference. Here’s a recipe that originates from Jewish cookery in Algeria. Try this out if you want to take barbecued lamb to the next level – and if you want to evoke the Mediterranean sunshine in early Canadian spring. It’s a marinade – so before you lift the cover off the hot tub, be sure to give yourself a full 24 hours to let your meat soak in the flavours before grilling. (And you might need to take a trip to a natural food store or Indian or Middle Eastern shop to find all the spices. It’s worth the effort!) Best using lamb chops or lamb shoulder steaks. Prepare the marinade with: ½ cup olive oil 1 cup white wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar if you prefer – or ¾ cup vinegar and ¼ to ½ cup water 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground coriander ¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2-3 tablespoons of honey, or to taste salt to taste Combine the above. Soak lamb in glass container, covered, overnight. Grill to your taste, basting as you flip. Enjoy! And savour some Mediterranean sun as spring lifts the winter weather off our backyards – just as many of us think of lifting the covers off our hot tubs!