BBQ lamb leg

We've had a week of spectacular weather - as good as it gets really - so we just have to keep BBQing as long as we can! This time we had a butterflied lamb leg (boned and flattened) so it cooks more gently than chops or a steak and you end up with loads of BCBs (burnt crispy bits, for those of you who don't read Pratchett) and incredibly tender, juicy, pink middle.

It went on the BBQ just as it was, no marinade or anything, but as it cooked it was sprinkled with salt, pepper and dried thyme, crushed together in a mortar and pestle. And when it came off the heat it went into a shallow bath of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. The fragrance as it hit the dressing was just wonderful.

Anyway. Today's picture is much more about the salad on the side. I got a bit carried away on adding tasty things to it and it ended up being way more food than necessary, so I didn't eat much of the meat in the end (my theory being that cold lamb is delicious the next day, salad isn't). So we have here BBQ aubergine, a dollop of hummus (a disappointing bland one) and salad. The salad was a tub of "Italian salad" (leaves, pine nuts, parmesan and pesto dressing), a tub of cherry tomatoes and bocconcini, half an avocado, artichoke hearts and some lovely slippery strips of bottled roast peppers. All of my favourite things!