(Cook with the Chef 2009: Brian Rood of Max’s)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Certified Organic Shepherd’s Lamb lamb leg cleaned and cut into 6oz pieces ( marinate the lamb overnight with thinly sliced garlic, fresh rosemary and crushed
basil stems left over from the pesto recipe)

3 Heirloom tomatoes cut into large bite size pieces

3 Yellow Squash cut into ‘fries’

1C Pecan Pesto

lemon juice to taste

Pecan Pesto: 8oz basil leaves, 2oz lightly toasted pecans, 3 cloves of garlic, 1C extra virgin olive oil, 1/8C fine grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste

(1. put the basil in a food processor and then weight it down with remaining ingredients
This helps to process the basil as quickly as possible so that it doesn’t oxidize.
2. pulse the ingredients about five seconds then check the texture. I prefer a chunkier
pesto with more oil but pulse again for five seconds for a smoother pesto
3. season to taste)

PROCEDURE:

  1. Marinate squash in pesto
  2. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, allow to set for 2-3 minutes
  3. Season and grill lamb to desired doneness (med-rare preferred)
  4. Slice lamb across the grain and wrap slices around the marinated squash
  5. Skewer each lamb and squash and add the tomato
  6. Drizzle pesto oil over the skewer