Grilled Lamb Porterhouse with Fig-Cascabel Sauce

Can also be used to make Lamb Skewers for a cocktail party (recipe follows)

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Ingredients

• 8 lamb porterhouse chops, 4 to 5 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fig-Cascabel Sauce, recipe follows
• Flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

Heat grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. 

Brush chops on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the grill or grill pan and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over the chops and continue grilling to medium doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Ladle some of the sauce into the center of each dinner plate. Place 2 chops per order in the center of the sauce and drizzle the edges of the meat with some more of the sauce. Garnish with parsley leaves.

Fig-Cascabel Sauce: (many steps but worth every minute)

• 1 cup chopped dried figs
• 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup port wine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup cascabel chile puree (make just like the fig puree)

(IF  cascabel is NOT AVAILABLE, USE CHILE GUAJILLO OR OTHER HOT DRIED RED CHILES

• 4 cups chicken stock
• Touch of honey

1. Place figs in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit until softened, approximately 30 minutes. Place the softened figs in a food processor with 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid and process until smooth.
2. Combine the vinegar and port wine in a medium nonreactive saucepan and reduce by half over high heat. Add the sugar, orange juice, and fig puree and reduce by half again, stirring occasionally.
3. Combine the chile puree and chicken stock in another saucepan and reduce by half over high heat. 
4. Add the reduced vinegar-fig mixture to the chicken stock mixture along with a touch of honey and reduce by half again, stirring occasionally. 
5. Strain the mixture into a clean medium saucepan and reduce to a sauce consistency. 

Lamb Skewers

4 pounds top round lamb 2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves) 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves ½ cup mild olive oil ½ cup dry red wine 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar Kosher salt 1 large red pepper small wooden skewers (soak in water for 20 minutes)

1. Cut the lamb in 1½-inch cubes. You should have about 40 cubes. Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. 
2. Add the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Toss occasionally.
3. Heat a charcoal grill with coals. Spread the coals in one tight layer on the grill.
4. Cut the red peppers in small squares Loosely thread a piece of lamb and a slice of pepper on skewers. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. 
5. Place the lamb skewers on the hot grill and cook for 5 minutes, turning once, until the lamb is medium rare. 
6. Place a dollop of fig cascabel sauce on the bottom of appetizer cup, place skewer on top.  may garnish with a sprig of mint.