Photo by Robyn Maguire / Styled by Catrine Kelty

My son loves lamb and he asks me to make this dish for his birthday every year. Springtime is the start of the grilling season here in New England (although if you’re like me, you’ve been grilling all 12 months of the year); it’s also the best time of year for local lamb. Think about the spring lamb’s diet: fresh wild flowers, herbs and grasses, flavoring the meat from the inside out. There are many sheep farms in New England where you can source lamb; just ask your local butcher shop or find a lamb farmer nearby. This recipe showcases the best of spring in France: lamb, spring garlic, fresh herbes de Provence, honey and lavender.

Serves 4

6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 pounds lamb cut into 1½ to 2-inch cubes (leg preferred)
6 teaspoons herbes de Provence, store bought or homemade (see recipe below)
honey-lavender butter (see recipe below)
flaky sea salt

Soak 6-inch wooden skewers in water and let sit out at room temperature for an hour, or use long metal skewers if you have them.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together garlic, shallots, Dijon and grapeseed oil. Toss the cubed lamb with salt and pepper and add to a mixing bowl with the marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Divide the lamb cubes evenly between the skewers, 4–5 pieces per skewer, and arrange on a parchment-lined sheet tray.

Light a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Grill the lamb over hot coals, turning every minute or so until internal temperature reaches 130°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer cooked skewers to a tray to rest and brush with honey-lavender butter.

Garnish with herbes de Provence and sea salt and serve over Petits Pois (see recipe here).

HERBES DE PROVENCE
This would be a great year to start an herb garden. Not only will you have fresh herbs all spring and summer, but you’ll be able to dry them and make your own herbes de Provence blend to add to your pantry. At my restaurants, we have put this blend on chicken, on coppa, meats, fish, salads, on pretty much everything. If you don’t have time to grow your own herbs this year, then I recommend supporting your local spice shop—we love Curio Spice and Christina’s Spice & Specialty Foods, both in Cambridge.

Makes about ¾ cup

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried savory
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried Italian parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground bay leaf

Preheat oven to 300°F.

On a sheet tray, toast the fennel seed in the oven until fragrant. Remove and cool to room temperature.

In a spice grinder, pulse the rosemary to break it down slightly and add to a mixing bowl along with the savory, thyme, basil, marjoram, parsley, oregano and bay powder. Pulse the fennel seeds in the spice grinder until broken down and add to the bowl as well.

Mix until spices and herbs are incorporated into a beautiful spice blend. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

HONEY-LAVENDER BUTTER
Biking through France with my wife, passing the fragrant fields of lavender, we just wanted to breathe it all in and never leave. Back at home, we can recreate the scent and flavor of France by combining local honey and fresh lavender to make a delicious compound butter. I use this on everything: breads, vegetables, meats and, of course, on grilled lamb.

Makes 1½ cups butter

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons local honey
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
½ tablespoon flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and honey and stir to combine. Add the lavender, salt and black pepper to the butter and stir until incorporated. Transfer to a Mason jar for storage and keep out at room temp.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2021 issue as part of a larger story called “Printemps en Provence: A Sunday Lunch Menu.”