It’s easy to think of pinot noir as an autumnal wine. I often turn to it in October and November, once those foggy, woodsmoke-perfumed nights roll in. With its classic, mulchy notes of forest floor, it’s a perfect accompaniment for mushrooms, dark stews and darker evenings. But pinot noir can also be a perfect spring wine, especially with a bottle that leans into the varietal’s bright, red-berry profile.
Domaine des Vigneaux Du Bout des Doigts Pinot Noir is just such a bottle. I can’t recall when I last had a wine so boisterously crunchy – like snapping through the skin of a just-ripe cherry with your canines, all resonant pop, though it retains elegance and depth. I can’t think of a better pairing for early-spring lamb.
Much as I like to make a braised lamb shoulder or slow-roasted lamb leg as a springtime main, here I was after something a little simpler and quicker. Enter souvlaki skewers, made with diced lamb leg and infused with a classic Greek marinade of lemon, oregano and garlic. Although you should marinate the lamb overnight for optimal flavour and tenderness, that’s about as time-consuming as the preparation gets. By grilling the skewers, they’re done within 15 minutes, all with minimal mess.
I served the souvlaki with wonderfully moreish Greek lemon potatoes, tossed together with a simple salad of seasonal greens, including sorrel and wild garlic (although you can use whichever herbs and greenery you have to hand). In place of the traditional tzatziki, it’s topped off with an herb-packed green sauce, made with a base of Greek yoghurt and olive oil.
Whether or not you mark any holidays at this time of year, it’s worth celebrating spring’s arrival for its own sake. This seasonal-produce-packed dish is a fitting way to do so, especially with a wine as cheerful as this one.
Lamb Souvlaki with Lemon Potatoes, Spring Greens and Herb Yoghurt Sauce
Loosely adapted from Recipetineats, the Kitchn and NYT Cooking
Serves 6
For the lamb souvlaki:
1.2kg boneless leg of lamb
1 onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, very finely chopped
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
For the lemon potatoes and spring greens:
1kg baby or new potatoes (I used Charlotte potatoes)
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 lemons
1-2 tablespoons mild yellow mustard (like French’s, not Colman’s) or Dijon mustard, to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
150ml chicken stock
120g lamb’s lettuce (or other preferred salad greens)
50g sorrel (or use mint, basil or other fresh herbs)
20g wild garlic (or use spring onions)
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, to taste
For the herb yoghurt sauce:
100g mixed leafy herbs, washed and dried (I used mint, basil, parsley and tarragon, but use the combination you prefer)
15g wild garlic (or use spring onions or 1-2 cloves garlic)
150g full-fat Greek yoghurt
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons caster sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. The night before you plan to cook, marinate the lamb. Begin by dicing the lamb leg into roughly 1-inch cubes; if there is a thick layer of fat on the outside of the lamb, remove it before dicing.
2. To a large, nonreactive bowl, add the remaining marinade ingredients. Add the lamb cubes and mix until evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
3. The next day, prep the Greek potatoes. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Wash the potatoes, but don’t worry about peeling them. Slice in half lengthwise and set aside.
4. Make the lemon sauce for your potatoes. Add the olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Zest the three lemons and reserve (you’ll need it for the yoghurt sauce), then add the juice to the bowl. Next, add the mustard, oregano, salt and pepper, and stir briefly to combine. Add the potatoes and toss until evenly coated.
5. Transfer the potatoes and any extra lemon sauce to a roughly 9" x 13" roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1 hour.
6. Meanwhile, prep the herb yoghurt sauce. Add the herbs and wild garlic (or spring onions or garlic cloves, if using) to a food processor. Pulse until finely minced and combined, pausing to scrape down the sides where needed. Next, add the yoghurt and reserved lemon zest to the food processor and blend on low speed, pausing to scrape down the sides, or until mostly smooth.
7. With the motor still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Blend for another minute, or until well-combined. Next, add the sugar, salt and pepper, and blend again to mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside.
8. After the potatoes have roasted for 1 hour, remove and discard the foil. Stir briefly to mix, then roast for an additional 15–20 minutes, or until starting to brown.
9. When the potatoes are nearly done roasting, prep your lamb souvlaki skewers. Divide the lamb pieces evenly between 6 large metal skewers (or use bamboo skewers pre-soaked in water). Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack placed over a foil-lined baking tray.
10. Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Switch to the oven’s grill setting and turn to high. Once it’s hot, place the lamb skewers under the grill. Cook for roughly 15 minutes, pausing to turn the skewers every 5 minutes or so, or until cooked through and starting to brown; watch carefully to make sure they don’t char too quickly. (You can cook the skewers for slightly less time if you prefer your lamb on the rare side).
11. While the lamb cooks, prepare the salad greens: Rinse the lamb’s lettuce, sorrel and wild garlic (or your preferred greens and herbs), and dry well. Add to a bowl and toss gently to combine, seasoning lightly with flaky sea salt. Just before serving, add the potatoes and any remaining lemon sauce to the bowl and mix briefly to combine.
12. Divide the lamb souvlaki skewers between plates, alongside the greens and potatoes. Add a generous dollop of the green sauce to each plate and serve immediately.
Claire M Bullen is a professional food and travel writer and all-around lover of tasty things. You can follow her at @clairembullen. For more recipes like this, sign up to our Natural Wine Killers wine subscription - you'll receive Claire's recipe and food pairings plus expert tasting notes for three amazing wines like this one every month (or two, if you choose our bi-monthly option).