Active Time

　　25 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　Top round, a muscle from the leg, is starting to pop up in supermarkets around the country. (If your market doesn't carry it yet, ask your butcher.) This small, quick-cooking cut has the succulence you'd expect from lamb but is so convenient that you needn't wait for a special occasion or a large gathering to savor it.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 servings

　　1 (1 3/4-pound) top round of lamb

　　1 teaspoon cumin seeds

　　1 teaspoon coriander seeds

　　1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

　　3 garlic cloves

　　2 tablespoons thick yogurt such as Greek

　　Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

　　

Step 1

Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking by preheating all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Butterfly lamb horizontally through middle (without cutting all the way through, so piece opens out like a book to double its size and is 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick). Pierce meat in several places with tip of a sharp knife (so seasoning will penetrate).

　　

Step 3

Finely grind together cumin, coriander, and peppercorns in grinder. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, then stir together with ground spices and yogurt in a bowl to make a paste.

　　

Step 4

Rub paste all over lamb.

　　

Step 5

Reduce grill heat to medium-high and oil grill rack. Sear lamb over middle burner, covered, turning once, until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes total.

　　

Step 6

Turn off middle burner (burner under lamb if there are only 2) and grill, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes before slicing.

　　

Step 7

Serve with: orzo with feta, tomatoes, and dill , <a></a>corn on the cob

　　Cooks' note:

　　Lamb can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes total for medium-rare.