My new home in Cortona, Italy, came with an outdoor kitchen that includes not only a pizza oven, but also a fireplace set up for live-wood, open-flame cooking. It was within the fireplace that an odd-looking contraption sat to one side. It looked like something from Back to the Future, and I couldn’t figure out what it was or how it operated. 

“It’s a rotisserie,” Rob explained. Rob, and his wife Sheryl, sold me my new home. We closed at the beginning of September, and now, with COVID ruling the world, we find ourselves sharing the house, neither of us guests nor real owners. A modern-day commune of sorts. It’s a good thing we truly enjoy each other, and it’s a plus that Rob is a master of live-fire cookery. 

I purchased a leg of lamb, which wasn’t an easy feat since Tuscans largely consider the cut only appropriate for Easter. Six hours before grilling, I rubbed the meat with a tried-and-true marinade (page 211 in Just Cook with Sally). Then, it took an hour and a half for the fire to properly heat the stones and build up a foundation of coals. We figured a half-hour on the rotisserie would yield a medium-rare piece of meat. When we were ready to begin cooking, we secured the leg to a long spike and tightened end screws to hold it in place.

The mechanism for the rotisserie is ancient and simple—so simple it looks more like an object of torture than a hundred-year-old, geared, slow roaster. Once the long spike was secured into the box (not an easy maneuver), the other end was rested on a stand. Then I simply cranked a handle, gears clicking, at the back of the box. It took a full rotation for every minute I wanted the meat to cook. Thirty rotations later, the meat was positioned at the front of the fireplace, live coals banked to the back. The gears quietly ticked, the meat slowly rotated, and 30 minutes later, the lamb was perfect. After resting 10 minutes, we gave it a taste. Slight char and smokiness permeated each morsel, the meat dripped with juices, and the flavors were primal and richly satisfying.

 I can hardly wait to try chicken, pork, vegetables on the rotisserie. Now I am eyeing my wood pile and wondering if I have enough to get me through COVID.

Red Wine Marinade

Makes approximately 1¾ cups

1 cup hearty red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon (good use for leftover wine!)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons soy sauce
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or slightly smashed
1 tablespoon either apricot, huckleberry, apple jelly/jam or orange marmalade
1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled between your fingers
1 tablespoon either dried oregano or rosemary, crumbled between your fingers
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Can be made a few days in advance and stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

2. Apply Red Wine Marinade to the leg of lamb (recipe is from my cookbook, page 278) for 24 hours.

3. Pat dry and roast as described, basting with Lamb Glaze (page 282 in my cookbook, below).

Lamb Glaze

1 cup pepper jelly, melted
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint or rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients together and brush on meat.