Grilled Lamb With Scallion Pancakes

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Marinate the meat: Brush the lamb with soy sauce and coat with five-spice powder. Set aside for 1 hour at room temperature.

2. Step 2

   Make the pancakes: Whirl the flour and salt in a food processor. Boil 1 cup water. With the machine running, slowly pour the water in through the feed tube. Process briefly to form a smooth dough. Remove from the processor to a lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour.

3. Step 3

   Divide dough in 8 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a thin 10-inch round. Brush each round with sesame oil and scatter with scallions. Roll up each round into a tight cylinder, then coil each cylinder around like a bun. Slightly flatten each bun, then roll each into a round pancake about 6 inches in diameter. Set aside, covered with a towel.

4. Step 4

   Light a grill or broiler for medium heat. Grill or broil the lamb, turning once, until desired degree of doneness, about 12 minutes per side for medium-rare. It’s an uneven cut, so you might remove some parts as they are done. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

5. Step 5

   Shortly before serving, heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a small skillet on medium. Fry the pancakes one at a time, turning, until lightly browned a minute or so per side, adding more oil as needed. Stack cooked pancakes and wrap them in foil. If using a grill, place the pancakes to one side, away from direct heat to keep warm.

6. Step 6

   Thinly slice the lamb and arrange it on a platter. If serving the dish like tacos, cut the slices in 2-inch pieces. Stack the pancakes to one side of the platter. Pile cucumber slivers in a mound on the platter, and serve with hoisin sauce.