The all-purpose seasoning usually has a base of black pepper and allspice, along with coriander, cumin, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg.

When you need a little something to give dinner a boost, a number of spice combinations can come in handy — think Chinese five-spice powder or Indian garam masala. Or you can lean Middle Eastern.

Baharat, a fragrant all-purpose Lebanese seven-spice mix, usually has a base of black pepper and allspice, along with coriander, cumin, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. But the formula is not set in stone. Sometimes ginger, cardamom and hot paprika are part of the mix. And some cooks add fenugreek.

There are often more than seven spices, or fewer. Cooks who live in the country, far from any souk or spice market, may make a baharat from just black peppercorns and allspice berries. (It becomes a bit more confusing because the term baharat — the Arabic word for spices — is used throughout the Middle East, and not necessarily to describe the same mixture.)

Lebanese cooks may use a pinch of baharat in a lemony tabbouleh, or in a grilled kofta made from ground lamb. Its warm, sweet notes add depth and brightness. For this grilled lamb recipe, I use baharat, garlic and olive oil to marinate the meat.

I think of it as a spiced-up London broil, which is what butchers call a boneless piece of meat (most often beef) from nearly any cut that is broiled or grilled and then sliced before serving. It’s normally a bit thicker than a steak, almost like a little roast.

If you are up for a bit of very easy home butchering, you can get four little pieces of equal size from a boneless leg of lamb that weighs about 11⁄2 pounds. Lay the leg flat, skin side down. Using a sharp knife, divide and separate the meaty pieces, then trim each one of excess fat. Now you’re ready to go.

Could you use a tied boneless leg and just roast it? Of course, but converting it to succulent little steaks makes the slicing simpler and the cooking time faster. Some butchers sell lamb leg steaks or meat for kebabs, which could also work. Chops or rack of lamb are other options, but they’re generally far more expensive.

Broiled medium-rare is not the way meat is served in Lebanon; it is more often braised or cooked well done on skewers. But for Western cooks, it makes sense. Accompany the lamb with wilted chard and a saucy cucumber-yogurt relish for a lovely combination of flavors and textures. Savor the spice-kissed meat and succulent greens mingling with the cool, minty yogurt.