This winning flavour combination is delicious with seasonal veg and crushed new potatoes.
Serves: 4 - 6
Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes (80 mins for well-done lamb)
Resting time: 10 minutes)
INGREDIENTS
1.7kg/3lbs shoulder of lamb, deboned and butterflied (keep the removed bone)
Sea salt and black pepper
Garlic granules
Paprika
250g soft figs, halved
4 rosemary stalks
3 red onions, halved - keep roots on and remove outer skin
2 whole garlic bulbs, halved
60g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 braeburn apples, cored and cut into ½ inch thick slices
3 tbsp olive oil
For the stuffing
100g wholegrain rice and quinoa mix, or wholegrain rice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 echalion shallots, finely chopped
60g shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
40g pistachios
40g raisins
For the gravy
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp red wine
METHOD
● Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
● For the stuffing: cook the rice/quinoa mix (or rice) in accordance with the pack instructions.
● Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the shallots. When soft add the mushrooms, pistachios and raisins. Season with salt, pepper and garlic granules. Cook for another 5 minutes, add the rice, stir then cool.
● Place lamb on a flat board, season the inside with salt, pepper, garlic granules and paprika. Scatter over the figs, top with the stuffing mix, flatten it, tuck the edges in and roll into a sausage shape. Secure with butchers' string.
● Seal the roll in the frying pan for 30 seconds a side over a medium/high heat. Season again. Tuck two rosemary stalks under the string.
● Place the bone in a large roasting tin and surround with the onions, garlic, sliced mushrooms and apples. Drizzle with the oil, season the veg and sit the lamb on the bone.
● For the gravy: dissolve the bouillon in ¼ litre of boiling water. Whisk in the tomato paste, honey and wine. Pour over the lamb and vegetables.
● Bake for 30 minutes, baste then reduce the oven to 180° and cook for another 30 minutes – add another 20 minutes if you prefer it well done.
● When cooked, rest the lamb for 10 minutes before serving on a platter wrapped in foil. Keep the vegetables warm in the tin in the oven. Pour the juices into a small pan and boil hard for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the gravy.
● To serve, remove the strings with scissors and slice.
