Greek Roasted Lamb Stuffed with Baby Spinach, Dill, and Feta Cheese
Book Description
With 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the culinary delights of southern Europe and northern Africa are nearly endless. From the olives of Greece to the fresh pastas of Italy to the savory lamb of Tunisia and Morocco, the Mediterranean Coast is rife with gastronomic treasures – and recently discovered health benefits. Now, armed with new findings that show that a Mediterranean diet can increase life span, French-born gourmet chef Jeanette Seaver has compiled more than 200 of her favorite recipes from the region.
This Greek lamb recipe is slightly different than the French gigot, but equally delicious. I like to make it from time to time as a variation of the more familiar roast lamb.
With the boned leg of lamb, make sure to cut out all sinews and extra fat before stuffing, and tie it securely with twine or kitchen pins to insure that the stuffing doesn’t escape during cooking.
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4-pound) leg of lamb, flattened with a mallet, boned, and trimmed of all its fat and sinews
1 pound baby spinach, washed and dried
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups fresh dill sprigs, washed and chopped
2 cups fresh mint leaves, chopped coarsely
1 cup small cubes of feta cheese
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
pepper and salt
1 onion, finely chopped
6 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup red wine
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rub some of the olive oil on all sides of meat.
In a large mixing bowl, with your hands—wear thin plastic gloves available in most drugstores—mix spinach, garlic, eggs, dill, mint, feta and Gruyère cheeses, 2 tablespoons olive oil, pepper, and salt. (It’s actually fun to do this step. It will remind you of summer camp or even farther back, kindergarten days.)
Tightly pack this filling, making a kind of sausage of it, along one side of the meat. Roll meat (with filling) onto itself, forming again a kind of sausage-like roll with the filling securely encased. Tie well with twine or kitchen pins. Sprinkle with thyme, pepper, and salt.
In a roasting pan, cook roast 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 135 degrees F — for medium rare.
In a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil and saute onion until light brown.
Add tomatoes and cook 10 minutes, until mixture forms a thick sauce. Set aside.
Remove roast from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Cut twine off, or remove pins.
Warm a serving platter in a low-temperature oven.
On a cutting board, slice meat and transfer slices to warm serving platter. Add pan drippings to saucepan with tomato/onion, bring to a boil. Turn heat off, and transfer to gravy boat. Serve sauce with lamb.
