Grecian Stuffed Lamb Recipes

STUFFED GREEK LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Lay out the leg of lamb on cutting board with the inside of the lamb facing you. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the lamb. Sprinkle oregano and basil over the lamb. Top lamb with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
• Roll the lamb around the stuffing. Bundle the lamb with kitchen twine to keep from unrolling. Wrap lamb in aluminum foil and place in a baking dish.
• Roast in preheated oven to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 150 degrees F (70 degrees C) for medium, about 90 minutes. Set aside to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve pan juices for serving.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Heat dressing in small skillet on medium-low heat. Add rosemary and garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until fragrant. Remove 3 Tbsp. dressing mixture; reserve for later use.
• Add bread crumbs to remaining dressing mixture; mix well. Cook 3 to 5 min. or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add artichokes, cheese and tomatoes; mix lightly.
• Place wire rack in 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray; set aside. Place lamb, cut side up, on cutting board. If any portion of the meat is significantly thicker than other portions, use sharp knife to make horizontal cut into thick portion to partially cut meat in half to make 2 even layers. Open meat, then press with your hands to flatten.
• Spread meat with bread crumb mixture; roll up, starting at one short end. Tie closed in several places with kitchen string; place on wire rack. Rub with reserved dressing mixture.
• Bake 1-1/2 hours or until lamb is cooked to medium-rare doneness (145°F). Remove lamb from oven. Tent with foil; let stand 10 to 15 min. or until done (160°F). Remove and discard string before slicing lamb to serve.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB, GREEK STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Under running water, trim the outer layer of fat from the lamb and blot dry. Allow the lamb to reach room temperature and squeeze the juice from the lemons over the lamb. Slice cloves of garlic, lengthwise.
• Put salt and pepper into a small container. Cut 6 small slots into each side of the leg of lamb, about 1-inch deep. Insert garlic slivers, followed by salt and pepper, into the lamb. Lightly sprinkle top of lamb with oregano. Pour the water into a roasting pan, add lamb, and cover with foil. Roast on lowest rack of oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove foil, lower heat to 375 degrees and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until lamb reaches desired temperature. Remove and let lamb stand about 30 minutes as the lamb continues to cook. To test the temperature of the meat, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg without touching the bone. For rare lamb, the thermometer should register 140 degrees. For medium, the thermometer should register 145 degrees.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB, MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE

Steps:

• Marinade: In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon zaatar mix and 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced. Season the trimmed leg of lamb with salt and pepper, to taste, and put it into a resealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate and let sit as long as you can, even overnight.
• Light the grill, putting the coals all on 1 side.
• Stuffing: Put the remaining garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the feta and pulse just to break it up, then slowly drizzle in just enough olive oil so the consistency is just barely creamy but not too loose (about 1/4 cup), stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the blanched spinach, 1 tablespoon of the zaatar spice mix, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and a little black pepper, and mix until blended but still a little chunky.
• Take the lamb out of the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the inside with lemon zest and fresh thyme, then add a layer of arugula leaves. Carefully spread stuffing over the inside of leg, being careful not to spread it all the way to the edge. Grab the end closest to you and slowly roll the leg up. Tie well with butchers twine. Liberally sprinkle the outside of the lamb with shawarma spice.
• Put the lamb directly over the coals on the hot side of the grill and sear it quickly, until the outside develops a nice crust, maybe 2 minutes per side. Then move the lamb away from the coals, cover the grill and let it cook for 45 minutes or so, checking after 30 minutes and turning several times. When the lamb is done, take it off the grill, put it on a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes. To serve, cut in 1 1/2-inch thick slices, and arrange on a serving platter, making sure to remove any pieces of twine.

GREEK LAMB STUFFED BELL PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Slice tops from tomatoes and peppers and clean, save them.
• Remove pulp from tomatoes and reserve.
• Put tops in baking dish and place veggies on top of them (keeps them from burning).
• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon sugar in each.
• Heat 1/2 cup butter in large frying pan and saute onion till transparent.
• Add meat and stir.
• Add rice, spices**, and 1 cup tomato pulp (mashed).
• Cover and cook 15 mins, allow to cool.
• Mix breadcrumbs into meat mixture.
• Fill vegs and remainder of tomato pulp (mashed) on top of stuffing.
• Pour tomato sauce and enough water to bring fluid level to 1/2.
• Bake in oven at 350 deg for 2-1/2 hours.
• Check periodically to see that water hasn't dried up in pan, add more water if needed.
• ** If you don't have Greek spices combine 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon mint. This will be close, adjust the parsley and mint to taste.

LEG OF LAMB STUFFED WITH GREENS AND FETA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the fennel bulb over medium heat until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the scallions and chopped garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add the greens and sauté, stirring, until wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the fennel seeds and pepper to taste. Let cool, and then add the mint.
• Make 8 small slits randomly in the lamb and insert the garlic quarters.
• Transfer half of the greens mixture to a small bowl. Add the cheese to the greens remaining in the skillet. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt if necessary (Feta is usually quite salty). Stuff the lamb with the cheese mixture, squeezing it to extract the excess juices; add some of the remaining greens if needed; the lamb should be well stuffed. Close the opening with toothpicks. Rub the lamb all over with the remaining greens. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat the over to 450°F.
• Scrape the greens off the surface of the lamb and reserve. Brush the lamb with oil and sprinkle with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Place the lamb in a roasting pan that just holds it comfortably, preferably clay or Pyrex one. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add the reserved greens.
• Pour the greens mixture over the lamb and roast for 5 minutes more. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and roast the lamb, basting frequently with the pan juices, adding a little more wine to the pan if necessary, for about 30 minutes longer, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135°F for medium. Remove the lamb from the oven, sprinkle with the chopped fennel or dill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Carve the lamb and serve, passing the pan juices in a bowl or sauceboat at the table.
• NOTE: Alternatively, you can use a butterflied leg of lamb. Spread the stuffing over the lamb, roll it up and tie it. Marinate and roast as directed.

GRECIAN STUFFED LAMB

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, enlarge cavity of leg of lamb.
• Rub lamb inside and out with thyme.
• Combine egg, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add parsley, pine nuts, bread crumbs, and ham. Mix well.
• Fill cavity with ham mixture.
• Tie lamb and place on rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Bake in 325 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. or until desired doneness.