Best Greek Style Stuffed Leg Of Lamb Recipes

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.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Remove plastic netting or twine from around the leg of lamb, if any, and open up the roast on a cutting board. Place the boned side of the roast up. With a sharp paring knife, cut away any excess fatty areas. Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2-inch deep slits in the meat about 2 inches apart, to help the meat lie flat. Cover the meat with a sturdy piece of plastic wrap or a cut-apart food storage bag, and pound the meat with a mallet or the edge of a small plate until the roast is about 3/4 inch thick everywhere, and 10 to 14 inches square.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sprinkle the upper side of the meat with salt and pepper, and then spread spinach leaves over the top of the roast to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Break up the goat cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the spinach, then sprinkle the pine nuts over the cheese.
• Roll the roast up into a tight cylinder, and tie the roast together with kitchen twine at 2 inch intervals. It's okay if a little stuffing protrudes from the sides of the roast.
• In a flat dish, mix together the flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper, the thyme, and the fennel seeds, and press the tied roast firmly into the flour mixture to coat all sides.
• Heat the sesame oil in a heavy oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and sear all sides of the roast, including the ends, to a golden brown color. Lay the roast into the skillet, place into the preheated oven, and roast to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.