STUFFED CROWN ROAST OF LAMB (KORONA ARNIOU GEMISTI)

Stuffed Crown Roast of Lamb (Korona Arniou Gemisti) image

Provided by Dena Kleiman

Time 2h15m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5 pounds) crown roast of lamb
2 cloves garlic, slivered
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small eggplant, about a pound
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 rib celery, minced fine
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 pound ground lean lamb
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup raisins
8 black calamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups cooked rice or cooked orzo
Calamata olives for garnish

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pat meat dry. Make incisions all over the roast and insert garlic slivers. Rub with 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and lemon juice. Put meat in roasting pan.
Peel and cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse and dry on paper towels. Saute in hot oil until golden on all sides, then remove from pan. Add onion and cook until wilted, then add celery and cook until soft. Add parsley and ground meat. Saute, separating with a fork, until golden brown. Add cinnamon, cardomom, raisins, chopped olives, walnuts or pine nuts, lemon peel, rice and cooked eggplant. Mix lightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon mixture into the roast. Wrap ends of bones with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Remove aluminum foil and decorate ends of bones with pitted olives.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1225, UnsaturatedFat 56 grams, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 113 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 34 grams, SaturatedFat 49 grams, Sodium 1022 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams