Lamb Crown with Couscous Stuffing

FOR THE CROWN

You will need to order a crown roast in advance from your butcher to make this stunning centrepiece. Hands-on time 45min, plus resting. Cooking time about 40min. Serves 8

● 3-rack crown roast of lamb, at room temperature, fat removed

● 25ml olive oil

● 25g fresh parsley

● 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

● 2 garlic cloves

● 1tbsp wholegrain mustard

FOR THE STUFFING

● Couple of pinches of saffron, optional

● 100g couscous

● 40g pine nuts

● 50g butter

● 1 small onion, finely chopped

● 2 garlic cloves, crushed

● 1tsp dried mint

● 1 medium egg, beaten

● 50g dried figs, finely chopped

● 75g feta, crumbled

● Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. For the crown, put lamb on a baking tray. In the small bowl of a food processor, whizz the oil, parsley (stalks and all), thyme leaves, garlic, mustard and some seasoning, until finely chopped. Alternatively, bash oil, herbs, garlic and seasoning using a pestle and mortar, then mix in mustard. Rub over lamb and roast for 25min.

2 Meanwhile, make stuffing. Put saffron, if using, into a small bowl; cover with a little just-boiled water and soak for 5min. Put couscous into a large heatproof bowl and sprinkle over saffron mixture, if made. Next, just cover the couscous with just-boiled water. Cover bowl tightly with clingfilm or a plate and leave to ‘cook’ for 5min. 3 Heat a frying pan over low-medium heat and toast pine nuts until golden (watch them, as they brown suddenly). Empty on to a plate. Return pan to heat with butter and onion; gently fry for 5min to soften.

Add garlic and fry for 1min.

Take pan off heat.

4 Fluff up couscous with a fork; mix in onion mixture, pine nuts, mint, egg, figs, feta and seasoning.

5 Carefully remove lamb from oven and spoon stuffing into central cavity. Return to oven for 15min for pink meat (longer if you prefer your meat more well done).

6 Carefully transfer lamb to a board using a fish slice (to keep stuffing in place). Cover with a few layers of foil; leave to rest for 20min. Sprinkle over pomegranate seeds, then carve between the bones to serve the cutlets.

PER SERVING 571cals, 28g protein, 46g fat (21g saturates), 11g carbs (4g total sugars), 1g fibre

GET AHEAD Complete steps 2-4 up to a day ahead, but don’t mix in egg. Cover; chill. To serve, complete step 1, allow stuffing to come up to room temperature, mix in egg and complete recipe.