LAMB CROWN WITH COUSCOUS STUFFING
Remember to order this crown roast in advance, and ask your butcher to prepare it for you.
Hands-on time 45min, plus resting. Cooking time about 40min. Serves 8
3-rack crown roast of lamb, at room temperature, fat removed 25ml (1fl oz) olive oil 25g (1oz) fresh parsley 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 2 garlic cloves 1tbsp wholegrain mustard
FOR THE STUFFING
Couple of pinches of saffron, optional 100g (3½oz) couscous 40g (1½oz) pine nuts 50g (2oz) butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1tsp dried mint 1 medium egg, beaten 50g (2oz) dried figs, finely chopped 75g (3oz) feta, crumbled Pomegranate seeds, to garnish
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put lamb on a baking tray. Into small bowl of food processor, put oil, parsley (stalks and all), thyme leaves, garlic, mustard and some seasoning. Whiz until well mixed. Alternatively, bash oil, herbs, garlic and seasoning in 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 bowl; cover with a little boiling water. Leave to soak 5min. Put couscous and saffron mix, if made, into a heatproof bowl; just cover with boiling water. Cover tightly with clingfilm; leave for 5min.
3 Dry heat a frying pan; toast pine nuts until golden (watch them – they brown suddenly). Empty on to a plate. Return pan to heat with butter and onion; gently fry for 5min to soften. Add garlic; fry 1min. Take pan off heat.
4 Fluff up couscous with a fork; mix in onion, pine nuts, mint, egg, figs, feta and seasoning.
5 Carefully take lamb out of oven; spoon stuffing into central cavity. Return to oven for 15min for pink meat (longer if you like).
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 20min. Sprinkle over pomegranate seeds; serve. To carve, slice into cutlets, between bones.
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.