Lamb Stuffed With Apricots Recipe | Food

Date Published:: 19/12/2007

This stuffed lamb recipe comes from Karen in Nottingham

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 whole leg of lamb, tunnel boned (ask the butcher for the bones to make stock)
4 ozs mushrooms, very finely chopped
half a medium onion very finely chopped
4 ozs dried apricots (no soak variety) very finely chopped
2 slices bread (white or granary)
Liquid – egg, milk or any fruit juice is good
1 small tablespoon fresh or dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and black pepper

Method: How to make lamb stuffed with apricots and mushrooms

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the liquid, thoroughly. Add the liquid until the mixture just holds together. Stuff the tunnel in the leg of lamb – it will be a tight fit – this is intentional – it will swell even more during cooking to provide lots of crispy stuffing. Rub the outside of the Leg of lamb with garlic, salt and pepper.

To remove fat from gravy if you haven't got time to put it in the fridge overnight, take off the heat for a couple of minutes and add a handful of ice cubes, leave for about 1 min and remove – the surplus fat will come out with the ice cubes (don't leave in too long or the ice cubes will melt the fat back into the gravy).

2. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the lamb, on a rack, into the oven for 20 mins until sizzling. Reduce heat to 160 degrees and cook for a further 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Remove from oven and wrap the whole thing – including spilled out stuffing in tin foil and allow to rest for 30 mins.

3. For the gravy:Tip most of the fat from the baking tin and pour the juices and residue into a saucepan. Add 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour. Cook over a low heat, stirring continuously, to a smooth paste. Gradually add some of the stock made from the lamb bones (about 1 pint). Pour in a good dollop (about 1–2 decent wine glasses) of Marsalla or Madeira. Add 1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly. Boil rapidly until reduced by at least half.

4. To taste: you can sneak in a stock cube at this stage if the lamb stock hasn’t provided enough flavour. Check seasoning – add salt and pepper if necessary.