Christmas mint and apricot stuffed leg of lamb

Make your Christmas meal extra special with this delicious leg of lamb recipe.

You can serve it with roasted veggies and a tasty sauce made from the pan juices.

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Christmas mint and apricot stuffed leg of lamb

Ingredients

• 2kg leg of lamb, de-boned
• 100g carrots, chopped
• 100g leeks, chopped
• 100g celery, chopped
• ½ bulb of garlic, crushed
• 50g rosemary
• 500ml chicken stock
• For the stuffing
• 200g dried apricots, finely chopped
• 50g mint, finely chopped
• 150-200g breadcrumbs (150g is softer and more spoonable, while 200g means a more solid stuffing and easier to carve)
• 1 egg

Method

1. Lay the lamb, skin-side down. Cut several pieces of string long enough to tie around the lamb, then slide them under the joint so they are spaced out.
2. Mix the stuffing ingredients together, and season well.
3. Spread the stuffing out along the middle of the lamb, then fold the meat over to form a roll.
4. Tie the string so the roll stays together. Heat the oven to 170°C. Season the lamb evenly all over.
5. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, then brown the lamb.
6. Tip the veg, garlic, and rosemary into a roasting tin and put the lamb on top, seam-side down.
7. Cook until tender (around 1 hr for a 2kg leg).
8. Lift the lamb out of the tin and, keeping it warm, rest for 20 minutes.
9. Put the roasting tin on the stove over medium heat, add the stock, scrape up any bits, and simmer until reduced by half.
10. Pour through a fine sieve and serve with the lamb.

*This recipe was sent by JAG Communications on behalf of Chefs at Culinary Capsicum Studio

Christmas mint and apricot stuffed leg of lamb

• Author: Chef Wayne Oosthuizen

• • 2kg leg of lamb, de-boned

• • ½ bulb of garlic, crushed

• • 200g dried apricots, finely chopped

• • 150–200g breadcrumbs (150g is softer and more spoonable, while 200g means a more solid stuffing and easier to carve)

1. Lay the lamb, skin-side down. Cut several pieces of string long enough to tie around the lamb, then slide them under the joint so they are spaced out.
2. Mix the stuffing ingredients together, and season well.
3. Spread the stuffing out along the middle of the lamb, then fold the meat over to form a roll.
4. Tie the string so the roll stays together. Heat the oven to 170°C. Season the lamb evenly all over.
5. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, then brown the lamb.
6. Tip the veg, garlic, and rosemary into a roasting tin and put the lamb on top, seam-side down.
7. Cook until tender (around 1 hr for a 2kg leg).
8. Lift the lamb out of the tin and, keeping it warm, rest for 20 minutes.
9. Put the roasting tin on the stove over medium heat, add the stock, scrape up any bits, and simmer until reduced by half.
10. Pour through a fine sieve and serve with the lamb.

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