Apricot Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb

Apricot Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb with Roast Saddleback Potatoes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1½ kg Boned shoulder of lamb.
  • Salt.
  • Freshly ground black pepper.
  • 15g Butter.
  • 1 Medium onion, finely chopped.
  • 50g Fresh white breadcrumbs.
  • 100g No soak dried apricots.
  • Roughly chopped.
  • 25g Raisins.
  • 25g Walnut pieces, roughly chopped.
  • Finely grated rind of 1 orange.
  • 1 Egg, size 3.
  • 8 Even sized potatoes, approx 75g each.
  • 1 - 2 Cloves of garlic.

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 375ml Lamb bone stock.
  • Juice of 1 orange.
  • 1 tsp Cornflour.
  • 2 tsp Redcurrant jelly.

Oven:  190°/375°/Gas Mark 5
Allow 50 minutes per kg, plus 25 minutes (stuffed joint weight)

  1. Open out the meat and trim away any pockets of fat or sinews.   Season well inside.
  2. Heat the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and cook gently  until softened and transparent.  Cool.
  3. Put the breadcrumbs, apricots, raisins, walnuts, orange rind and  cooled onion into a bowl, season well and bind together with the  beaten egg.
  4. Spread this stuffing over the centre area of the meat, not taking it too close to the edges.
  5. Roll up as tightly as possible and secure at intervals with string.   Season the outside well before placing in the dish.
  6. Roast for approximately 1 hour then add the prepared potatoes  around the joint.
  7. Peel the potatoes but leave them whole.  Using a sharp knife make  a least five deep slashes into each potato, but avoid cutting right  through.  Cover with water and 1 tsp salt.  Bring to the boil for 2  minutes, then drain.
  8. Peel the garlic and cut into very fine slivers.  Push at least two  pieces into each potato.
  9. Place the potatoes alongside the joint and either baste with some of the cooking fat in the dish or for reduced fat brush very lightly with vegetable oil.  Season with ground pepper.
  10. Test to see if the joint is cooked with a fine skewer.  If the meat juices are still pink the meat is slightly underdone.  If you prefer it  well done cook for a further 25 minutes. Lift out the joint and potatoes cover with foil and keep hot.
  11. Drain off as much of the fat from the dish as you can.  Add to the dish the hot stock.  Leave to stand for 2 minutes to loosen the cooking residues.  Pour into a saucepan add the juice of the orange blended with the cornflour and the redcurrant jelly.  Bring to the boil, stirring.  When thickened, season, then serve around the thickly sliced meat.
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