Recipes

Roast Leg Of Lamb Stuffed With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil Pesto And Goat Cheese

The Daily Meal Staff|

Roast Leg Of Lamb Stuffed With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil Pesto And Goat Cheese
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A gorgeous roasted leg of lamb is sure to impress your family and friends at the dinner table this Easter. Stuffed with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and basil pesto, this roast lamb is the centerpiece of a truly delectable meal.This recipe is by Chef Udo Mueller of the Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was originally published in the Chicago Tribune.
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
2
hours
Servings
8
Roast Leg of Lamb Stuffed With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil Pesto and Goat Cheese recipe - The Daily Meal
Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 (1-ounce) bags basil
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 ounce soft sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 3 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 ounce goat cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 (6-pound) boneless leg of lamb roast
  • sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
Directions
  1. Step 1: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine 2 (1-ounce) bags basil, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Process into a smooth paste.
  2. Step 2: With the motor running, add 1/2 cup olive oil through the feed tube and process to combine.
  3. Step 1: In a clean food processor fitted with the metal blade, chop 4 ounces soft sun-dried tomatoes. Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 3 ounces room-temperature cream cheese and 3 ounces room-temperature goat cheese. Process until well combined.
  4. Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 F. If the lamb comes packaged in a mesh cover, remove it. Unfold the lamb and cut through the part holding it in a ring if necessary, so it can lay flat. Lay the meat out flat with the boned side facing up. You will see that the roast has two large lobes. In each lobe cut a slash, making a long cut about 1 1/2 inches deep.
  5. Step 2: Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Distribute 1 tablespoon chopped garlic over the meat and spread with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
  6. Step 3: Next, cover the lamb with the basil pesto, spreading it into a layer. Then spread the goat cheese stuffing into a layer (if it doesn't spread easily, place it in the microwave oven for a few seconds to soften it).
  7. Step 4: Fold the meat back together into its original shape and tie with butcher string at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle the outside of the roast with salt and pepper. Place roast on a rack in a roasting pan.
  8. Step 5: Roast the lamb 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 F. Roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 F for medium rare (it will require about 20 minutes a pound, so a 6-pound roast will require about 2 hours total).
  9. Step 6: Remove the roast from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before removing the strings and slicing crosswise. The slices may partially fall apart so handle them gently. Reassemble them as best you can on a large platter and use the stuffing as garnish.
 
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