The Learning Cook

Holidays have their traditional dishes. I have to have turkey at Thanksgiving and usually at Christmas, but I will more than happily tolerate a prime rib beef roast for the latter. I'm not a big ham eater, but my brother's rosemary ham (hint: get a bone-in butt ham, use a boning knife to carve some space around the bone and stuff with copious amounts of fresh rosemary sprigs, carve away the extra fat on the outside, score in the traditional diamond shapes and wash with a honey/dijon glaze. Roast per usual and you and your guests will dine rather than eat) is something I will readily take home from any holiday meal.

But I've become a lamb devotee for Easter in recent years. This is the way I like to cook it and it makes a fine extended family dinner on a spring Sunday afternoon. The Greeks have a way with lamb and I learned a lot of my lamb cooking there.

Boneless Leg of Lamb with Greek Stuffing

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced thin lengthwise
1/2 cup cured black olives, chopped
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
4-5 pound boneless leg of lamb
1 1/2 teaspoons crumbled dried rosemary
1 onion sliced
1 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

You can substitute a cup of concord grape juice with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar for the wine, if you are avoiding alcohol.

Pat the lamb dry, arrange it, boned side up, on a work surface, and season it with salt and pepper. Rub with 2 tablespoons of oil. Spread the lamb evenly with the olive-cheese-tomato mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Beginning with a short side, roll it up jelly roll fashion, and tie it tightly with kitchen string. The rolled and tied roast may look ungainly, but it will improve in appearance when cooked.

Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan and rub it all over with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. Roast the lamb in the middle of a preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes, scatter the onion around it in the pan, and roast the lamb for 1 to 1 1/4 hours more (a total of 20 minutes per pound of boneless meat ) or until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees for medium rare. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it stand for 20 minutes.

While the lamb is standing, skim the fat from the pan drippings and set the roasting pan over moderately high heat. Add the wine, deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits, and boil the mixture until it is reduced by half. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a saucepan, add the broth, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, the water, and any juices on the cutting board. Boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 2 cups. Stir the cornstarch mixture, add it to the wine mixture, whisking, and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep it warm.

Discard the lamb strings. Slice and arrange on a heated platter. Strain the sauce into a heated sauceboat and serve with the lamb. Serve with rosemary aioli on the side and your friends will be begging for the recipes.

Serve with orzo and browned butter sauce and a side of green beans with bacon.

Finish with a lemon sorbet and coffee or tea for a thoroughly successful dinner. Pray for leftovers, this is better cold the second day, if you have any. Thinly sliced lamb sandwiches with aioli on a baguette? The thought gives me chills.