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Leg of lamb with apricot stuffing and mint couscous

Leg of lamb with apricot stuffing and mint couscous recipe

1 rating

Give your Easter lunch a Middle Eastern twist with this stunning leg of lamb recipe. Made with a fragrant stuffing of sweet apricots, pistachios and za'atar and served with toasted couscous, creamy feta and parsley, it's a truly delicious Easter lunch that is sure to impress your guests. See method

  • Serves 8
  • 30 mins to prepare, 1 hr 30 mins to cook
  • 569 calories / serving

Ingredients

  • 1.7kg (3 1/2lb) leg of lamb
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 echalion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tbsp za’atar
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • small bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • 75g dried apricots, roughly chopped
  • 25g (1oz) pistachios, toasted and chopped
  • 75g (3oz) stale breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

For the couscous

  • 300g (10oz) couscous
  • 500ml (17fl oz) hot vegetable stock
  • small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 100g (3 1/2oz) feta cheese, crumbled

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2385kj
    569kcal     28%

  • Fat

    29g 42%

  • Saturates

    11g 53%

  • Sugars

    6g 7%

  • Salt

    1.6g 26%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 43.3g Protein 35.3g Fibre 2.4g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy based frying pan. Add the shallots and cook gently over a medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic, za’atar and lemon zest and cook for a further minute.
  2. Stir through the mint, apricots and pistachios. Transfer to a bowl and stir through the breadcrumbs. Season to taste. Using a sharp knife, cut 4 deep horizontal slits across the top of the lamb. Spoon the apricot stuffing into the slits.
  3. Put the lamb into a large baking tray and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover loosely with foil and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C and cook for a further 45 mins. Remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, put a heavy based frying pan on the heat and add the couscous. Toss the grains around the pan until they start to turn golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the hot stock. Allow the couscous to soak up the liquid for a few minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure the stock is evenly distributed. Stir through the parsley and top with the crumbled feta.

See more Easter recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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