Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts, Apples and Mint

Ingredients

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups crumbled goat cheese
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped mint
1 (5 pound) leg of lamb, butterflied
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut six 2-foot lengths of butcher's twine. In a small skillet saute apple and shallots in butter 1 minute or until lightly browned. Transfer to a small bowl and mix well with goat cheese, pine nuts and mint; season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange lamb on work surface, inside facing up. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over lamb and pound with a meat mallet to flatten meat slightly, if needed, until leg is a fairly even thickness. Remove plastic wrap and generously season inside and outside of lamb.

Mound stuffing mixture lengthwise along one side of lamb; roll up lamb over stuffing, tucking in ends. Space 5 pieces of twine under lamb roll and tie them firmly, starting at outside and working in. Tie roll lengthwise with remaining piece of twine. In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Add lamb roll and sear all over, about 6 minutes in all. Transfer lamb to a rack set in a roasting pan and roast until brown and tender, 25 minutes for rare, 30 minutes for medium rare, basting occasionally. Remove from oven and let sit, covered loosely with foil, 10 minutes. To serve, discard strings, slice in 12 pieces and serve 2 slices per serving with roasted rosemary potatoes

Yield: 6 servings