Leg Of Lamb Stuffed With Greens And Feta

Total Time: 5 hrs Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed (fronds and tender stalks reserved)
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions ( and most of the green parts)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mixed greens (such as baby spinach, tender swiss chard leaves, miner's lettuce, pea shoots, outer leaves of escaro)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed, freshly ground (or crushed in a mortar)
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/2-4 lb leg of lamb, butterflied
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled)
• 1/2 cup dry wine, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup chopped fennel leaves, plus tender stalks (or fresh dill or a combination)

Recipe

• 1 in a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the fennel bulb over medium heat until just tender, about 3 minutes.
• 2 add the scallions and chopped garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more.
• 3 add the greens and sauté, stirring, until wilted.
• 4 remove from the heat and stir in the fennel seeds and pepper to taste.
• 5 let cool, then add the mint.
• 6 make 8 small slits randomly in the lamb and insert the garlic quarters.
• 7 transfer half of the greens mixture to a small bowl.
• 8 add the cheese to the greens remaining in the skillet.
• 9 taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt if necessary (feta is usually quite salty).
• 10 note: the stuffing should be completely cooled before being spread on the lamb. spread the cheese mixture on the lamb, squeezing it to extract the excess juices; add some of the remaining greens if needed; the lamb should be well covered.
• 11 roll and tie the lamb.
• 12 rub the lamb all over with the remaining greens.
• 13 cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• 14 preheat the oven to 450 degrees f.
• 15 scrape the greens off the surface of the lamb and reserve.
• 16 brush the lamb with oil and sprinkle with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. place the lamb in a roasting pan that just holds it comfortably, preferably a clay or pyrex one.
• 17 roast for 20 minutes.
• 18 meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and simmer for 1 minute.
• 19 add the reserved greens.
• 20 pour the greens mixture over the lamb and roast for 5 minutes more. reduce the oven temperature to 350°f and roast the lamb, basting frequently with the pan juices, adding a little more wine to the pan if necessary, for about 30 minutes longer, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135°f for medium.
• 21 remove the lamb from the oven, sprinkle with the chopped fennel or dill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
• 22 carve the lamb and serve, passing the pan juices in a bowl or sauceboat at the table.