Onions are used in most stuffings, both lightening the rice, couscous, or breadcrumbs and introducing sweetness. As they melt down, they keep the filling moist. Ask the butcher to prepare your shoulder of lamb for stuffing. When the bone is removed, it provides a neat pocket that will hold just the right amount.
Recipe information
Yield
enough for 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Peel and thinly slice the onion, then let it soften in a little olive oil over medium heat, stirring from time to time. It is ready when soft and golden. Put the couscous in a bowl, pour over the water, and leave for ten minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Step 2
Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Stir in the softened onion, the raisins, and the spices. Season generously, then stuff the mixture into the pocket inside the lamb. Pull the meat over the stuffing and seal with a skewer or tie with string.
Step 3
Place the meat in a roasting pan, scattering any spare stuffing around the outside, and rub a little olive oil over the fat. Pour a glass of water into the roasting pan and place in the oven. Roast the lamb for twenty minutes, then decrease the heat to 400°F (200°C) and continue roasting for forty minutes, until the fat is crisp and golden and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven and let rest for ten minutes before carving.
