55 mins
Boneless Cushion of Lamb with Festive Stuffing
Recipe by Graham
Boneless Cushion of Lamb with Festive Stuffing is an alternative Christmas or Thanksgiving roast featuring boneless cushion of lamb shoulder. It's really a cut of meat to try. You can ask your butcher to stuff it for you using my festive stuffing made with minced (ground) meat, herbs, breadcrumbs and lemon juice, or you can stuff it yourself when you are ready. The roast is served with a warming mulled wine gravy to add any festive cheer.
Ground meat (usually called mince or sometimes minced meat outside North America) is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other meats are prepared ground in a similar fashion, including pork, lamb, and poultry. For this recipe, since the quantity is small and you want to enjoy a combination of flavours, I recommend using ground beef ... but the choice is yours.
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Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Boneless Cushion of Lamb with Festive Stuffing
- Prepare the stuffing... Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice. Mix the minced meat (ground meat), breadcrumbs, lemon zest and lemon juice together and set aside.
- Peel the onions, cut them in half and randomly 'pin' the cloves in the onion halves. Place these in the base of a non-stick roasting tin.
- If your lamb has been prepared but not stuffed, remove the butcher's string (or elasticated meat bands), unfold the meat and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. With skin side down, spread the stuffing mixture evenly inside the joint, but do not overfill. Re-secure the cushion with new butcher's string or elasticated meat bands. (If the joint was stuffed by your butcher, simply deason it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.)
- Weigh the joint and place on top of the onions, then drizzle with the oil. Add the stock and wine. Cover the joint with aluminium foil and roast in a preheated moderate oven (Mk 3 - 325ºF - 170ºC) for about 1½ hours (see below for calculated times), basting occasionally. 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time remove the foil and return the lamb to the oven.
- Remove the lamb and the onions from the roasting tin, transfer to a warm platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Meanwhile, make the gravy... Spoon off any excess fat from the roasting tin and discard. Place the roasting tin over a medium heat and sprinkle in the flour. Stir well with a small whisk or spoon, scraping the base of the pan to release any rich, meat sediment. Once you have a smooth paste, stir in the lamb stock and mulled wine (best if you warm them first). Adjust the seasoning to taste and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until reduced to a well-flavoured gravy. Strain before serving with the lamb, seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Cooking times for this lamb joint...
Medium: 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes
Well: 30 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes
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