Shoulder of Lamb Stuffed with Rice and Olives

Begin by seasoning the inside surfaces of the meat with the crushed rosemary, salt and pepper.

Then mix the minced lamb with the crushed garlic, cooked rice, chopped onion, chopped olives, parsley and a little of the beaten egg. Spread the stuffing over the meat, then roll the meat up as neatly as possible into a cylindrical shape. Now tie loops of string round it at 2 inch (5 cm) intervals, and season the surface with salt and pepper. Next place the meat in a roasting tin and roast the joint for 25 minutes to the pound.

When it’s cooked, remove the string and place it on a warmed serving dish to keep warm whilst you make up the gravy. Using the juices in the pan, stir in the flour, then add the stock bit by bit, followed by the whole olives. Serve the meat with the gravy separate – and some new carrots and new potatoes would be a nice accompaniment. You can watch how to make gravy in our Cookery School Video on this page.