Simply Beef and Lamb

Windsor Crown Roast of Lamb with Jewelled Rice Stuffing

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 25 minutes Avg. cooking time for 3lb: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lean crown roast joint (16 cutlets), ask your butcher to prepare this for you
  • Salt and freshly milled black pepper
  • For the Jewelled Rice Stuffing:
  • 15ml/1tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
  • 1 small onion, peeled and finely sliced
  • 4 cardamom pods, bruised
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 225g/8oz basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of cold water
  • 400ml/14floz good, hot vegetable stock
  • 25g/1oz shelled unsalted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
  • 50g/2oz shelled fresh pomegranate seeds
  • For the Pomegranate Paste:
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
  • 10ml/2tsp dried oregano or marjoram
  • 60ml/4tbsp pomegranate molasses (available at large supermarkets or online)
  • 30ml/2tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

Cooking Times

Medium
Medium - 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes
Well done
Well done - 30 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes

Cooking Times

Medium
Medium - 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes
Well done
Well done - 30 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes

Method

  1. To prepare the stuffing; heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion with the spices for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  2. Add the stock, season if required and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the heat, discard the cardamoms and cinnamon stick. Fluff up with a fork and stir through the pistachios and pomegranate seeds.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 
  3. Weigh the lamb joint and calculate the cooking time.  To prepare the pomegranate paste; in a small bowl mix all the ingredients together.  Brush inside and outside the cavity with the paste.  
  4. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F.  Fill the cavity with the stuffing.  Cover the top of the stuffing with foil and individually wrap the bones with foil. 
  5. Place in a foil-lined non-stick roasting tin and open roast in a preheated oven for the calculated cooking time. 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil from the stuffing. 
  6. Remove the joint from the oven, remove the foil from the bones and serve the crown with the stuffing and seasonal vegetables.   

Method

  1. To prepare the stuffing; heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion with the spices for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  2. Add the stock, season if required and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the heat, discard the cardamoms and cinnamon stick. Fluff up with a fork and stir through the pistachios and pomegranate seeds.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 
  3. Weigh the lamb joint and calculate the cooking time.  To prepare the pomegranate paste; in a small bowl mix all the ingredients together.  Brush inside and outside the cavity with the paste.  
  4. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F.  Fill the cavity with the stuffing.  Cover the top of the stuffing with foil and individually wrap the bones with foil. 
  5. Place in a foil-lined non-stick roasting tin and open roast in a preheated oven for the calculated cooking time. 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil from the stuffing. 
  6. Remove the joint from the oven, remove the foil from the bones and serve the crown with the stuffing and seasonal vegetables.   

Notes

Tip: Why not try our other delicious pea and mint stuffing instead? Put 450g/1lb fresh or defrosted peas in a blender or food processor with 25g/1oz melted butter, 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped mint, 5ml/1tsp caster sugar, 60ml/4tbsp single cream or crème fraîche, salt and freshly milled black pepper. Roughly blend and follow the recipe from method 4.

Notes

Tip: Why not try our other delicious pea and mint stuffing instead? Put 450g/1lb fresh or defrosted peas in a blender or food processor with 25g/1oz melted butter, 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped mint, 5ml/1tsp caster sugar, 60ml/4tbsp single cream or crème fraîche, salt and freshly milled black pepper. Roughly blend and follow the recipe from method 4.