Ingredients

  • 2 breasts of lamb, each about 2 1/4 pounds, with a pocket for stuffing
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • ¼ pound mushrooms, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 teaspoon chopped dried thyme
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Salt to taste, if desired
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon corn, peanut or vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and cut in half or quartered
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      1517 calories; 110 grams fat; 49 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 43 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 116 grams protein; 499 milligrams cholesterol; 867 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Four to six servings

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. The pockets for stuffing the breasts should be as deep as possible. If you want to increase the depth, run a long knife inside the pockets and make the pockets deeper without cutting through the meat. Set aside.
  3. Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give up their liquid. Cook until the liquid evaporates. Add half of the thyme and stir.
  4. Put the ground lamb in a mixing bowl and add the mushroom mixture, half of the parsley and the egg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Stuff the pocket of each breast with the meat mixture, pushing it in compactly from the opening to the rear of each pocket.
  6. Using a trussing or other needle, sew up the opening of each breast to hold the stuffing. Sprinkle each breast all over with salt and pepper. Place the breasts meaty side up in a baking dish and brush with oil. Scatter the halved or quartered onion around the breasts.
  7. Place in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue baking 15 minutes.
  8. Pour off the fat from around the meat. Sprinkle the remaining one-quarter cup of chopped parsley and the remaining one-half teaspoon thyme over the breasts. Dot with the remaining two tablespoons butter.
  9. Return the breasts to the oven and bake five minutes longer. Remove string. Serve carved in four to six pieces.

1 hour 10 minutes

Dining and Cooking