Rolled Lamb Loaf With Creamy Feta Sauce

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs lean ground lamb
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 green onions, stems and bulbs,chopped fine
• 2 fresh mushrooms, chopped fine
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped fine
• 1 egg, and
• 1 egg yolk, well beaten
• 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup wine
• 2 fresh roma tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1/4 cup black pitted olive, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg , beaten well
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped fine
• cooking parchment paper or wax paper
• 1 tablespoon flour, used for rolling meat mixture
• 6 fresh asparagus spears
• 3 fresh carrots, tops removed
• 1 can mushroom, pieces and stems
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup 35% cream (or whipping cream)
• 1/4 cup wine
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 preparing the meat: preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 heat olive oil in a frying pan sautee chopped fresh mushrooms; add chopped green onions and chopped garlic.
• 3 add poultry seasoning and chopped, fresh rosemary.
• 4 add the 1/2 cup wine and allow to simmer until liquid has been reduced by half.
• 5 add bread crumbs and mix thoroughly until all the liquid has been absorbed.
• 6 remove this bread crumbs mixture from pan and set aside in a separate bowl.
• 7 in a large mixing bowl, combine ground lamb, beaten eggs and bread crumbs mixture.
• 8 mix by hand, until all the seasonings and vegetables have been well combined.
• 9 this is important.
• 10 preparing the filling: in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, olives, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan cheese, beaten egg and fresh basil.
• 11 mix well and set this tomato mixture aside in a separate bowl.
• 12 clean asparagus; remove about one inch from bottom of stems and discard.
• 13 scrape carrots and cut into quarters, lengthwise and set aside with asparagus.
• 14 spread out the parchment paper, or waxed paper.
• 15 sprinkle a little flour on the paper and spread out to cover the surface of the paper.
• 16 this will keep the meat from sticking.
• 17 the meat mixture: press the meat mixture tightly, into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and no wider than the inside length of your loaf pan.
• 18 tidy up the edges with your fingers, as you go.
• 19 the filling: spread out on the meat mixture, surface with a spatula and press down evenly, to within 1/4 inch of the edges.
• 20 asparagus and carrots: lay out in alternate order over top the tomato mixture and press down slightly to keep the vegetables in place.
• 21 do not allow the vegetables to extend beyond the edges as you roll up the meat.
• 22 to roll up the meat: roll up the meat slowly, in the direction away from you.
• 23 using the parchment or waxed paper as a guide to assist in keeping the meat tightly rolled, without breaking up.
• 24 it is not as difficult as it sounds.
• 25 move the paper away from the top of the meat roll, leaving whatever paper is beneath the meat roll in place.
• 26 invert the loaf pan, and place it over the meat roll.
• 27 place your hand carefully under the paper and meat roll, and gently, without lifting, roll the pan over.
• 28 make any necessary repairs to the meat roll, prior to baking.
• 29 cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.
• 30 lower oven temperature to 325; remove foil from pan and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.
• 31 turn off the oven, do not remove meat loaf until sauce is ready.
• 32 the sauce: heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
• 33 add mushroom pieces and stems and cook thoroughly.
• 34 remove from pan and set aside.
• 35 crumble up feta cheese and set aside.
• 36 make a roux from the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the cream and set aside.
• 37 add remaining cream and wine to the saucepan and heat thoroughly over low heat.
• 38 do not allow to boil.
• 39 slowly siphon heated liquid into the roux and continue whisking until all of the cream has been blended.
• 40 add feta cheese and continue to mix until well blended.
• 41 it will not be smooth, that is ok.
• 42 add mushrooms and continue mixing until desired thickness is reached.
• 43 carefully slice the meat with a thin, sharp knife, and lay each slice on its side on dinner plates.
• 44 spoon sauce over each slice and serve.
• 45 use up all the sauce- it will not"keep".