Rice Stuffed Crown of Lamb

Create a royal feast for your family this holiday with a crown roast of lamb. Stuffed with an asparagus and shiitake mushroom rice pilaf and topped with an easy to make beurre blanc sauce, this roast contains two dishes in one. Serve with a green salad to complete your majestic table setting.

Lamb:
1 tbsp butter, softened

15 mL

1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard

15 mL

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

15 mL

1/2 tsp each, coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 mL

1 crown of lamb, made from two 8-rib racks (approx. 4 lbs [2 kg])

1

Rice: 1 tbsp butter

15 mL

1/2 cup minced shallots

125 mL

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

250 mL

1/2 tsp each, coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 mL

1-1/2 cups U.S. long grain white rice

375 mL

1 cup white wine

250 mL

2 cups chicken broth

500 mL

3 cups chopped asparagus

750 mL

1 tbsp lemon zest

15 mL

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

15 mL

  Sauce: 1 tbsp butter

15 mL

2 large shallots, minced

2

1 cup dry white wine

250 mL

1 cup chicken broth

250 mL

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

50 mL

 

In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper to make a paste. Arrange roast in the centre of a roasting pan. Rub paste all over roast. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to one day.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots, stirring often, until tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook stirring often, until golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice until well coated with butter and starting to make a popping sound, about one minute. Pour in white wine and let it reduce until almost all absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer; cook until almost all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.

In a small pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus for 30 seconds. Rinse quickly under cold water until completely cooled. Gently stir asparagus, lemon zest and mint into the rice mixture. Set aside.

Roast lamb in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes. Spoon rice mixture into the centre, and

return to oven until lamb reaches desired doneness, about 15 minutes for medium rare 160°F (70°C)  (time will vary significantly, depending on the size of the lamb).

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

While lamb is resting, in medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook shallots, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and chives and cook down until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over servings of lamb alongside rice.

Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: about 590 cal, 50 g pro, 22 g total fat (10 g sat fat), 35 g carb, 2 g fibre,

160 mg chol, 610 mg sodium. %RDI: iron 35%, calcium 6%, vit A 20%, vit C 10%

Source: USA Rice Federation, www.riceinfo.com