The weekend cook.

Weekend Meals Can Provide Fine Weekday Menus

February 23, 1997|By Abby Mandel. Special to the Tribune. (copyright) 1997, Abby Mandel.

Weekends are the perfect time to cook a special meal and share good times around the table. And with just the right planning and grocery shopping, leftovers can inspire quick weekday meals.

That's the idea behind this recipe for glazed stuffed lamb roast. A lamb roast is a significant purchase that requires time to prepare and to sit down and enjoy it. The leftover meat is appealing for weekday dishes that take less than 30 minutes to make.

The roast can serve 6 generously and leave enough meat for at least one leftover recipe. Cooking the lamb just to the point of being rare not only enhances the roast itself but the leftover meat also is much more appealing.

The follow-up recipe is based on a convenience product--couscous--for quick weekday cooking. In the recipe, the lamb is mixed in at the end to preserve its flavor and tender rareness.


The robust stuffing and balsamic glaze make the meat moist and flavorful. This roast is especially good served rare; use an instant-reading meat thermometer to prevent overcooking. Serve the lamb with oven-roasted squash wedges and buttered green beans.


Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings


1 tablespoon each: olive oil, minced garlic and minced fresh rosemary

1 cup small-diced shiitake mushroom caps

2 tablespoons each, minced: shallots, parsley

Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs

Freshly ground pepper


2 tablespoons each: balsamic vinegar, olive oil

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper


1 small leg of lamb, about 6 1/2 pounds, boned, butterflied (have butcher prepare), trimmed (about 4 1/2 pounds meat)

1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper

For garnish, rosemary sprigs

1. Put rack in center of oven; heat oven to 400 degrees. Line shallow roasting pan with foil. Set aside.

2. For stuffing, heat oil in 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, rosemary, mushrooms, shallots, parsley and salt. Cook, uncovered, until mushrooms are cooked through but still firm, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Toss well.

3. For glaze, mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Set aside.

4. To assemble, lay butterflied leg of lamb flat on work surface, outer side down. Lay piece of plastic over meat. Lightly pound meat with mallet or bottom of heavy pot to slightly flatten. Season meat with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread stuffing evenly down center of meat. To enclose stuffing, fold lamb toward center, one side at a time. Form into a roll, tucking in ends. Tie roll in several places with butcher's string so it won't open during cooking. Generously season surface with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put in prepared pan, seam-side down.

5. Roast 30 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue roasting until instant-reading thermometer registers 125 degrees for rare, about 30 to 40 minutes more, brushing on glaze twice during last 20 minutes of cooking. Allow roast to rest on warm platter, tented with foil, 20 minutes. Brush on any remaining glaze. Use sharp knife to cut meat into 1/3-inch slices. Overlap slices on warm platter. Garnish with rosemary. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information (per serving): 425 calories, 6 g carbohydrates, 53 g protein, 20 g fat, 165 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium.

Nutritional analysis by Jodie Shield


Here, leftover lamb is tossed into a full-flavored couscous.


Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon each: olive oil, balsamic vinegar

1 medium red onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)

1 small zucchini, diced small (about 1 1/4 cups)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup couscous

1 medium tomato, outer shell only, cut into small dice (about 2/3 cup)

1 1/2 cups leftover lamb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup finely diced mild feta cheese

6 kalamata olives, pitted, flesh cut into small dice

1/4 cup julienned fresh basil

Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oil in 12-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, uncovered, until hot, about 1 minute. Add broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous and scatter tomato over mixture. Cover; let rest 5 minutes.

2. Add lamb. Cook over medium heat until as hot as desired, adding a little water if mixture is too dry, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Nutritional information (per serving): 370 calories, 28 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 14 g fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 930 mg sodium.

Nutritional analysis by Jodie Shield