Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb-Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

• 0.8 teaspoon pepper black divided
• 2 teaspoons rosemary leaves fresh divided finely chopped
• 4  garlic clove divided minced
• 2.5 pound leg of lamb boneless
• 1.3 teaspoons salt divided
• 0.3 cup shallots finely chopped
• 1.5 ounce sourdough bread 
• 0.3 cup sun-dried olives packed
• 1 cup water boiling

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• plastic wrap
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil
• meat tenderizer
• broiler pan
• kitchen twine

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain and chop.
3. Preheat oven to 42
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Add shallots; saut 3 minutes or until tender.
6. Add tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves; saut 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
7. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 25 times or until coarse crumbs measure 3/4 cup. Stir crumbs into shallot mixture.
8. Unroll roast; trim fat.
9. Place roast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 3/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.
10. Sprinkle roast with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
11. Spread breadcrumb mixture over roast. Reroll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine.
12. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves; rub over roast.
13. Place roast on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
14. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
15. Remove roast from oven; cover loosely with foil.
16. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145 (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness.
17. Let roast stand 15 minutes before slicing.
18. Wine note: Lamb stars in most Mediterranean cuisines. Thus, it's traditionally paired with a score of different wines. My favorite is syrah, which is rich and mouth-filling with an earthy, meaty character that perfectly underscores the luscious meatiness of lamb. A terrific syrah bargain: Grand Archer Syrah 2003 from Sonoma County, California ($20). --Karen MacNeil