The Peloponnese, Greece’s fertile southern-most peninsula, has many vegetables and fruit, olives and olive oil, cheese and honey. The mountains are home to roaming sheep, goat and game and this recipe is a regional classic and always a must at Easter. Serves 4-6

Yemisto Arni - slow-cooked, stuffed lamb with pumpkin puree

INGREDIENTS: 
Stuffing   ​

• ½ brown onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 2 cardamom pods
• 250g (9 oz) bulgur
• 325 ml (1 ½ cups) water
• Salt and Pepper
• 50 ml (2 ½ tablespoons) lemon juice
• 100g (1/2 cup) dried dates, diced
• 50g (2 ½ tablespoons) pistachios, chopped
• 100g (1/2 cup) Greek feta
• 1 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Lamb

• 1.5 kg (3 ½ pound) lamb shoulder (de-boned, butterflied, and excess fat removed)
• 4 onions, chopped
• 8 carrots
• 8 pieces celery
• ½ cup red wine
• Twig rosemary
• Honey, to taste

Pumpkin Puree

• 500g (2 cups) Japanese pumpkin, chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 3 cardamom pods
• Salt and Pepper to taste

METHOD:
Stuffing:

1. Sweat onion in oil on high heat until translucent and soft. Add cinnamon, cardamom and bulgur and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add water and lemon, bring to the boil while stirring. Reduce temperature to low, cover and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Discard cinnamon and cardamom, add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Season the meat. Place the stuffing in a line across the meat. Roll tightly and truss.
4. Seal the meat in a large pan or baking tray on a high heat, making sure all sides are sealed and golden in colour. Remove from heat, then add chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan.

Lamb

1. Place the lamb shoulder on top of the mixture. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 2 hours at 160C/320F.
2. While the lamb is cooking, place some of the drippings from the pan through a sieve into a small saucepan, add a twig of rosemary and equal parts of red wine and slowly reduce until approximately half or it reaches a glazing consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and honey.

Pumpkin Puree

1. Cover the pumpkin with olive oil, then add the cumin, coriander and cardamom pods and toss until it is all thoroughly mixed.
2. Bake in a moderate hot oven until pumpkin is soft. Blend the cooked pumpkin in a food processor, adjusting the flavours with salt and pepper.

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TO SERVE
Place pumpkin puree on a plate with slices of lamb on top and drizzle with the wine reduction. Serve with chargrilled broccolini or steamed green beans.
 
NOTE: The pumpkin puree can be prepared earlier.