Shoulder Of Lamb Stuffed With Apricots

175 g/6 oz dried apricots
25 g/1 oz onion, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
75 g/3 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 x 1.5 kg/3 lb shoulder of lamb, boned and trimmed

Soak the apricots overnight. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the apricots and mix with the onion, rosemary and breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg to bind the mixture. Add a little apricot soaking liquid, if necessary, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the stuffing into the lamb bone cavity and sew up the edges, using a trussing needle and string, to enclose the stuffing completely. Roast in a preheated moderately hot oven (200 °C/400T, Gas Mark 6) for 11/2 hours or until tender. Serve immediately with seasonal vegetables.

SERVES 6