Braciole d'Agnello

Stuffed Lamb Steak (Italian)

Ingredients

Directions

1½-2 pounds center-cut lamb steak, from the leg ¼ pound lamb sausage 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1 large clove garlic, minced 4 medium mushrooms, coarsely chopped ¼ teaspoon thyme 1 cup cooked rice (Arborio preferred) 3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshy grated 2 Tablespoons parsley, fined chopped salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 cup spaghetti sauce ¾ cup dry red wine marinade (optional)

Preparing the Steaks Optionally marinate the whole steak overnight, in a marinade of your choice. Trim all of the fat off the steak and remove the bone. Cut the steak into ½-¾ inch slices, using a very sharp knife or slicer. With each steak, cut horizontally through the center of the steak to, but not through, the opposite end of the steak. Lift the upper portion, keeping your knife blade horizontal until you can open the steak like a book. Don't worry if you cut through: you can patch it up later. Place the opened book of steak between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic. Use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound or roll the steak to an even thinness. (A ½-in steak should come out ¼-inch thick pounded or roll to 1/8-inch thickness.) Trim into a rough rectangle. Use the excess to plug the hole from the bone, and if you have cut all the way through, use trimmings to make a seal. Set aside. Stuffing In a large skillet, cook the lamb sausage over medium-high heat until brown and crumbly. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat. Add the onions, garlic and muxhrooms and sauté until the veggies get limp and a little moisture remains. Return the lamb sausage to the skillet. Stir in the rice, parmesan cheese, and the parsley. Stuffing & Cooking the Steaks Sprinkle the surface of the meat with the salt and black pepper and other seasoning to taste. Spread the stuffing evenly over each steak, leaving a ½-inch border around the outside edges. Roll up the steak ``jelly roll'' fashion, starting from the long side. Tie with kitchen twine at no more that 1½-inch intervals, tucking the ends underneath. In a Dutch pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the steaks well on all sides. Combine the spaghetti sauce and wine and pour over the browned steaks, lifting the steaks to make sure they are not stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the mix to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to simmer gently for about 1 hour, or until the meat is fork tender. Transfer to a serving platter, let rest 15 minutes, and remove the strings. Cut cross-wise in thin slices. The remaining sauce can be spooned over the meat, or served on the side. Yield:: 6 small servings

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