| 1 | Serves: 20 oven temperature: 180 c (350°F) cooking time: 4-5 hours wipe lamb inside and out with a damp cloth. |
| 2 | Rub cavity and outside of lamb with lemon juice, salt and pepper. |
| 3 | Cover and leave aside until stuffing is prepared. |
| 4 | Trim roots from spinach and remove discoloured and damaged leaves. |
| 5 | Wash spinach in several changes of water, drain well and chop coarsely. |
| 6 | In a large deep pan (not aluminium) gently fry spring onions in oil until soft, add spinach and stir over heat until it wilts. |
| 7 | Stir in washed rice, cover pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until most of liquid is absorbed. |
| 8 | Remove from heat and cool. |
| 9 | Break up feta into small chunks and add to spinach mixture with herbs. |
| 10 | Mix well, taste, then add salt if necessary and a generous grinding of pepper. |
| 11 | Blend thoroughly. |
| 12 | Partly sew up the cavity with white string, pack stuffing in through opening and finish sewing up the cavity. |
| 13 | Push foreshanks back towards body and tie in postition, passing string over back of carcase. |
| 14 | Tie back legs, leaving them a little apart - tying will prevent them splaying outwards. |
| 15 | Rub outside again with lemon juice, salt and pepper and place on a rack set in a large catering-size baking dish. |
| 16 | Combine melted butter with olive oil and brush half of this over the lamb or kid. |
| 17 | Cover dish with large sheets of foil, sealing joins with double folds. |
| 18 | Press foil under edges of dish to seal completely. |
| 19 | Bake in a moderate oven for 4-5 hours. |
| 20 | After 2 hours lift foil and brush meat with butter-oil mixture. |
| 21 | Cook for further 1 ?to 2 hours, remove foil, brush again and cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until meat is cooked through and browned. |
| 22 | Remove from oven, cover with foil and a thick cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving. |
| 23 | Lift lamb or kid onto a large wooden board, remove string and spoon stuffing onto a platter. |
| 24 | Turn the carcase onto its back and chop along backbone from the inside with a cleaver. |
| 25 | Then chop each half into chunks and pile onto platters. |
| 26 | Meat on legs may be carved into slices |
