In honor of the coming together of Pascha amongst us Christians this year, I was remined of the great Easter meals I enjoyed in Greece. This was is the NY Times last week, and I couldn't resist trying it. It works OK.

TRADITIONAL STUFFED LAMB SHOULDER
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INGREDIENTS:
Extra virgin olive oil
15 scallions, white part only, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups long-grain rice & wild rice
2 bunches fresh wild fennel leaves or dill, trimmed and finely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small bunch mint, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 lamb's liver, trimmed and chopped (you can use pork or calf's liver if you can't find lamb)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole lamb shoulder, fatty outer membrane intact, about 10 pounds
Juice of 2 lemons, fresh squeezed.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat two to three tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add scallions, and sauté until wilted. Add rice, and stir for a few minutes. Pour in half a cup water, and continue cooking rice until all liquid is absorbed. Remove to a bowl.

2. Add the chopped herbs to the rice and scallions, and combine. Heat one to two more tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet. Add the chopped liver, and sauté until browned. Mix the liver with the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Using a sharp boning knife, slightly separate bottom of thin membrane that stretches over surface of lamb's shoulder. Push your hand gently and slowly through it to open a pocket between membrane and meat. Try not to tear it. Place lamb in a large oiled baking pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Slowly spoon rice filling into pocket, leaving about an inch and a half at the open end so that rice can expand during cooking. Loosely sew pocket closed, or secure it with toothpicks. Rub lamb with olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary and ample salt and pepper. Place any leftover filling around lamb.

5. Pour enough water into pan to come about half way up side, and drizzle in about one-third cup olive oil. Place lamb in oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Lower heat to 375 degrees, and continue baking for another 20 minutes a pound, a total of about 2 hours, basting lamb every 15 or 20 minutes. Add more water to pan if necessary to keep rice moist and enough basting liquids in pan.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (3 to 4 if you eat like I do)

SERVE WITH: ROAST POTATOES