October 27: Lamb and Feta Rolls with Cucumber-Mint-Yogurt Dipping Sauce

LAMB AND FETA ROLLS
1 package (1 1/3 pounds) ground lamb
6 scallions, thinly sliced, then chopped
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 jalapeno finely chopped
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and grated
1/4 medium yellow onion, grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

   Bibb lettuce, to serve rolls on

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the ground lamb, scallions, feta cheese, garlic, and jalapenos and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a sealable plastic bag. To turn the sealable plastic bag into a homemade pastry bag, trim 1 1/2 inches off one of the bottom corners of the plastic bag. Push the lamb mixture to the cut corner without pushing it through the hole. Reserve while you prepare the phyllo.

Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo dough with the long side closest to you on your kitchen counter, brush liberally from edge to edge with the melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place another sheet of phyllo on top, again brush liberally with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the third sheet of phyllo.

Place the trimmed end of the pastry bag 1/2 inch in from the left side and 1/2 inch up from the bottom of the phyllo sheet. Squeeze half of the lamb mixture from the bag while moving along in a straight line from left to right. Roll the front edge of the phyllo sheet away from you, encasing the lamb mixture. Continue until you have completed a long roll. Tuck the ends in and then brush the entire outside of the phyllo log with more melted butter. Transfer the first log to a rimmed cookie sheet, putting the seam side down. Repeat this process to make the second log with the remaining half of the lamb mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs feel firm to the touch.

While the phyllo-wrapped lamb is in the oven, combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Once the lamb and feta rolls are cooked, remove from the oven and let them cool just enough to handle. Cut each roll in half, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Serve 3 lamb rolls per person on a bed of bibb lettuce with a small bowl or ramekin of the cucumber-mint-yogurt dipping sauce.

4 SERVINGS

I ended up using beef for this recipe because I couldn't find ground lamb anywhere. It was good, but the dipping sauce would have been more appropriate with lamb. I really liked the sauce! The feta cheese in the rolls added a nice and different element to them.