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1
Make the stuffing: place the porcini in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
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2
Soak for at least 45 minutes, or up to several hours, until soft.
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3
Lift porcini out of the liquid, drain on paper towels, chop and set aside.
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4
Strain the soaking liquid, leaving behind any grit in the bottom of the bowl, and set aside.
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5
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
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6
Add sausages and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a fork as it browns.
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7
Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes more, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are tender.
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8
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
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9
Stir in bread cubes, rosemary, spinach and egg and mix well.
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10
Moisten with about 1/4 cup reserved mushroom liquid.
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11
The stuffing should be slightly moist but not wet.
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12
Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside, or refrigerate if not using immediately.
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13
(The stuffing is best made a day ahead and refrigerated, but dont stuff the meat ahead, as it can spoil.)
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14
Cook the meat: let the roast stand at room temperature for 4 hours before roasting.
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15
Heat the oven to 450 degrees, with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
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16
Using a long sharp knife, cut the roast between the bones and the meat so that the rack of ribs is almost severed from the meat, leaving about 3/4 inch of the meat attached to the bones.
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17
Place the roast on a flat surface so that you are looking down into the crevices between the bones and meat.
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18
Spread the stuffing into each crevice, using a rubber spatula to pack it in.
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19
(If you have extra stuffing, bake it in a buttered uncovered casserole dish for 30 minutes.)
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20
Tie the bones back in place with a couple of loops of butchers twine to keep the stuffing inside.
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21
Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds and oil in a small bowl.
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22
Generously rub the mixture over the top and sides of the roast and bones.
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23
Place a large V-shape roasting rack in a roasting pan and nestle the roast on the rack so that the bones are sticking straight up.
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24
Wrap the bone tips in aluminum foil to prevent burning.
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25
Roast for 20 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350 degrees and roast until the internal temperature is about 120 degrees.
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26
If you are not using a continuous-read thermometer, begin monitoring the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer after 45 minutes, checking the temperature every 15 minutes at the thickest part of the roast.
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27
When the roast is done (usually 1 1/4 to 2 hours), set aside, covered loosely with aluminum foil, to rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes before carving and serving.
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28
The temperature will rise 10 to 15 degrees as it rests.
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29
To carve and serve, remove the twine from the roast.
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30
Place the roast on a cutting board so that the bones are vertical.
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31
Sever the strip of meat attached to the bones and spoon the stuffing into a serving bowl.
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32
Set the bones aside, and turn the roast so the bone side lies flat.
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33
Cut the roast into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange in an overlapping row on a serving platter.
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34
Slice between the bones to separate them and add to the platter.
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35
Pour any carving juices over the meat and serve.
