Roast Lamb Guard of Honour with Peppercorn Sauce

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins

2 racks of - lamb - each with 6 cutlets (chined)

1 sprig - fresh rosemary

FOR THE SAUCE

1 oz - butter

2 rashers (slices) - streaky bacon

1 - small onion

2 oz - mushrooms

1 small - carrot

1 oz - flour

½ pint - beef stock

1 teaspoon - dried mixed herbs

2 tablespoons - tomato purée

- salt and pepper

2 tablespoons - sherry

2 tablespoons - redcurrant jelly

2 tablespoons - green peppercorns

For the sauce, melt the butter in a pan, chop the bacon and fry for two minutes. Peel and chop the vegetables, add to the pan and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the stock and bring to the boil (you can make the stock from a stock cube if you wish). Add the herbs, tomato purée and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for one hour.
Use a sharp knife to trim off any fat from the ends of the lamb bones and scrape the bones clean. There should be between 1" and 2" (2.5cm - 5cm) of bone exposed. Stand the racks, fat side outermost in a lightly oiled roasting tin and interlock the exposed bones just as you would interlock your fingers. Cover the exposed tips with foil then place the rosemary in the centre of the 'arch'.
Roast for 10-15 minutes in a preheated moderately hot oven (Mk 6 - 400ºF - 200ºC) until the surface of the meat is nicely browned. Lower the oven to Mk 3 - 325ºF - 170ºC and roast for a further 10 - 20 minutes (depending on the size of the lamb rack, and how rare or well done you want your lamb). A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should read 125°F (52°C) for rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium rare. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes. NOTE: It's always best to remove meat before it reaches the required temperature. A thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of meat that registers 125°F will rise to 130°F to 135°F while the meat stands.
Sieve (strain) the sauce into a clean pan and add the sherry, redcurrant jelly and peppercorns. Heat through gently.
If you can get hold of cutlet frills (widely available in most good cooking shops) remove the foil from the ends of the lamb bones and replace with frills. Transfer the lamb to a warmed serving dish and server with the sauce Serve hot with Baked Sliced Potatoes and a few matchstick carrots.