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Roast Lamb Guard of Honour with Peppercorn Sauce

Ready in 1 hr 20 mins

Recipe by Graham 

This is a beautiful way to cook and serve a complete row of lamb cutlets. You will need to buy the cutlets from your butcher or the butchery department of your supermarket since, normally, lamb cutlets are sold already separated. To serve four, you should ask for two racks of lamb each with six cutlets. A rack of lamb is the best end of neck and it is important that you ask your butcher to 'chine' it (remove the backbone from the rack) otherwise you will find it difficult to cut into individual chops when it has been served onto the plates.

Preparation Time

20 Minutes

Cooking Time

1 Hour
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Ingredients for Roast Lamb Guard of Honour with Peppercorn Sauce

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Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

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

How to Cook Roast Lamb Guard of Honour with Peppercorn Sauce

  1. 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.
  2. 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'.
  3. 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.
  4. Sieve (strain) the sauce into a clean pan and add the sherry, redcurrant jelly and peppercorns. Heat through gently.
  5. 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.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you have difficulty making the racks of lamb stand upright when cooking, tie the end bones together until the lamb is cooked, then remove the string