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Crown roast of lamb was very popular in the Edwardian era when it was frequently served for dinner at country houses. The dish is an elegant way of serving the best end of neck lamb cutlets but you may have to order the crown from a local butcher ahead of time. You will also need mixed vegetables as well as gravy, redcurrant jelly and sherry. Allow for a preparation time of half an hour and a cooking time of one and a half hours.

Ingredients for crown roast of lamb

You will need the following ingredients in order to serve four: a crown of 12 best end of neck lamb cutlets, 80 grams of butter, 550 grams of cooked vegetables or a stuffing of your choice, 320 ml of gravy, 2 generous tablespoons of sherry and 2 generous teaspoons of redcurrant jelly.

In order to prepare the mixed vegetables, use a selection of whatever is in season. This could be a mixture of diced carrots, celery, baby marrows, cauliflower florets, peas, beans, spring onion and new potatoes.

Prepare the roast

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place small dollops of butter into a roasting pan that is able to hold the crown in an upright position. Place the crown into the pan.

If you are using a stuffing, spoon it into the middle of the crown before cooking. Otherwise, place the roast into the oven for a quarter of an hour before reducing the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius. Allow the meat to roast for a further hour.

If you’re using a stuffing, be sure to baste the top of it with the dripping. This should be done at least twice. Alternatively, prepare the vegetables of your choice while the meat is cooking.

Finish and serve

Heat your prepared gravy in a small pot, add the sherry and redcurrant jelly and stir. Place the crown onto a hot platter and spoon in the vegetables if you’re not using a stuffing. Alternatively, serve the stuffed crown with vegetables. Present the crown roast of lamb immediately with the separate sauce.

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