Tynedale chefs have shown their support for British Lamb Week, from September 1 to 7, by tempting us with their favourite recipes.

W HY on earth would you serve any lamb but British lamb, particularly at the moment?

Renowned chef and proprietor of the Barrasford Arms Tony Binks nails his colours to the mast: “I’m right in the heart of a big lamb area and a lot of my customers are involved in the industry and I believe passionately in supporting them.

“The supermarkets have still got New Zealand lamb on the shelves, which is an absolute nonsense when it’s prime English lamb time. It couldn’t be better!

“It’s very good meat and incredibly good value, but sheep farmers are getting nothing for their effort at the minute - it’s down to consumers to make the right choice.”

Tony took over the Barrasford Arms in 2006 and since then his friend and mentor Albert Roux has paid the occasional visit. Not surprisingly, Tony describes his style as traditionally English with a French influence.

The dish selling like hot cakes at the minute is his whole roast rack of lamb, which serves two.

“I started that about six or seven weeks ago,” he said. “People generally say lamb starts at Easter time, but that’s the shed-fed lamb that’s come from the South.

“Our lambs up here start being born in April and aren’t ready until early June.”

Whole roast rack of local lamb, dauphinois potatoes, fine beans and shallots.

Cooking time for rack 20 minutes plus 7 minutes resting; 20 minutes for dauphinois potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 x 6 or 7 bone rack of lamb, larder trimmed from butcher, ask butcher to remove outer skin and score the fat;

1 tbsp rape or vegetable oil;

300ml double cream;

2 cloves of garlic;

Fresh nutmeg;

300g peeled potatoes, Maris Piper or King Edwards Red Rooster work best;

200g fine summer beans, runner or French type;

50g thinly sliced or chopped shallots;

25g salted butter;

Salt & pepper.

Method:

The lamb: Heat rape oil in heavy pan, season lamb with salt and pepper, place the scored seasoned fat side in the hot oil and cook until gold and crispy, turn over and repeat on the underside. Place in the oven fat side up for 10 minutes at 180degC. Then turn the rack skin side down for a further 10 minutes, remove from the oven, allow the rack to rest in a warm place for 7 to 10 minutes - this is important for a good, pink rack of lamb.

The dauphinois: Put the double cream in a thick bottomed pan on a low heat, add crushed garlic, a good pinch of nutmeg and the salt and pepper. Simmer it for 2 or 3 minutes to infuse the garlic, add thinly sliced potatoes and stir, coating all the potatoes with the cream. Continue to cook on a low heat until the cream starts to thicken; do not boil!

Be careful not to allow the potatoes or the stick to stick to the bottom of the pan. The potatoes should be slightly tender, but not cooked. Transfer to oven-proof dish, spread as evenly as possible to aid cooking.

Place in oven at 180C for 20 minutes or until tender and golden on the top.

Serve with buttered fine beans and shallots and rich lamb gravy.