Rack of lamb with a spiced beetroot glaze

Ingredients

Spiced beetroot glaze

• 6 whole beetroot, scrubbed but not peeled
• 3 star anise
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 500 ml red wine (cabernet sauvignon is good)
• 500 ml water 

• 2 racks of 4 lamb cutlets (ask your butcher for the bigger end)
• mashed potato, roasted carrots and zucchini, to serve

Resting time 5-8 minutes

Instructions

To make the spiced beetroot glaze, preheat oven to 180ºC. Place the beetroot onto individual sheets of aluminium foil. Mix together the spices, garlic, honey, vinegars and wine and divide mixture over the beetroot. Seal the aluminium packets, place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 1 hour. (Alternatively, canned beetroot may be substituted in this recipe.)

When cooked, peel and chop beetroot, place in a saucepan with the spices and any juices from roasting, add the water and puree gently to a pulp using a hand held stick blender.

Place the saucepan over low heat and reduce to a syrupy consistency. Watch it carefully, stirring occasionally and strain the glaze several times through a chinois (fine-meshed sieve) to retain a clear sauce, free of pulp and spices.

To cook the lamb, preheat oven to 250ºC (or as high as your oven will go). Place lamb racks on a roasting tray, rub with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.

Reduce to 220ºC and roast for a further 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5–8 minutes.

Carve the lamb into separate cutlets and serve on a bed of mashed potato. Drizzle over the spiced beetroot glaze and serve with some roasted carrots and zucchini.