The daffodils are blooming, the rabbits are hopping and the leaves are finally regaining their colour, which can only mean one thing, spring has finally sprung and Easter is just around the corner!
So, when you’re looking for some inspiration ahead of cooking that big family dinner, we couldn’t think of better way to celebrate than with a leg of lamb and all the trimmings! We’ve handpicked the best recipes for you to try this Easter weekend:
Best roast leg of lamb
Ingredients:
- 2kg leg of lamb
- 1 bulb of garlic
- ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary
- 1.5kg potatoes
- 1 lemon
- olive oil
Mint sauce
- 1 bunch of fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
Method:
Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºC/gas 6 and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom.
- Break the garlic bulb up into cloves, then peel 3, leaving the rest whole. Pick and roughly chop half the rosemary leaves. Peel and halve the potatoes.
- Crush the peeled garlic into a bowl, add the chopped rosemary, finely grate in the lemon zest and drizzle in a good lug of oil, then mix together.
- Season the lamb with sea salt and black pepper, then drizzle with the marinade and rub all over the meat. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray.
- Parboil the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry. Gently toss the potatoes in the colander to scuff up the edges, then tip back into the pan.
- Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over a good lug of oil. Tip the potatoes into the hot tray and place back under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices.
- Cook the lamb for 1 hour 15 minutes if you want it pink, or 1 hour 30 minutes if you like it more well done.
- Meanwhile, make the mint sauce. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then place in a small bowl. Mix in the sugar, a good pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of hot water and the vinegar.
- Once the lamb is cooked to taste, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes or so.
Mustard glazed roast new potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1.5kg new potato, halved
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1tbsp wholegrain mustard
Method:
Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/ gas 8 and place the potatoes on a large baking tray.
Add thyme, and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, season and toss to coat.
- Cook in the oven for 50 mins or until crisp.
- To finish the potatoes, toss with mustard and the remaining olive oil, and season to serve
Warm spring vegetables
Ingredients:
2 large courgettes, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- Juice 1 lemon
- 200g asparagus spears, washed and trimmed
- 100g frozen peas
- 100g frozen broad beans
- 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Small pack parsley, roughly chopped
Method:
Put the courgette ribbons in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the asparagus for 2 mins, adding the frozen peas and broad beans for the final min. Drain well, pod the broad beans and toss together with the courgette ribbons. Drizzle over the olive oil, sprinkle on parsley and season to taste.
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