Invite friends and family over for the long weekend and serve up these wonderful seasonal treats
Slow-cooked lamb with spring veg & fresh mint sauce
Make light work of Easter Sunday lunch with this decliciously easy dish – just serve with baby potatoes. Frozen peas and beans work well but fresh peas and broad beans can be used instead.
■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 3 hrs 40 mins
1 leg of lamb (about 2-2½kg)
oil, for frying
300g small round shallots, peeled
1 large glass white wine
200ml chicken stock
300g baby leeks
300g peas
300g broad beans, double-podded
FOR THE SAUCE
large bunch of mint, leaves picked
and chopped
1½ tbsp golden caster sugar
5 tbsp white wine vinegar
buttered new potatoes, to serve
1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Rub the lamb with the oil, then brown really well all over in a large frying pan or roasting tin. Once the lamb is browned, take it out and cook the shallots in the same pan until golden (use more oil if you need to).
2 Put the lamb and shallots in a roasting tin or shallow casserole dish and pour in the wine and stock. Cover with a lid or a double sheet of foil and cook in the oven for 3 hrs.
3 Add the leeks and cook for another 20-25 mins or until tender. Tip in the peas and broad beans, cover and cook for 10-15 mins until hot.
4 To make the sauce, put the chopped mint leaves in a bowl along with the sugar. Pour over 5 tbsp boiling water. Leave to cool, then stir in the vinegar. Serve the lamb and vegetables with the mint sauce and a helping of buttered new potatoes.
PER SERVING 571 kcals, fat 27g, saturates 12g, carbs 19g, fibre 8g, protein 59g, salt 0.4g
No-knead hot cross buns
Traditionally eaten on Good Friday, try having these buns as a late Easter breakfast with a cup of milky coffee.
■ Makes 12 ■ Prep 40 mins plus overnight proving and 3 hrs resting ■ Cook 25 mins
525g plain flour, plus 3 tbsp for the
cross and extra for shaping
75g soft light brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
7g fast-action dried yeast
150g unsalted butter, melted and
cooled
200ml whole milk, plus 3 tbsp
4 eggs, 1 beaten
150g raisins
25g mixed peel (optional)
1 The day before, mix the 525g flour, sugar, mixed spice, 1 tsp salt and yeast in a large bowl until evenly combined.
2 In a large jug, mix the butter, 200ml milk and the 3 whole eggs. Make a well in the centre of the bowl of flour and pour in the milk mixture. Mix into a shaggy dough using your hands. Cover and set as
