Serve up something special this Easter for friends and family. Our easy menu plan makes the most of seasonal ingredients.
Easter is the perfect time to spend with loved ones and enjoy the very best food and wines. Give your Sunday lunch the wow factor by following our classic menu plan.
Begin with a tasty sweet-potato and spring-onion mash, then tuck into roast lamb and all the trimmings followed by a decadent chocolate cheesecake.
Our tried-and-tested menu serves a minimum of six, which is great if you’re catering for family and friends.
Starter – Sweet Potato and Spring Onion Mash
Roasted sweet potato and onion mash
Ingredients
- 1.25kg sweet potatoes
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 100ml milk
- 40g butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Peel the potatoes then slice into tiny chunks. Cover with cold water in a large pan and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat so they’re simmering and cook until the potatoes are very soft (about 15 minutes).
- Meanwhile, finely dice the spring onions. Warm the milk in a small pan, throw in the onions and fry gently for a few minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and put back in the saucepan. Pour in the onions, milk and half the butter, and mash until smooth. Sprinkle with plenty of pepper. Pop into a warmed serving dish and dot with the remaining butter.
Main – One-Pan Easter Lamb, Potatoes & Vegetables
The real showstopper for Easter Sunday lunch has to be roast lamb, and this one-pot recipe is so simple to make. Seasoned with rosemary, garlic, white wine and seasonal veg, it makes a special family meal.
If you’d rather have chips with your lamb, swap the potatoes for McCain triple cooked chips (cook the chips separately from the other ingredients). These elegantly seasoned Cornish sea-salt chips take around 20 minutes to cook in the oven and come sprinkled with delicious seasoning.
Ingredients
- 1.6kg bone-in leg of lamb
- 50ml olive oil
- 3 oregano sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs rosemary, leaves of 2 picked and roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, zested (save the juice for the spring greens)
- 1 garlic bulb, cloves lightly crushed
- 1 red chilli, pierced
- 1kg potatoes, skins on, cut into thick wedges
- 3 fennel bulbs, quartered lengthways,
tops taken off, green fronds reserved - 250ml white wine
- 250ml good-quality chicken stock
Method
- An hour before cooking, remove lamb from the fridge. Make small cuts all over with a sharp knife.
- In a bowl, stir in the oil with the oregano, chopped rosemary and lemon zest. Rub the marinade all over the lamb, massaging it properly into the incisions.
- Fire the oven up to 200?C. Pop the garlic, chilli, potatoes, fennel and the rest of the rosemary into a big roasting tin. Drizzle over some olive oil and toss together.
- Season the lamb well then place on top of the veg. Roast for 45 mins until the lamb is beginning to char, then pour in the wine and stock.
- Continue cooking for 30 mins for rare (55?C on a cooking thermometer), 35-40 mins for medium rare (60?C) or 45 mins for well done (70?C).
- Take the lamb out the oven and leave to rest for roughly 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160?C.
- Cover the veg with foil and, while the lamb rests, pop back in the oven until braised in the roasting juices. Toss the fennel fronds over the veg, pop the lamb back on top and bring the whole tin to the table to serve.
Dessert – Cadbury Egg Cheesecake
Easter traditions dictate that you need something sweet, and this dessert is almost too adorable to eat.
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIE CRUST
- knob of butter
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING
- 4 blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 215g sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 240g sour cream
- zest of one orange
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
FOR THE TOPPING
- 40g chocolate chips, melted
- 240g whipped cream
- 4 Cadbury Creme Eggs, halved
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a 20cm or 23cm springform pan. To make the crust, crush or blend Oreos in a large a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- Move to a bowl and tip in the melted butter. Throw in the salt and stir until crumbs are entirely coated and moist. Pack Oreo mixture into pan and 1/3 of the way up the sides, pressing down firmly.
- Next, grab a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar together until no lumps remain. Combine the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the vanilla, sour cream, and zest. Sift in the flour, salt and whisk until just combined. Tip mixture over the crust.
- Cover bottom of pan in aluminium foil and pop in a large roasting pan. Fill the pan with boiling water (so it comes up halfway). Bake for roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes – you want the centre of cheesecake to wobble slightly. Switch off the oven, open the door, and leave cheesecake to cool in oven for about an hour. Take off the foil and pop the cheesecake in the fridge for at least five hours (it’s best to leave overnight).
- Serve with some chocolate drizzled over the top. Pipe or spoon dollops of whipped topping into small rounds, 2cm apart. Set halved Cadbury eggs in the centre of each dollop. Serve.
If you’re hosting Easter this year, look no further than this tasty menu. We’re sure your Easter dinner will be the best yet – and impress your guests!
Disclosure: Collaborative post
