Easter Recipe Recommendations by Spencer Westcott
Looking for recipe inspiration this Easter? In-house chef Spencer Westcott is here to help! Read on for our Easter recipe recommendations
Although this Easter may not quite be the celebration we were hoping for, it’s still important that we take time out of our busy lives to spend this weekend with our families. But, by now, you’re probably sick of thinking up what to cook next, right? Luckily, our in-house chef Spencer Westcott is here to help!
If you’re looking for recipe inspiration this Easter, look no further than this delicious garlic and herb Free Range lamb, flavoured with rosemary, anchovies and onions for a rich, tangy flavour. To follow, why not try our hearty hot cross bun bread and butter pudding? A firm favourite with the whole family, this creamy, sweet dessert is the perfect way to finish off your Easter meal. Keep reading for the full recipes!
GARLIC AND HERB ROASTED LEG OF FREE RANGE LAMB
Ingredients
15g fresh rosemary
4 cloves of garlic
2 onions
2 bay leaves
Vegetable oil
Sea salt
Freshly crushed black pepper
Method
✓ Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
✓ Peel the onions and slice into 1cm rings. Place into a large, deep roasting tray, in one layer, slightly overlapping. Add the bay leaf and cover the bottom of the tray with 1cm of water.
✓ Using a sharp, pointed knife, pierce the skin of the lamb all over at 2” intervals then open up the incisions by sliding a finger into each cut. (Roughly 8-12 cuts).
✓ Slice the garlic thinly, cut each anchovy fillet in half, and strip the leaves off the rosemary.
✓ Now push a piece of garlic, half an anchovy fillet, and a small spear of rosemary into each of the incisions you have cut into the lamb.
✓ Oil the lamb all over and season well with sea salt and black pepper, adding any leftover rosemary to the tray to flavour the onions and juices.
✓ Place the tray of lamb on the middle shelf of your oven before turning the temperature down to 180°C/350°F and cooking for 1 hour 15 minutes, for medium.
✓ Remove and allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Tips:
Remember to rest the joint under foil for 30 minutes before carving.
The onions can be eaten as a side dish along with the lamb, either as they are or pureed. They can also be used to act as a base for a great roast gravy by adding red wine, stock and seasoning to the roasting tray and allowing to boil, realising all the flavours, before passing through a sieve.
HOT CROSS BUN BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING
Ingredients
6 hot cross buns
500ml milk
300ml double cream
6 eggs
1 vanilla pod – scraped
50g of butter – softened
90g of caster sugar
Method
✓ Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
✓ Grease a deep-sided baking dish with 20g butter.
✓ Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and sugar. Using a balloon whisk, mix until well combined.
✓ Cut the hot cross buns in half through the middle and then spread a little butter on each slice before dipping in the egg mixture to soak slightly. Arrange the hot cross bun halves in the buttered baking dish, overlapping, until you have used them all up.
✓ Pour the extra custard over the buns in the dish and allow to stand for 5 minutes, pushing down to make sure the buns are soaked well.
✓ Place the dish into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard has set and the top is nicely golden.
Tips:
If the pudding is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil and continue to cook.
50ml of whisky or rum can be added with the milk to give the pudding a more adult flavour.
The pudding can be finished with a coating of icing sugar or by making a quick glaze by warming equal quantities of jam/marmalade and water and brushing onto the pudding once cooked and cooled slightly.
