Easter Family Dinner
Easter is a nice time to get together with all the family and sit down for a meal together. Here is our traditional meal for 8 people that has been tried and tested by a hungry family every year. It is easy and fairly fool proof (even I can do it!)
Menu
Appetizers
Pesto and
Goats Cheese Rounds
Herby Bread
Main
course
Roast Leg
of Lamb with Rosemary, Honey and Lemon
Steamed Spring Vegetables
Minted Baby Potatoes
Dessert
Chocolate
Orange Trifle
Shopping list
Baby vegetables selection to include carrots, zucchini, shelled peas and
green beans
Baby new potatoes (enough for 4-5 each.)
Large leg of lamb (6-8lbs for 8 people) string and tin foil
Sprigs of rosemary and some garden mint
Salt and ground black pepper
Runny honey
1 large lemon
2 large French sticks
Jar of green pesto
Jar mixed herbs
Salted butter, vegetable oil
Medium- Firm roll of goats cheese (or pre-prepared round slices)
Large tin of mandarin segments in juice
3 packets of chocolate whip
3 pints of milk. 1pt whipping cream
Dark chocolate for grating
Cadburys mini eggs
Instructions
Heat oven to gas mark 8 (445f/
204.5c)
Take the leg of lamb and tie it
round the middle so the leg is tightly held in.
With a sharp knife make little cuts
(about 1/2 inch deep) into the meaty part of the lamb. Into each gap poke in
a few leaves of rosemary.
Melt 4oz of butter and brush over
the meat.
Cover the little bit of bone at the
end of the leg with tin foil.
Put into a large metal oven- proof
dish and put it into the centre of the oven.
Immediately reduce the temperature
to gas mark 4 (350f/ 180c.)
Continue roasting for 25mins per lb.
and 25mins over e.g. 6lb would be 2.55 hrs for fairly well done.
While the meat is cooking…
Cut one of the French sticks into
round slices
Mix the remainder of the butter with
the mixed herb with salt and pepper; spread onto the rounds
Wrap bread up in the tin foil and
put to one side
Put the grill onto medium heat and
cut the other French stick into rounds.
Cut the goats cheese into rounds and
open pesto
Toast one side of the bread and
remove from the heat. Turn off grill.
Using one teaspoon of pesto per
slice, spread the pesto onto the un-toasted side
Pop on the goat's cheese, one round
per slice
Put to one side and flash under the
grill for 3 minutes when ready to serve
Next…
Drain the mandarins
Pop into a large glass bowl
Make up the chocolate whip as per
the instructions on the packet with the milk.
Repeat for all three packets
Pour the mixture over the mandarins
Unwrap and pop in the mini eggs
Whip the cream until stiff
Allow 30mins to set in the
refrigerator
Gently spoon on the whipped cream
Then…
Steam the vegetables in an electric
steamer or over a pan of simmering water.
Boil the new potatoes in salted
water for about 15-20 mins. Add 2 sprigs of mint 5 mins into the cooking.
Take the meat out of the oven after
2 and 1/2 hours and baste with the fat in the bottom of the tray.
Squeeze 1 lemon over the top and
spoon over 4 tablespoons of honey.
Put it back in the oven for the last
25 mins at the higher heat (gas mark 8, 445 f/ 230c)
Put in the herby bread for the final
15 mins.
Take it out of the oven 10mins
before serving for the meat to rest (it smells lovely and looks golden
brown!)
Cover with tin foil.
Finally…
Get someone else to set the table
and sort out some drinks
Put the goats cheese rounds (made
earlier) under the grill for 3 mins until they start to go light brown on
top
Get the herby bread out. Turn grill
off leaving dinner plates in there to warm through
Serve on the table in 2 large dishes
and friends and family can help themselves
Carve the meat into thin slices and
pop in the still warm oven
Drain the potatoes and toss with a
little butter
Check the steam vegetables are
cooked and sprinkle with salt
Get plates out and put some of
everything on each plate. Enjoy eating with everyone!
Get the chocolate orange trifle out
from the refrigerator and sprinkle the grated chocolate on the top
Serve at the table
After this the adults sit around
and talk with a cup of coffee and the children go on an Easter Egg hunt around
the garden. It is a lovely day for everyone and a really nice way of saying
"thank you" to my family for their support. I hope you enjoy it too with your
family.
Happy Easter!
Written by Jenni Bevis © 2005
