It’s not all about chocolate. Spring lamb and eggs (the real ones that is) are at the heart of our three-course feast for family and friends. Next weekend’s Easter celebrations come at just the right time to celebrate the beautiful simplicity of Irish lamb. We have two recipes for you to choose from, one a traditional roast but using shoulder rather than leg, and another that is a quick and easy Greek-inspired traybake everyone will enjoy.
For dessert, you have a choice between a gently spiced carrot cake with brown butter pecan frosting, or a dramatic, tried and tested pavlova with mango and lime.
The vegetarians aren’t being forgotten either. It’s a special occasion, so we have a step-by-step guide to making very impressive egg-yolk ravioli with caramelised onion sauce. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, and you’ll be making fresh pasta too.
Order Irish lamb from your butcher in advance, because it is always in demand this week, advises our food columnist, chef Gráinne O’Keefe. She has taken a more purse-friendly cut, boned shoulder, and stuffed it with in-season wild garlic. If you don’t fancy foraging for this, you can leave it out of the stuffing mixture (there is already a lot going on with the shallots, anchovies, rosemary and lemon).
Shoulder is also a more forgiving cut than leg, so you’ll avoid those anxious moments when you wonder if the roast will be pink enough. It’s also a one-tray feast, with everything coming together in the oven.
There’s more lamb cooking inspiration from our columnist Russ Parsons, who heads out into the Co Waterford hills with Comeragh Mountain Lamb producer Willie Drohan to discover what makes this family’s lamb so special.
Recipe: Wild garlic stuffed lamb shoulder, roast carrots and potatoes
For a lighter, more spring-like approach to celebrating Irish lamb, Lilly Higgins has created a Greek-inspired luscious traybake of lamb meatballs nestling in orzo pasta, with roast cherry tomatoes and feta.
The vibrant colours and fresh flavours make this easy dinner a winner. Serve it in a giant bowl or platter and invite everyone to dig in. You can make the subtly cinnamon-spiced lamb meatballs in advance and everything them comes together in minutes. There’s hardly any washing up to do too.
Recipe: Spring lamb and orzo traybake
Maybe you prefer a meat-free meal? Gráinne O’Keefe’s recipe demystifies the art of making those impressive egg yolk ravioli that make you wonder how on earth chefs get the yolk inside the silky pasta. Served with caramelised white onion sauce, this is a special dish that won’t leave vegetarians feeling sold short at the celebratory table.
Recipe: Egg yolk ravioli, caramelised white onion sauce
For dessert, and a break from all that chocolate, consider our baking expert Beth O’Brien’s deep dive into what makes a truly great pavlova. Having tested recipes from six giants of the food writing world, she has devised her own recipe for a truly impressive showstopper of a pavlova with lime curd, fresh mango and pistachios.
Using some brown sugar in the meringue mixture adds complexity to the pavlova, and the Swiss meringue technique makes for a sturdier base for the filling. See if you can emulate Beth’s beautiful palate knife work to create the volcano or crater effect, and shape the ribbons of mango to look like a blousy rose. Or simply pile the meringue into the baking sheet and let the flavours speak for themselves.
Recipe: Beth O’Brien’s mango and lime pavlova
For a simpler finale to your Easter feast (and one that can be made in advance), try Gráinne O’Keefe’s spiced carrot cake with brown butter pecan frosting. The brown butter in this recipe brings a depth of flavour and saltiness to compliment the sweet cake, she says.
Recipe: Spiced carrot cake with brown butter and pecan frosting
And what to drink? John Wilson offers some sage advice on what wines go best with lamb. To accompany Gráinne’s roast shoulder, he recommends you head to Bordeaux or Rioja for your wine choice. With Lilly’s lamb meatball, orzo and feta traybake, he suggests a Greek wine, Gaia Agiorgitiko, or a Ribera del Duero from Spain.
Happy Easter from our kitchens to yours.
