Entertain this Easter

Main: Slow Roast Easter Lamb with Caramelised Onions

Serves 8
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 4 Hours and 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2.4kg lamb leg, bone in
• 2 red onions
• 4 large rosemary sprigs
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and halved if large
• Sea salt
• 1 ½ cups water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150˚C and remove the lamb from the fridge.
2. Peel and thickly slice the onions – about 1 ½ cm thick.
3. Lay the rosemary sprigs in the base of a big oven dish and put the slices of onion on top.
4. Lay the lamb on top, fat side up. Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut slits into the lamb.
5. Poke garlic into each hole – quite deeply as it will pop up while cooking.
6. Pour water into the base of the dish (not over the lamb) and season the lamb really well with sea salt.
7. Cover with tin foil and cook for 3 ¾ hours.
8. Increase the oven temperature to 170˚C, remove the tin foil and cook a further 45-60 minutes until burnished and golden, and the meat will be about to fall off the bone.
9. Serve on a bed of fresh rosemary with caramelised onions and a good tomato chutney.

Recipe by Fisher & Paykel.

Side: Asparagus with Tangy Lentils & Halloumi

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup beluga/puy lentils, uncooked
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• Water, to cover
• One big handful fresh parsley
• One small handful fresh mint
• ½ lemon, juice
• 1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ tbsp honey
• Salt & pepper
• 250g asparagus
• 200g halloumi
• Butter
• Salt & pepper
• Honey, to serve

Method:

1. Rinse the lentils and place in a small saucepan along with the bouillon. Fill up with water. Cook for roughly 15-20 min, or until soft but with a slight bite. Drain and let cool slightly.
2. Chop parsley and mint and add to the lentils. Also add lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt & pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Cut the ends off the asparagus. Heat a little butter to a skillet, then gently fry the asparagus until browned and softened.
4. Also slice halloumi and cook in a little oil or butter until browned.
5. Arrange 4-5 asparagus spears on serving plates, top with lentil salad and a few pieces of halloumi. Drizzle with a little honey on top or, arrange it all on a big sharing plate. Enjoy warm.

Recipe by Electrolux.

Dessert: Almond Berry Tart

Serves 10
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:
Tart:

• 225g plain flour
• 150g butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• Pinch salt

Filling:

• 100g butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 100g almond meal
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 punnet berries

Method:

1. Set oven to bakers function and pre-heat to 190⁰C. Grease a 26cm x 13cm loose-bottomed tart tin with butter.
2. Using a Smeg stand mixer, process flour, butter and sugar until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until dough comes together in a ball. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper and line the prepared tin. Chill.
3. For filling, process all ingredients in the food processor attachment until well combined.
4. Fill chilled pastry shell with almond mixture and top with berries. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

Recipe by Smeg.

Challenge your inner chef this Easter and wow your family and friends with this scrumptious spread. If you’re after some time in the kitchen with your little ones, we’ve also got some kid-friendly baking ideas that you can try out too. Click here to view our kids Easter baking recipes.