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Original poster

Easter Lunch

125 replies

whoami24601 · 06/04/2023 10:34

For the first time ever as a grown up I am in charge of cooking the Easter lunch. Eek! Can you all talk me through your menus and help me to plan? Don't have a massive budget but was thinking I'll splurge on a nice bit of lamb and also have a pork shoulder in the freezer I'll defrost. It'll be 3 adults and 3 kids (10,7 and 4). No to chocolate dessert. Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
whoami24601 · 07/04/2023 15:05

MeinKraft · 07/04/2023 13:51

Leftovers are the best bit of a big dinner Grin

Show quote history

My sentiments exactly! On Monday I shall pop to the shops and pick up some nice bread to make leftover butties 😋

OP posts:
Original poster
whoami24601 · 07/04/2023 15:10

SchoolTripDrama · 07/04/2023 13:42

Since when did people have a special dinner for Easter??? Is this a new thing?

No it's a Christian celebrate-the-resurrection-of-our -Lord-and-the-end-of-Lent thing. Has been tradition for centuries...

www.goodto.com/food/recipe-collections/easter-food-traditions-11-things-you-have-to-eat-at-easter-and-why-we-eat-them-46164

OP posts:
elm26 · 07/04/2023 15:15

OP for garlic roast potatoes I par boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes whilst warming the meat juices or oil in baking tray, I add 3 cloves of crushed garlic to the oil with the potatoes, salt and pepper and put back in the oven. After 15 minutes on 200c I take the garlic cloves out to stop them burning.

Or use the lazy squeezy garlic, add a teaspoon to tray.

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dimpleton · 07/04/2023 15:55

Managed to find free range chicken in tesco today, hurrah.

Having that with pigs in blankets, creamed leeks, mash, roasted carrots, stuffing and some greens with gravy. Pud will be apple crumble and ice cream.

My choice of lunch would actually be roast lamb followed by a lovely chocolate dessert but I'm catering for the masses who all prefer chicken and non chocolate desserts!

starfish4 · 07/04/2023 16:41

Only the two of us (which I really don't mind). I'd already got some salmon fillets in freezer for Sunday to go with roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots and broccoli. DH said he fancied the salmon tonight, so he'll be get curry, pasta or a ready meal on Sunday instead.

FinallyHere · 07/04/2023 16:50

@whoami24601

I selfishly want lamb but I don't think anyone else will.

Since my mother is no longer with us, I'm the only one around here who prefers lamb. I've discovered lamb chops, cook them for myself all.the.time and then we can all enjoy beef for a Sunday roast. Sigh.

Skethylita · 07/04/2023 17:45

It's tradition in my family to cook rabbit on Easter Sunday. I'm making a sweet-and-savoury rabbit stew this year.

sashh · 08/04/2023 07:01

SchoolTripDrama · 07/04/2023 13:42

Since when did people have a special dinner for Easter??? Is this a new thing?

Considering it is the most important festival in the Christian calendar it has been going on for a long time.

Passover continues to be celebrated but was the meal eaten at the last supper and that goes back even further. That is also why lamb is such a popular choice.

LadyPenelope68 · 08/04/2023 07:17

Kranke · 06/04/2023 11:39

Go Greek!! Slow cooked lamb (with the potatoes baked underneath) and pork souvlaki. Greek salad, tzatziki, flatbreads. Have a feast!

Absolutely this - my perfect roast lamb meal!

MindPalace · 08/04/2023 07:28

Nine adults here, inc two vegans and a pescatarian. We are having:

Slow roast lamb with garlic, rosemary, onions and anchovies
Couscous with red peppers, onions, cucumber and cashews
Fried salmon fillets with ras el hanout
Chickpea curry with green beans, peas and spinach
Moroccan falafel (shop bought)
Flatbreads (shop bought)
Hummus (shop bought)
Yoghurt dip with harissa
Vegan yoghurt dip

Pudding - Easter Colin cake, hot cross buns, ice cream and berries

I can’t cook and hate cooking, so it should be interesting.

NotHangingAround · 08/04/2023 07:31

I'm doing 2 half legs of lamb - one with rosemary and garlic and one with middle eastern spices and honey. Roast root veg and potatoes to go with the trad lamb, wild rice with pistachios and mint to go with the spiced lamb. And a baked camembert with rosemary and garlic for the vegetarian. Salad and steamed veg. Hadn't thought of a pudding. Easter eggs probably!

sexnotgenders · 08/04/2023 07:42

Snugglemonkey · 07/04/2023 08:09

I am going traditional, but have a baby who might be a maggot so I am also keeping things easy. I am making cauliflower and broccoli cheese and pâté today. Tomorrow I will make a pavlova base, mashed potatoes and pressure cook gammon (some won't eat lamb). Then on Sunday I will make the maple roasted parsnips, orange buttered roasted carrots and roast leeks. My lamb I just stud with garlic, rosemary and anchovy. Yesterday we made lemon and herb butter because my son wanted to see how butter can come from cream, so I will put some of that on peas, sugar snap peas and asparagus.

I am just doing an antipasti platter as a starter with bread, oil and vinegars, though it will include wee ramekins of pâté. Dessert is raspberry and white chocolate pavlova and/or a cheeseboard.

There will be 10 of us.

You and me have wildly different views on how to keep things easy!! Yours sounds lush though, what time should I come round?!? 😁

Imgettingdesparatehere · 08/04/2023 07:44

I have pork belly rolled and stuffed for porchetta ( an Ottolenghi) recipe.With rainbow chard & potatoes in a crème fraiche dressing. Plus a side of salmon. I will also serve a salad and roast peppers. We will have a choice of soups and pavlova & chocolate mousse for desert. There will definitely be 12 of us plus possible will they won’t they BiL & partner. No one will leave hungry.

JoanThursday · 08/04/2023 07:50

This all sounds delicious!

There will be six of us tomorrow. I'm going easy: preparing a boef bourguignon today so all I need to do is warm it up. Will serve it with roasted root veg and buttered savoy cabbage.

Nigella's pear and chocolate pudding to finish.

PeonyRose80 · 08/04/2023 07:53

We are eating the emergency turkey crown from the freezer we bought for Christmas, with all the trimmings.
Pavalova for dessert with fresh berries. Choc eggs, hot x buns and lots of wine!

Snugglemonkey · 08/04/2023 08:12

sexnotgenders · 08/04/2023 07:42

You and me have wildly different views on how to keep things easy!! Yours sounds lush though, what time should I come round?!? 😁

Show quote history

🤣🤣 We sometimes have another family of 5 for occasions but I did not ask them this year as they have 2 vegans and one has a few allergies, so that always means lots of extra work. I usually would have another dessert, mostly a chocolatey cheesecake at Easter and would have plated starters with two options and a soup back up. Last year I made haggis bonbons with whisky sauce, or scallops and prawn mornay, or cock a leekie. I always make dauphinois potatoes usually. And I make my own bread but bought part baked rolls yesterday.

I love cooking and having people round, it is when I cook interesting things as opposed to the shepherds pie and lasagne kind of dinners I mostly make for dinners. So I go to town and it takes a few days to prep. Which it still is this year, but with a lot less output 😂

redspottedmug · 08/04/2023 08:14

Cooking for 9 adults

Roast beef + a veggie option
Yorkshire puds
Roast potatoes and parsnips
Veg

Followed by

Baileys cheesecake

Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 08:19

Kranke · 06/04/2023 11:39

Go Greek!! Slow cooked lamb (with the potatoes baked underneath) and pork souvlaki. Greek salad, tzatziki, flatbreads. Have a feast!

I might do this next year if this year is a success! My DS and BIL are currently living in Cyprus but will be moving back before next Easter so this would be great for them!

OP posts:
Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 08:21

My chocolate egg shells are done for the mousse. And today I shall get the pork out of the freezer and prep the cauliflower cheese. Did the apricots the other day. Quite excited about this now! Just the whole house to clean and tidy today and we'll be sorted. No problem with 3 kids running around 🤣

OP posts:
TheBlonde23 · 08/04/2023 08:46

Season0fTheWitch · 06/04/2023 16:59

We're doing a chicken roast with yorkies, stuffing and very garlicy crispy roasties. Then banoffee pie after.

What time should I get there?

RuthTopp · 08/04/2023 08:53

I don't know if it's because we are vegetarian / don't often bother with roast dinners / not religious etc , we don't do any different / extra special food planning at all. Yesterday had jacket potatoes , and today will probably have a homemade curry that will come out of the freezer.
I can see if you have guests making an extra effort , but can I ask why if you are just catering for your own family ?

Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 09:02

For me it's tradition mostly. My mum and dad normally did Easter lunch for the whole family but my dad died in July last year so I'm making sure my mum is not alone. She is very religious and will be celebrating that side of things.

OP posts:
JumpToRecipe · 08/04/2023 09:17

SchoolTripDrama · 07/04/2023 13:42

Since when did people have a special dinner for Easter??? Is this a new thing?

Well, lamb has been a traditional Easter feast since probably the seventh century so no, I wouldn’t consider it particularly new.

At least you didn’t suggest that Easter feasting is an American import.

JumpToRecipe · 08/04/2023 09:21

RuthTopp · 08/04/2023 08:53

I don't know if it's because we are vegetarian / don't often bother with roast dinners / not religious etc , we don't do any different / extra special food planning at all. Yesterday had jacket potatoes , and today will probably have a homemade curry that will come out of the freezer.
I can see if you have guests making an extra effort , but can I ask why if you are just catering for your own family ?

Are you ‘food is fuel’ people? Why make an effort for any occasion by that logic? Pretty much every culture has a spring festival of some sort with feasting at its centre.

PinkTonic · 08/04/2023 09:40

SchoolTripDrama · 07/04/2023 13:42

Since when did people have a special dinner for Easter??? Is this a new thing?

Easter is the most significant festival in the Christian calendar and comes at the end of Lent which is a time of fasting, so it’s traditional to feast.

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