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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:
StopGo · 08/04/2023 09:40

Some lovely inspiration on this thread. Welsh and Cypriot heritage family so lamb kleftiko with leeks in white sauce followed by cheese board with bara brith instead of crackers.

NotHangingAround · 08/04/2023 10:01

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 ?

Because one of my philosophies in life is, if you can find an excuse to celebrate, have a party, mark a season with a home made festivity, do it. Why choose for life to be mundane and the same day in day out, when you can choose for it to be punctuated with seasonal festivities and memorable occasions?

Also, DC are back from uni, so although it's only the four of us, I want it to feel really celebratory.

whodafucisalice · 08/04/2023 10:06

Slow roast pork loin
Roast beef
Pigs in blankets
Sausage meat sage and onion stuffing
Dauphinois potatoes
Whole roast celeriac
Yorkshire pudding
Carrots
Swede
Cabbage
Gravy
Apple sauce

Rhubarb crumble
Sticky toffee pudding
Custard

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RuthTopp · 08/04/2023 10:38

@JumpToRecipe @NotHangingAround

No food is not just for fuel. We are super snackers , go out for meals for fun not hunger etc.

I can agree food is for celebration/ get togethers/ sharing with friends & family etc, but for us that's when we choose to do it not because it's Easter and kind of expected , more so if those people are not religious.
Having said that we fully engage in Christmas!

dizzygirl1 · 08/04/2023 12:34

Just been shopping and spent almost £40 buying lunch for tomorrow (Lamb leg roast and vegetarian roast, sides and a pavlova) plus milk and a bottle of red (obviously for the gravy.. ) it best turn out well!

LordEmsworth · 08/04/2023 14:04

Since long before they had a special dinner for Christmas. Easter is the oldest and most joyous day of Christian celebration, so feasting has always been integral to that. Lamb was the original, given its significance; around the 12th century, eggs started to be associated. Do you really not know that lamb and eggs are traditionally associated with Easter? Not just in UK, other Christian countries have different associated foods as well, but those two are fairly universal...

FloatingRodger · 08/04/2023 14:19

Slow roasted lamb shoulder - it's the best way to enjoy lamb in my book! Jamie Oliver has a good recipe.

babasaclover · 08/04/2023 15:35

MrsTWH · 06/04/2023 10:59

I’m going for leg of lamb with garlic roast potatoes, roast leeks, peas, carrots and yorkie lids with a mint gravy. Homemade nut roast for the veggies.

Berry pavlova or chocolate profiteroles for dessert.

We never do starters with a roast dinner!

What is a Yorkie lid? I just devoured a home made Yorkshire pudding for lunch

CrepuscularCritter · 08/04/2023 16:53

We'll be out for dinner tomorrow, so today I am cooking a fish stew. It has salmon, cod, smoked haddock, prawns, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and smoked paprika. Maybe some wine if I can find something suitable. I'll cook potatoes in the stew, so the tomatoes soak in.

Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 19:34

Cauliflower cheese prepped, yorkshires made and chocolate mousse good to go! Only I've hit a snag... when I've started writing out my timings for everything I appear to have 5 things that need to be in the oven at once, but I only have 3 shelves! Will it upset the meat if it rests for 25 minutes instead of 15?!

OP posts:
FelicityFlops · 08/04/2023 19:56

I have already made (this afternoon as it will taste even better tomorrow) lamb shanks casseroled in red wine (whole bottle thereof) with celery and mushrooms. On reheating I will add either chestnuts or Jerusalem artichokes.
I will serve it with steamed kale and asparagus plus a potato and celeriac mash.
The first course is oysters.
There will be no pudding.

LordEmsworth · 08/04/2023 19:56

Not at all, 15 mins isn't long enough anyway...

Kranke · 08/04/2023 20:29

15mins is definitely not long enough for the meat to rest!!

Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 20:59

Kranke · 08/04/2023 20:29

15mins is definitely not long enough for the meat to rest!!

Oh dear! How long should I be planning?! I'm sure one of the 1000 recipes I looked at said 15 minutes!

OP posts:
Kranke · 08/04/2023 21:28

How long are you cooking it for? Are you going for medium rare or medium? How big is the joint? I would say at least 30mins. You can wrap the joint loosely in foil, but it will continue to cook slightly, so maybe take it out a bit earlier to allow for that. Do you have a meat thermometer? Resting properly will mean it’s juicy and tender. You don’t want to rush it!

Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 21:48

Kranke · 08/04/2023 21:28

How long are you cooking it for? Are you going for medium rare or medium? How big is the joint? I would say at least 30mins. You can wrap the joint loosely in foil, but it will continue to cook slightly, so maybe take it out a bit earlier to allow for that. Do you have a meat thermometer? Resting properly will mean it’s juicy and tender. You don’t want to rush it!

Medium- well. I know that's not recommended but my mum won't touch it if it's even slightly pink! Good advice to take it out a bit earlier. Will definitely do that if it carries on cooking! I broke my meat thermometer a while ago unfortunately so I'll be doing it by eye.

OP posts:
Original poster
whoami24601 · 08/04/2023 21:56

Oh and its 1.6kg!

OP posts:
Kranke · 08/04/2023 22:07

Sounds like you need to cook it well done if you don’t want any pink. Slow roast it so it pulls apart, otherwise with well done it can be dry. Cook for 4hrs with stock at 150 fan or equivalent, make sure you raise it on a bed of halved onions so it doesn’t touch the bottom and cover in foil. Stick some carrots ends and all the veg offcuts with herbs on the bottom too and you’ll have the best gravy. Baste halfway. For the last 30mins, put the joint into another baking tray and baste with mint sauce or redcurrant jelly and don’t cover so the fat crisps. Rest for at least 30mins.

sashh · 09/04/2023 04:03

@whoami24601 if you are not cooking the lamb in a slow cooker you can still set it to 'warm' then switch off and put the lamb in to rest.

AwaaFaeHom · 09/04/2023 04:55

I'm probably having baked potatoes and cheese tonight and maybe a ready meal at lunchtime 😂

(Working today, and there's no way I'm getting home at 5.30pm after leaving the house at 5.30am in order to cook a roast)

I hope you all enjoy your lovely-sounding Easter lunches. I'm not jealous... much 🤤

MeinKraft · 09/04/2023 09:33

My chicken will get about 6 hours resting time as we are out visiting family this afternoon but I still wanted a roast dinner so I'm cooking most of it this morning 😬 the ham will be fine, it can just sit in the slow cooker all day.

Original poster
whoami24601 · 09/04/2023 17:38

Well I'm feeling bloody chuffed with myself. Everything was delicious! Even my foodie BIL who popped in gave it 9.5/10 Grin

OP posts:
Hedjwitch · 09/04/2023 17:50

Lamb too expensive so we had chicken, boiled pots,roast pots,honey glazed parsnips and carrots, roasted purple broccoli,yorkshires and gravy. Didnt need the boiled pots so they will become potato salad tomorrow.
Pud was roulade or ice cream.

No need for dinner tonight after all that.

PollyThePixie · 09/04/2023 18:02

StopGo · 08/04/2023 09:40

Some lovely inspiration on this thread. Welsh and Cypriot heritage family so lamb kleftiko with leeks in white sauce followed by cheese board with bara brith instead of crackers.

I did Lamb Kleftiko also. I did it as a one dish tray bake but my roasting tin is very large so enough to feed the lot of us.

I just put down a bed of mixed peppers, onions, tomato’s, bulbs of garlic and potato’s then seasoned it all with salt and pepper, oregano and rosemary. After that I sat the leg of lamb on top of it once it had been marinated in lemon juice, garlic, herbs and a bit of olive oil.

oh and I roasted it all uncovered. It was delicious.

emmathedilemma · 09/04/2023 21:14

We had a ham in the slow cooker as we were out for most of the day. Roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese (with homemade sauce), broccoli, carrots, stuffing and Yorkshire puddings, and gravy. I’m so full! 😋

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