Sister asked I look up recipes to use for my Easter meal dishes

[Cornerstun]

Sister and I are the cooks of the family. We both appreciate good, homemade food.

We have decided I will focus on the main meal and she will do desserts whilst her hubby does cocktails /wine and appetisers.

Awesome. She’s shared some of their ideas and they look gorgeous.

Sis said seeing as she’s making the effort to follow recipes and attempting to make gourmet can you please do the same.

I am doing herb crusted rack of lamb, spring greens, roast potatoes, dauphinoise and honey carrots. She has asked me to look up recipes for each dish and not just to wing it (which I always do after cooking for 15 plus years).

I think it’s plenty gourmet enough. Sister says she just wants an elevated meal lol

Im not in the wrong, surely??

I don’t want to be cooking for days. I could drizzle some shit and make the odd crumb but what’s the point??

I mean how can you mess up chucking honey and spices on carrots then chucking in an oven??

Yeah I’ll probably chuck some minty peas on the table but I really cannot be bothered to much more.

I'm starting to see what your sister's getting at. She wants you to do more than chuck things around. You don't have to, of course, but she's saying that she'd like to make the whole meal special with more effort than chucking things together.

I don't think either of you are "wrong" about the food. You sound like a very experienced cook who makes food people really enjoy. I'm sure that won't be different for this meal. But I also think good cooking can be a lot more than that and your sister isn't wrong that looking up recipes (and taking days over the prep) can lead to a more extraordinary meal.

Since you're the one who's cooking the mains it's up to you how much effort you're prepared to put in and whether it's "just" fantastic or fantastic+. If she's just asked in a "here's an idea, it's up to you" sort of way then no problem. If she's asked in a "You need to do this" kind of way, then she's BVU and you are not.

I think she’s right. It’s Easter, stop chucking the same old stuff about and do something different.

Cant remember the particular recipe but the last time we had herb crusted rack of lamb I blitzed up a butter bean and Parmesan puree, wilted spinach (but your spring greens sound nice) and fondant potatoes. As easy as a Sunday dinner but different. If you always do the same greens it gets a bit samey I think.

Im with the previous poster - "yes chef" and crack on as normal

Ive been cooking for 47 years, home cook, professional cook, never poisoned anyone, have had rave reviews, blah blah blah, Im not a trained cook

I know what I can cook and how to cook it well and flavourful. I cant bake to save my life - really am pretty crap

Im hosting two sets of inlaws this Easter, one is a qualified baker - seriously that woman can bake, I love her bakes but she's a pretty naff cook - ok. its edible , nowt wrong with it but compared to her baking - a bit meh. So I won't even attempt a dessert , I will cook up a storm for starters and main - I shall buy in the dessert and admit it and she will enjoy the main and pick about the dessert but that's ok. I dont do dessert, all the rest of the family will eat anything :)

We cant please everyone ( unless being paid then one has too ) , but a family gathering is about feasting and enjoying company and stress free

Do you, let her do her

So you’re doing the herb crusted rack of lamb with all the trimmings…and being second guessed on that? If you’d like to cook that for people who would be incredibly grateful, and love you forever, message me 😃

Seriously though, just ignore. She’s been wolfing down your food for years with no complaints; I imagine she’s actually a feeling a little ‘lesser’ in the chefs department, compared to you.

Keep doing what you’re doing, and Happy Easter x

That's a lot of chucking OP. It sounds slightly like you can't be arsed with the main meal and she's hoping for a more special, standout Easter lunch.

Elevated meal. 🤣

Just give everything you do a slightly more pincy name, and change nothing else.

“Don’t be an idiot, sister, these carrots are candied in locally produced nectar and elevated with a subtle flecking of aromatic long seeds.”*

*carrots in honey with cumin.

How old are you both, by the way? Because being bothered about an elevated Sunday lunch at Easter with paired wines and cocktails screams ‘young’. 🤭

Sounds like you have it covered, just do it your way.

Sounds like the shite they come out with in Masterchef. When Torode isn't massacring the pronunciation of foods or whitesplaining somebody's cultural food to them, that is.

Lamb is just so perfect, why all the extra? No need for a recipe - cook it for hours & hours on 140/150 then make a jus from the juices. I mean, it just doesn't get better. Oh god I love lamb so much 😭

Anyway, I'd be curious what recipes she's thinking of & what gourmet roast lamb even is.

(edit - just seen it's rack of lamb so I retract what I said. I was imagining leg or shoulder 🤤)

all I want to do is chill with my family. I have no interest in pretending to be a chef

Quite!

If someone started telling me how to cook, I would suggest they eat with their own family and I'd eat with mine!

By elevating the food that she means the presentation maybe?

for baking yes, as ive had a mix of results on my latest batch
food and 15 yrs exp that the op has, id say no recipe needed