Celebrate Easter

Make lamb the crowning glory of your table, with pretty side dishes and individual gravy pots for every lucky guest. Have a truly delicious long weekend…

a lovely lamb roast and side dishes for a truly delicious long weekend

Roast crown of lamb with jewelled rice

We’ve harvested Persian flavours to create a spicy and tangy twist to the traditional Easter roast. The crown of lamb makes a comeback: all hail the king! Our rice is packed full of nuts, seeds and crispy onions, which not only make it a great side dish, but also a fabulous base for salads with any leftovers. It’s actually very simple to prepare. We bought our showstopping lamb crown from The Ginger Pig. They offer a delivery service around the UK. Lamb crown is also seasonally available from supermarkets and local butchers.

Serves 6 • Ready in 30mins, plus resting 1 lamb crown, weighing about 2-2.5kg 2tsp za’atar spice for the stuffing:

50g butter pinch of saffron

1 cinnamon stick

4 cardamom pods, lightly bruised

1tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) zest and juice of 1 orange

350g rice, cooked

100g pistachios and almonds handful of fresh parsley, mint and dill, chopped

3tsp liquid stock for the dressing: 60ml olive oil

2tbsp sherry vinegar 2tbsp pomegranate molasses 3tbsp crispy onions

2tbsp black sesame seeds 125g pomegranate seeds pea sprouts, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Rub the lamb crown with the za’atar and season well with salt and ground black pepper. Place in the oven for 20-25mins (20 for rare, 25 for medium).

2 For the stuffing, heat the butter with the saffron, cinnamon, cardamom pods, chilli (if using), and orange zest. Cook for a few mins. stir in the rice, pistachios and almonds, herbs, orange juice and stock. Mix the dressing ingredients together and toss through the rice.

3 Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for 20mins – use this time to make the gravy. before serving, fill the cavity of the crown with the stuffing. serve immediately with pea sprouts and any remaining rice, and the gravy.

Per serving: Cals 700, Fat 45g,

Sat fat 16g, Carbs 25g

Lamb gravy

We’ve added a little pizzazz to our gravy with pomegranate molasses, although cranberry sauce would also work well here. Serves 6 • Ready in 20mins

3tbsp lamb fat or butter

3 star anise

1tbsp flour

1 litre lamb stock

2tbsp pomegranate molasses 160ml red wine

1 Remove the roast lamb from the roasting tray and cover well with foil to rest while you prepare the gravy.

2 Heat the lamb fat and star anise in the lamb roasting pan with the flour. using a whisk, slowly stir in the stock, whisking continuously, then add the molasses and wine. simmer for 5-10mins and serve with the lamb.

Per serving: Cals 140, Fat 6.5g,

Sat fat 4g, Carbs 7g