What's On Your Easter Menu?

WORDS : CHYKA KEEBAUGH

PHOTOS : LISA ATKINSON

IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, LET’S LEAN TOWARDS COSY TRADITIONS FOR AN INTIMATE EASTER LUNCH…

Let’s keep this Easter small and intimate, family-focused and full of comfort. The last thing we all want at the moment is for lunch to be a drama, and what I love most about these simple recipes is that the preparation work is minimal. Giving you more time to relax, spend time with your family and sneak in a chocolate here and there! The key to these dishes is beautiful, fresh produce. You want your lunch to look crunchy and light, healthy and delicious. I have opted for a lot of greens because at this time of year they are looking lush and plentiful, they are also easy to come by at the local supermarket or market without having to hustle!

ROAST PORK SHOULDER

Ingredients:

• 1 x 5 kg shoulder of pork, bone in, skin removed and reserved

• olive oil

• 4 onions

• 2-3 eating apples

• 3 sticks of celery

• 1 bulb of garlic

• 1 bunch of fresh sage (30g)

• 4 fresh bay leaves

• 1 x 500 ml bottle of cider

• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds

• 2 whole cloves

• 2 dried chillies

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to full whack (240°C/475°F/gas 9).

2. Toss the reserved pork skin in a little oil and sea salt (you can either slice it into long, thin strips or leave as one piece), lay it flat on a tray and roast until perfectly golden and crisp, keeping a close eye on it, then remove.

3. Peel the onions, then cut into wedges with the apples. Trim and roughly chop the celery and break the garlic bulb into cloves.

4. Scatter it all in your largest roasting tray with the sage and bay leaves, pour in the cider and add a good splash of water.

5. Bash the fennel seeds, cloves, dried chillies and 1 heaped teaspoon of salt to a fine dust in a pestle and mortar, then massage all over the pork with a drizzle of oil.

6. Sit the pork in the tray, cover tightly with a double layer of tin foil, place in the oven and turn the temperature down to 130°C/250°F/gas ½.

7. Roast for 10 to 12 hours, or until the meat pulls easily away from the bone, then remove from the oven and cover with a couple of clean tea towels to keep warm.

Potato and Fennel Gratin

Ingredients :

• 1.5 kg Maris Piper potatoes 

• 5 bulbs of fennel 

• 4 cloves of garlic 

• 4 anchovy fillets 

• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary 

• 1 whole nutmeg , for grating 

• 100 g Parmesan cheese 

• 400 ml double cream 

• 200 ml single cream

Method :

1. Peel the potatoes, then cut lengthways into wedges along with the fennel. Parboil in a couple of pans of boiling salted water – the potatoes for 7 minutes and the fennel for 6 – then drain, leave to steam dry completely, and place in a large, high-sided roasting tray (25cm x 35cm).

2. Peel the garlic and blitz until fine with the anchovies, rosemary leaves and a good splash of boiling water in a blender.

3. Finely grate in half the nutmeg and most of the Parmesan and pour in the cream. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, blitz again, then pour over the veg.

4. Grate over the remaining Parmesan and bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

MIXED GREEN SALAD

Ingredients:

• 300g rocket

• 1 punnet micro mesclun (if you can’t find this at the market, choose a few different micro herbs)

• ¼ bunch parsley

• ¼ bunch mint

• 100ml lemon dressing

  Method:

1. Wash the rocket and mesclun and mix together. Add herbs, drizzle over the dressing and toss. 

Lemon Dressing Ingredients:

• 70ml extra virgin olive oil

• 25ml lemon juice

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

Method:

1. Whisk or shake all ingredients together. 

Credits: Recipes via Allrecipes.com, Jamie Oliver & Goodfood.com