Hosting Easter at home this year? Master the classic dishes and add flavourful twists to your spread with delicious suggestions from some of the UK’s finest food savants.
When hungry mouths gather round the Easter lunch table, the pressure’s on to impress — and satiate — every expectant guest.
Whether you’re roasting a traditional lamb or opting for something different, we’ve gathered top tips from some of the UK’s best chefs to help you create the perfect Easter spread and dishes.
Lamb with a twist
1. Timing is everything
For Maurilio Molteni, head chef at Tozi Victoria, timing is key. If preparing a lamb shoulder as your Easter main, he suggests preparing well ahead of time: “Marinate the meat the previous day with some garlic, rosemary, white wine and olive oil,” he says.
The next day, roast the lamb gently, let it rest and use the cooking juices to make a gravy. Serve with wild chicory, roasted potatoes and Italian wine.
2. Add anchovies for an umami kick
Flavouring lamb with anchovies might sound unusual, but Jack Stein, chef director at Rick Stein Restaurants, swears by this trick.
He recommends pressing anchovy slivers into small slits in the meat, along with garlic and rosemary, to add a “salty umami taste to the herby roast”. Serve with seasonal asparagus gently poached in oil to retain flavour and nutrients.
3. Spice it up with Indian-inspired Lamb raan
For a spiced alternative, try lamb raan. Vivek Singh, Cinnamon Collection’s executive chef and CEO, advises making a paste by blitzing a head of garlic, a handful of wild garlic leaves, a glug of oil, two green chillies, softened butter and salt.
For best results, Vivek instructs: “Smother over homemade (or shop-bought) naans and top with your marinated lamb.”
4. Finish with a paprika and rosemary glaze
Kerth Gumbs, head chef at Fenchurch Restaurant, recommends marinating lamb in a paprika and rosemary glaze for 24-38 hours to “enhance its rich, aromatic flavours”.
Serve with scalloped potatoes, buttered peas and roasted carrots tossed in the lamb’s roasting juices. For drinks, he suggests an Easter Bunny cocktail: ginger, cinnamon, rum and Angostura bitters.
5. Go for crispy lamb cutlets
Lamb cutlets make a tasty alternative to a traditional roast. Luca Mastrantonio, head chef at Ekstedt at The Yard, says they’re a great option because they “cook quickly and get a great crust”.
For extra flavour and tenderness, he recommends adding a vinaigrette of olive oil, vinegar, garlic and rosemary just before serving.
6. Slow roast shoulder of hogget
Chris Knights, group director of food at Young’s Pubs, suggests slow roasting a shoulder of hogget. “Brush with a little oil, a good pinch of seasoning and stud with thyme and rosemary,” he says. “Sit it upon thinly sliced root vegetables (think potato boulangère) with butter and chicken stock.”
Garnish with wild garlic, olive oil and lemon zest.
7. Budget-friendly lamb belly
Alistair Craig, executive head chef at The Montagu Arms, recommends lamb belly as a budget-friendly, flavour-packed option. “Marinate overnight with rosemary, garlic, paprika and cumin, before browning the lamb and roasting it slowly with shallots, bay leaves and garlic until tender,” he says.
He suggests serving it with a fresh salad and roasted new potatoes. Another tip is to prepare it ahead of time and simply reheat when ready to serve.
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Standout Easter sides
1. Simple sides and Easter staples
No need to overcomplicate your Easter sides this year. Elliot Day, co-founder and chef at FieldGoods, prioritises simple dishes that are quick to prep and great for leftovers.
For this, Elliot suggests dishes like nduja roast chicken, buttery asparagus and fresh sourdough, for “minimal effort, maximum flavour”. And don’t forget the mini eggs.
2. Salsa Verde
Robert Mitchell, executive chef at Drake & Morgan, suggests a tangy salsa verde made with parsley, mint, capers, mustard and olive oil to “cut through the richness of lamb”. He pairs it with new potatoes roasted in lamb fat for golden, crispy edges.
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3. A sprinkling of English mustard powder
For next-level roast potatoes, Brian Hennessy, head chef at the Winter Garden restaurant at The Landmark London, says using English mustard powder is the “secret to unlocking amazing flavour”.
After boiling, let the potatoes steam dry, give them a shake to rough up the edges and season with mustard powder and sea salt. Then roast them in duck fat with thyme, rosemary and crushed garlic until golden.
4. Barbecued asparagus
Easter’s a great time for vegetarians because of spring’s seasonal produce. Recognising this, Jack Godik — executive chef at Sucre — suggests barbecuing asparagus: “Cook asparagus on the barbecue with a rich fricassee of morels and a lemony brown butter dressing — and if you can find a good vegetarian parmesan, grate some over the top,” he says.
Read more: Easter recipes for vegetarians, pescatarians & carnivores
Afternoon tea treats
If you’re baking your own hot cross buns this year, Bryan Cremey, head pastry chef at Cameron House, suggests using half milk and half water in your dough and allowing it to rise twice before baking at a slightly lower temperature.
For a boozy twist, Bryan recommends infusing the dough with Grand Marnier, lemon and orange zest, fermented for two days, for “a lovely citrus and orange flavour infusion”.
Feature image: Freepik
