Easter brings the family together for a well-earned break. Make this Easter the tastiest one yet – not forgetting the important Easter eggs!
What are you doing this Easter weekend?
Why not try our recipes below for a delicious Easter feast!
Fruity Gammon – ideal for a relaxed entertaining at Easter, as it requires the minimal preparation, is easy to serve and yet looks very impressive.
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 100 minutes Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Waitrose British Gammon Joint, unsmoked
- 500ml bottle of Waitrose Vintage English Cider
- 2 red skinned eating apples, quartered, cored and thickly sliced
- 2 ripe pear, peeled, quartered, cored and thickly sliced
- 75g pack Waitrose Semi-Dried Bing Cherries
- 3 tbsp. clear honey
- 25g Waitrose Slivered Almonds
Method
- Place the gammon in a large saucepan and add the cider, reserving 3 tbsp. Cover and simmer for 1 hour then remove the gammon from the pan.
- Mix together the apples, pears and cherries with 2 tbsp. of the honey and the reserved cider. Arrange the fruit mixture in a roasting dish and add the gammon joint.
- Brush the gammon joint with the remaining honey and sprinkle with the almonds. Place in a preheated oven 180°C, gas mark 4 for 40-50 minutes, or until the gammon is thoroughly cooked. Turn the fruit occasionally. Loosely cover with foil if the joint becomes too brown.
- Allow to stand for 10 minutes before carving into slices. Serve the gammon and fruit with stir-fried green vegetables and boiled baby new potatoes.
Salmon with bacon and mushrooms – this is an alternative for those who are not meat lovers!
Preparation time: 10 Minutes Cooking time: 25 Minutes Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 x 150g salmon (or trout) fillets
- 1 x 250g pack smoked bacon lardons
- 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 x 150g pack baby button mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- A pinch of sugar
Method
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the salmon and fry for 3 minutes skin-side up. Transfer to a plate.
- Fry the lardons for 4-5 minutes. Add the red onion, fry for 2 minutes, and then add the mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes more and stir in the lemon zest.
- Put the salmon on top of the onion mixture in the pan (or use an ovenproof dish) and grill on high for 2-3 minutes. Mix the vinegar, the rest of the oil and the rosemary with a pinch of sugar and season.
- Spoon over the salmon and serve with celeriac mash or crispy roast potatoes.
Finally not to forget the Easter treats – the classic Chocolate Nests!
Ingredients
- Wholegrain mini wheat
- Milk chocolate
- Speckled mini eggs
Method
- Melt the milk chocolate and leave to cool
- Mix together crushed mini wheat and melted milk chocolate then spoon into a muffin tray.
- Chill until set and serve filled with mini chocolate eggs or chocolate-dipped grapes for some Easter fun.
With all the chocolate treats over the Easter break, why not make it healthier by enjoying a bowl of fruit salad along with the chocolate treats. Use the vibrant coloured fruits that are now in season; strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, peaches, cantaloupe melon and watermelon – all very refreshing!
Happy Easter everybody!!!