For many people, Easter food means only one thing: chocolate! It’s the one day of the year we’re ‘allowed’ to eat it before breakfast and it’s become synonymous with the commercialised version of Easter. But there’s much more to Easter cuisine than chocolate eggs and bunnies.
If you’ve got friends and family visiting for the weekend, why not cook up a feast with traditional Easter recipes that have stood the test of time? Now spring has arrived, it’s easy to make a satisfying meal with almost entirely seasonal ingredients. And of course, the more traditional recipes you use, the more seasonal your meal will be.
For a sit-down Easter Sunday lunch, many people choose to cook lamb as the main component of their meal. Chicken is more of a seasonal meat if you want to keep it sustainable, and for vegetarians, there’s no better time to discover the many uses of eggs! If you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous than the usual chuckie-egg and soldiers, duck eggs can make a delicious alternative and can usually be prepared in much the same way as chicken eggs. You local farmer’s market should be able to provide you with a box.
For the sides, everyone can enjoy sweet and tender Jersey Royal new potatoes, which are at their best at this time of year and taste delicious with a generous coating of butter and some freshly-chopped chives. Spring onions are also particularly sweet around Easter, and can be included in a refreshing green salad.
Hot cross bunsseem to be available all through the year nowadays, but they were traditionally only eaten around Easter time, hence the symbol of the cross. It is thought that the buns actually go back further than the Christian era, and were originally baked to celebrate the springtime goddess, Eostre, from whom we get the name ‘Easter’.
Home-made hot cross buns are a delicious teatime treat, and you can make them as spicy or as plain as you like. For an interesting (and slightly less labour-intensive) variant, try making a hot cross bun loaf. The secret to all these recipes is to use a strong flour, which will ensure that the gluten rises. The more adventurous baker may want to attempt a Simnel Cake, decorated with edible spring flowers.
Once you’ve decided on recipes, why not decorate the table with a few Easter themed ornaments? Dyed eggs are a firm favourite at this time of year, and these can look particularly beautiful when stained with natural dyes. There’s some information here on how to do it.
Image 1: FuturegirlLeahRiley
Image 2: Punzy
