4 simple Easter recipes

Roast

• Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan.
• Rub the lamb with salt and oil, and in a deep roasting dish, roast (skin-side up) for 35 mins until golden brown.

  Then, remove from the oven and transfer to a plate.

  Now, turn the oven down to 160°C/140°C fan.

  Add the halved onions and raisins and scatter them around the roasting dish, then add some seasoning and a tbsp of ras el hanout and rhe juice fron an orange and toss with the onions.

  Now, lay the lamb back on top.

Lamb glaze

• In a small bowl, mix the honey, garlic, ginger, the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange, and 2 tsp ras el hanout.

  Brush 3/4 of the lamb glaze over the lamb (keep the rest to glaze the lamb later).

Braise

• Once the lamb has been glazed, cover the roasting tin tightly with foil, sealing it.

  (If it’s not fully sealed the heat will escape and the lamb will take longer).

  Braise for 3½ hrs.

Extra gravy (optional)

• While the lamb braises, put the stock, soy sauce and tomato purée in a medium saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half, then remove from the heat.

  Once the lamb has braised, remove the foil (your lamb should be very tender) and lift the lamb onto a plate.

  Now, drain half the cooking juices into the saucepan with the reduced stock (you’ll have about 500ml liquid in total).

  Bring the reduced stock and lamb juices to a boil and whisk in the cornflour mix, until the gravy has thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.

  Season to taste with salt, ras el hanout and lemon juice.

  Set aside.

Freekeh and final 10 min blast

• Add the cooked freekeh to the roasting tin and stir it into the onions and remaining cooking juices.

  Turn the oven back up to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.

  Put the lamb back on top, glaze it with the remaining honey mixture, then put the tin back into the oven for 10 mins and baste a couple of times.
• Before serving, brush the lamb with gravy to give it a glossy shine.

  Sprinkle with chilli (optional), mint and almonds and serve.

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.
• In a pestle and mortar (or you can use a food processor), put the almonds in and crush into rough crumbs.

  Add the (peeled) garlic, balsamic, capers, anchovies and a splash of their oil, then tear in the top leafy half of the parsley and bash until fairly fine.
• On a kitchen board, open the (skinless) chicken thighs out, smooth side down, and pound with a rolling pin until flattened and tenderized.

  Divide the stuffing between them and roll up, wrapping each thigh in a slice of prosciutto, then a slice of fatty, pancetta.

  Push two skewers through 5 thighs, repeat for the other thighs.
• Peel the potatoes and slice 1cm thick, then parboil in a large pan of boiling salted water for 6 mins or so.

  Prick each tomato with the tip of a sharp knife and add to the pan for the last 40 seconds, then drain it all. This is so you can easily take the skins off.

  When they are cool enough to touch, pinch the skins off.

  Layer the potatoes in a large ovenproof pan or baking dish, seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, and drizzling lightly with olive oil, then scatter over the tomatoes.

  Take your chicken skewers and place on top so that all the juices from the hams drip down over the potatoes as they cook.
• Roast for 30 mins, then dip the bunch of thyme in olive oil and use as a brush to baste the chicken and potatoes with the pan juices.

  Sprinkle the thyme sprigs over the dish and return to the oven for a final 10 mins.
• To serve, slice between the skewers, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

  P.S If you like your potatoes super-crisp, pop them back into the oven for an extra 10 mins at the end.