10 next-level lamb recipes for Easter

Lamb loin, Parmesan risotto and pan juices

10 next-level lamb recipes for Easter

by Great British Chefs30 March 2017

Sitting down to a nice roast this Easter Sunday? Take a look at these delicious alternative lamb recipes for something a little different.

10 next-level lamb recipes for Easter

Sitting down to a nice roast this Easter Sunday? Take a look at these delicious alternative lamb recipes for something a little different.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews as well as access to some of Britain’s greatest chefs. Our posts cover everything we are excited about from the latest openings and hottest food trends to brilliant new producers and exclusive chef interviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews as well as access to some of Britain’s greatest chefs. Our posts cover everything we are excited about from the latest openings and hottest food trends to brilliant new producers and exclusive chef interviews.

Clear the table! There’s a club-like leg or slow-cooked shoulder of lamb to make room for. Provided you haven’t ruined your dinner by gorging on a coop’s worth of chocolate eggs, a proper bit of lamb for your Easter Sunday lunch is one of the best things about spring. But we tend to play it pretty safe when it comes to flavouring the meat – a few garlic cloves, some rosemary, perhaps some anchovies if we’re feeling particularly adventurous. But even though lamb has quite a strong flavour, there are all sorts of spices and herbs we can use to make the meat even more tasty. Here are ten of our favourite lamb recipes, perfect for serving up on Easter Sunday.

1. Lamb kleftiko

Kleftiko is a Greek dish, so any fan of Mediterranean cuisine will happily help themselves to a plateful of this soft, tender meat. It’s slow-roasted for five hours, after being marinated in a generous amount of lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and a whole bulb of smashed garlic. The potatoes are slow-cooked in the same pan, with a glug of white wine splashed over everything, making it easy to cook as well as delicious.

2. Lamb loin, Parmesan risotto and pan juices

Lamb loin isn’t as popular as shoulder or leg when getting the family together for a big feast, but chef Chris Horridge is on a mission to change that. The meat itself is cooked pink and left relatively pure, but the punchy Parmesan risotto, seasonal wild mushrooms and sweet roast shallots elevate the lamb to new heights.

3. Slow-braised shoulder of lamb with onions, thyme and balsamic

Braising your shoulder of lamb instead of just simply roasting it ensures the meat stays moist and will infuse it with all sorts of delicious flavour. Tom Aikens goes for a combination of sticky onions, fragrant thyme and a surprisingly large amount of balsamic vinegar. Don’t worry about how it tastes at first, though – the meat is cooked for an incredible eight hours, during which the vinegar mellows out and turns into a thick, sweet glaze.

4. Shuwa with fragrant rice

How familiar are you with Omani cuisine? We’re guessing not very, but if you’re going to foray into the country’s way of cooking you need to start with shuwa. Originally slow-cooked in a big pit and wrapped in banana leaves, Greg Malouf has adapted the traditional recipe to work with conventional ovens, so you can recreate it without the need for a shovel.

5. Herb-crusted lamb rump

Anything Pierre Koffmann touches turns into pure culinary gold, and this simple French lamb rump recipe is not different. Dijon mustard and herbs are whizzed up with breadcrumbs to create a colourful, flavourful crust, which coats the meat and is served alongside butternut squash purée and roasted vegetables.

6. Grilled rack of lamb with ratatouille

Another French take on lovely British lamb, Pascal Aussignac takes the rack and serves it simply alongside a homemade ratatouille – the perfect dish for spring. Marinating the lamb in garlic and olive oil for twenty-four hours beforehand makes all the difference to the finished dish.

7. Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with petit pois à la Française and minted mustard mash

Roasting and braising lamb might sound like a bit of faff but the end result is well worth it, as Steven Doherty demonstrates with his classic rolled lamb shoulder. Served alongside a hefty dollop of mint and mustard mash, what really makes this dish stand out is the petit pois à la Française, which combine peas, baby onions, bacon, leeks, lettuce, mint and white wine to create a wonderfully rich and flavourful sauce.

8. Roast lamb with parsley and pine nut stuffing

Fancy serving something up that wouldn’t look out of place in a Michelin-starred restaurant? Bryan Webb’s boned saddle of lamb takes a beautiful cut and stuffs it with parsley and pine nuts, before slicing it into rounds and serving it with a gratin dauphinois, spring vegetables and an intense lamb jus.

9. Lamb shank with soft polenta and Persian lime pesto

Anna Hansen has the enviable gift of combining international flavours to create new, unique dishes, which she does with aplomb in this alternative take on lamb shanks. Italian polenta, Persian lime pesto and yoghurt-marinated lamb come together to create a magnificent main course that’d wow at any dinner party.

10. Chargrilled leg of lamb with salsa verde and roasted beetroot

Rather than serving your leg of lamb whole, try slicing the meat into thick steaks and chargrilling them on a griddle pan to give them a smoky note with a juicy, pink middle. The salsa verde adds some welcome zing, and the roasted beetroot brings a bit of colour and some seasonal, earthy flavour.