We couldn’t pass up this opportunity to share with you one of our favourite Easter recipes, Leg of Lamb Pot Roast. Combining all the elements of a Sunday roast, the great thing about this dish is just that - the lamb and vegetables are cooked in one pot, meaning you spend less time in the kitchen and more time hunting for those eggs! Happy Easter everyone!

Serves 4, from ‘Grandma’s Best Recipes’.

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb, weighing 1.6kg/3lb 8oz

3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs

115g/4 oz streaky bacon rashers

4 tbsp olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 onions, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery sticks, sliced

300ml/10 fl oz dry white wine

1 tbsp tomato pureé

300ml/10 fl oz lamb, or chicken, stock

3 tomatoes peeled, quartered and deseeded

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or majoram

salt and pepper

fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Wipe the lamb all over with kitchen paper, trim off any excess fat and season to taste with salt and pepper, rubbing in well. Lay the sprigs of rosemary over the lamb, cover evenly with the bacon and tie in place securely with some kitchen string.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the lamb and fry for 10 minutes, turning several times. Remove from the pan. 

3. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Transfer the oil from the pan to a large, flameproof casserole, add the garlic and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are beginning to soften. Add the carrots and celery and cook for a further few minutes.

4. Lay the lamb on top of the vegetables and press down to partly submerge. Pour the wine over the lamb, add the tomato pureé and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring back to the boil and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

5. Lightly cover the casserole and cook in the preheated oven for 2-2½ hours until very tender.

6. Remove the lamb from the casserole and, if you like, remove the bacon and herbs together with the string. Keep the lamb warm. Strain the juices, skimming off any excess fat, and serve in a jug. The vegetables may be served around the joint or put in a warmed dish. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary.

Why not spice up your Monday with this delicious curry! It uses Panch Phoran, a Bengali five-spice mix, but if you can’t find it, use instead a pinch each of ground cumin, fennel, fenugreek and black mustard seed. (From ‘1001 One Pot, Casseroles, Soups & Stews’ by Parragon).

Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Curry, serves 4

Ingredients:

4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tsp Panch Poran

1 cauliflower, broken into small florets

350g/12 oz sweet potatoes, diced

2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ginger pureé

2 tsp paprika

1½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

3 tomatoes, quartered

225g/8oz fresh or frozen peas

3 tbsp natural yogurt

225ml/8 fl oz vegetable stock or water

salt

1 tsp garam masala

fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

1. Heat the ghee in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and Panch Phoran and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden. 

2. Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes and chillies and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the ginger pureé, paprika, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and peas and stir in the yogurt and stock. 

4. Season with salt to taste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle they g garam masala over the curry, transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately, garnished with fresh coriander sprigs.