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.

There couldn’t be an easier way to start your week! This delicious recipe can also be adapted to include more or different vegetables to suit your taste - it goes without saying though that you’ll want more than one helping! (From ‘America’s Family Recipes’, for the iPad and iPhone)

Layered Vegetable Casserole, serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, for brushing

5 large white potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 leeks, trimmed, thoroughly washed, and thinly sliced

2 large beef tomatoes, sliced

8 fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

300ml/10 fl oz vegetable stock

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Brush an ovenproof casserole dish with a little of the olive oil. Prepare all the vegetables. 

3. Place a layer of potato slices in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with half of the basil leaves and cover with a layer of leeks. Top with a layer of tomato slices. Repeat these layers until all the vegetables are used up, ending with a layer of potatoes.

4. Stir the chopped garlic into the vegetable broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the broth over the vegetables and brush the top with the remaining olive oil.

5. Bake in the preheated over for 1½ hours, or until the vegetables are gender and the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately. 

Why not try this for a Monday night feast? Lentils are a delicious way to get protein on a Meat-Free Monday.

Vegetable & lentil casserole, serves 4

Ingredients:

10 cloves
1 onion, peeled but kept whole
225g/8oz Puy or green lentils
1 bay leaf
1.5 litres/2 1/4 pints vegetable stock
2 leeks, sliced
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, chopped
3 courgettes, sliced
1 celery stick, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Press the cloves into the onion. 
2. Put the lentils into a large casserole, add the onion and bay leaf and pour in the stock. Cover and cook in the preheated over for 1 hour. 
3. Remove the onion and discard the cloves. Slice the onion and return it to the casserole with the vegetables. Stir thoroughly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and return to the oven for 1 hour. 
4. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and serve straight from the casserole.