Ah, April! The first daffodils appear, the birds chirp loudly again, and the sun is (sometimes) shining. Its Springtime! We are finally coming out of the dark wintery months, and we embrace a whole new flavour profile.
Think fresh, leafy, and earthy, with lots of greens and intense ruby colours on your plate. So, we have a few foodie ideas for Easter Sunday, whether you plan a big Easter Sunday Dinner or just an Easter Egg Hunt with family.
Hey There, Hop Stuff
There are better months than April for harvest. However, we can start enjoying a few gems in April, in time for Easter roasts, including artichoke, asparagus, basil, beetroot, broccoli, purple sprouting broccoli, carrots, and wild garlic. Kale, lettuce, morel mushrooms, wild nettles, new potatoes, parsnips, radishes, rhubarb, rocket, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring greens, spring onions, and watercress. As well as chicory, chives, and dill.
Introducing new side dishes into your Easter Roast is the best way to start tasting some of these amazingly fresh and flavoursome seasonal vegs. Elevate your Sunday roast with cheesy baked asparagus, honey-glazed carrots, creamed spinach, and crispy garlic butter parmesan smashed potatoes. Or bring a pop of colour to the table with oven-roasted beets and potatoes, magnificently green fresh peas and mint, or a rhubarb crumble for dessert.
Now, that's hop (hot) stuff.
The Plot Chickens
Traditionally, lamb is the meat of choice for Easter across the nation. Most opt for a nice leg or shoulder, but if you want a showstopper, a saddle of lamb is tough to beat.
British lamb is arguably the most ecologically and nutritionally superior meat we can eat, primarily because sheep feed solely on grass, which is often unsuitable for other purposes. Nutritionally lamb is also one of the few sources of CLA, which promotes muscle building and fat loss and contains many different vitamins and minerals, including zinc, selenium, phosphorus and iron. Oh, and it tastes great, too, so! No brainer.
However, you don't have to limit yourself to the borders of traditionalism. You can always go for roast beef, whole roast chicken, or herb-crusted salmon. Or, if you are vegan or plant-based, you can always feast on the many seasonal produce mentioned earlier.
Dessert is always an Egg-celent idea!
Bring on all the chocolate Easter eggs, but break the monotony of it all with some other fresh and vibrant puds. Like, a tart lemon cheesecake, a strawberry dancing Eton Mess or a fruity pavlova.
Schools may not be open during Easter. However, eating seasonal produce is something we are passionate about at Cleverchefs, which is why you can expect to see lots of seasonal menu items at our sites, as we continuously aim to reduce food miles and work with local farmers.
We strongly believe in minimizing food waste across all of our businesses. for example, we have created delicious zero-waste cakes for our school offer. Our "Root Bakes" are made using our carrot and parsnip peels to make the most scrumptious cakes and muffins.
