Easter is a time when families and friends gather for a sumptuous meal that usually includes lamb. Angela Day suggests a menu you might like to prepare for your Easter Sunday gathering.
On the menu:
Spinach and Feta Phyllo Tarts
Shoulder of Lamb With Pomegranates
Pea and Herb Orzo Salad
Oregano Green Beans
Simnel Tray Bake
SPINACH & FETA PHYLLO TARTS
Serves 6
400g spinach, roughly chopped
175g packet of sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
80ml bottled artichoke hearts, about 4, drained and chopped
2 eggs
100g feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper
6 sheets of phyllo pastry
100g butter, melted
Boil the spinach in salted water for a few minutes until wilted. Drain well, squeeze out any excess water and then chop finely.
Tip into a large bowl and combine with the sundried tomatoes, artichokes, eggs and feta. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Carefully unroll the phyllo pastry. Take out 6 sheets of pastry.
Place a sheet of pastry on the counter and brush liberally with the melted butter. Cut sheet into 4.
Drape one quarter, butter-side up, in a 10-12cm loose-bottomed tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Repeat twice more, leaving a quarter of the phyllo pastry.
Spoon in some of the spinach filling. Pull the sides up into the middle, making sure the filling is covered. Brush with more melted butter.
Scrunch up the last quarter of pastry and place in the middle of the tart. Brush with melted butter.
Repeat with remaining pastry sheets and spinach filling.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
SHOULDER OF LAMB WITH POMEGRANATES
Serves 6
2kg shoulder of lamb, bone in
1 bulb of garlic, cloves crushed
60ml pomegranate molasses
125ml pomegranate juice
60ml honey
60ml olive oil
juice and zest of 4 lemons
250ml chopped fresh mint leaves
15ml cornflour mixed with 30ml cold water
POMEGRANATE YOGHURT
1 pomegranate, rubies removed
125ml mint leaves, torn
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
375ml Greek yoghurt
Pierce the lamb all over and place in an ovenproof casserole.
Combine the garlic; pomegranate molasses and juice; honey; olive oil; lemon juice and zest and mint and mix well.
Pour over the lamb, turning the lamb so that it goes on both sides. Refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Put the lid on the casserole and place in the oven. Reduce the temperature immediately to 160°C.
Cook for 4 hours, basting with the juices every half hour.
The lamb is cooked when you can pull the meat apart with a fork.
When done, remove the lamb from the casserole and pull all the meat off the bone.
Strain the gravy into a pot. Bring to a boil and thicken with the cornflour paste. Pour over the meat.
Serve lamb with the pomegranate yoghurt and extra pomegranate rubies.
Combine all the ingredients for the pomegranate yoghurt and refrigerate until needed.
Note: Pomegranate molasses is a syrup made from concentrated pomegranate juice and sugar. You can buy it at specialty food stores, such as Thrupps (R125 a bottle), or make your own, with a recipe on www.angeladay.co.za.
PEA AND HERB ORZO SALAD
Serves 6
240g orzo pasta or pasta rice
juice and grated rind of 3-4 lemons
1 red onion, finely chopped
45ml olive oil
15ml Dijon mustard
3ml salt
2ml pepper
250ml frozen peas
80ml chopped mint
80ml chopped parsley
80ml chopped chives
125ml flaked almonds, toasted
Boil the pasta in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes, until it is al dente.
Drain well and transfer to a bowl.
In a jug, whisk together the juice and rind of the lemons; red onion; oil; mustard; salt and pepper.
Pour over the cooked pasta, stir and refrigerate for an hour.
Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the peas for 2-3 minutes. Drain well and combine with the herbs and almonds.
Stir into the pasta.
Check for seasoning and add more lemon if desired.
OREGANO GREEN BEANS
Serves 6
2 red onions, finely chopped
15ml dried oregano
30ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
200ml vegetable stock
10ml sugar
salt and pepper
350g green beans, trimmed
15ml lemon juice
60ml chopped fresh parsley
125ml crumbled feta cheese
Sauté the onions and oregano in the oil over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, sugar, and salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and cook for another 10 minutes, until just tender.
Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and serve sprinkled with feta.
SIMNEL TRAY BAKE
Serves 10-12
ALMOND PASTE
375ml (150g) ground almonds
375ml icing sugar
1-2 egg whites
a few drops of almond extract
CAKE
100g raisins
100g sultanas
50g currants
grated rind of 1 orange
60ml orange juice
200g butter
250ml light brown sugar
4 eggs
375ml self-raising flour
10ml mixed spice
5ml ground cinnamon
50g ground almonds
125ml halved glacé cherries
TOPPING
80ml light brown sugar
180ml flour
50g butter
100g flaked almonds
45ml golden syrup
ICING
250ml sifted icing sugar
orange juice to mix
ALMOND PASTE: Combine the ground almonds and icing sugar and add enough egg white to form a stiff paste. Mix in the almond extract.
Divide the mixture in half. Cut one half into 1.5cm cubes. Set aside.
Divide the remaining portion in half. Grate one half and roll 11 small balls from the remaining half.
CAKE: Combine the dried fruit, orange rind and juice in a bowl and microwave on full power for a minute. Remove and set aside to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Sift the flour and spices and add to the creamed mixture with the ground almonds.
Mix in the soaked fruit with any juice and the cherries. Add the almond paste cubes .
Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20 x 30cm deep pan. Bake at 160°C for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove and spread with topping. Raise the heat to 190°C and return the cake to the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top.
Drizzle the icing over the cake and decorate the top with the marzipan balls and Easter eggs, if desired.
TOPPING: Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl, add the butter and rub it in. Add the almonds and mix to combine. Drizzle the syrup over the mixture and gently mix with a fork.
ICING: Place the icing sugar in a bowl and add enough orange juice to make a stiff icing.
Note: Do not use the fake marzipan available in shops, it will cause your cake to flop. Some shops do stock imported almond paste made from ground almonds but it is expensive.
Angela Day, The Star