#feaster sunday

These days cooking a big family lunch or dinner is a pleasure I relish. The whirlwind of living in the big smoke means food for me is usually a quickly assembled affair, eaten out or cooked in giant quantities then frozen for ease. I should count myself lucky, as sooner or later, I imagine I'll be ground down by the monotony of big supermarket shopping for a family, churning out lovingly prepared food, devoured in seconds with no thanks (or was that just us?)

However at the moment when I do get a chance to properly cook, I enjoy menu planning and spending a fair amount of time slaving over a hot stove. It's especially good when I go home to cook for my family, as we're not that numerous so it's all manageable - and often the ingredients I need tend to magically appear in the fridge so I swerve shopping duties...

Anyway, for Easter Sunday this year I cooked a 3 course lamb roast for the fam. Knowing I would have spent at least two nights out on the razz previous and have depleted my brain cells, I needed to keep it relatively straightforward yet reasonably impressive.

Here's my spring lamb Sunday lunch menu, which serves six, is super easy to make and should go down well with most palates. A seasonal starter, meaty main and chilled fruity dessert. You can prep the starter and pud the night before so on the day all you need to worry about is your meat which needs to go in just 1.5 hours before serving. Why not try it out this weekend...

Aperitif: Hendrick's gin, mint, elderflower & cucumber cooler

A decent bit of booze will make everyone happier, less fractious, more willing to forgive any delays on the food... This cocktail is light and refreshing and actually managed to convert a gin hater! Serve with some savoury snacks - posh crisps or cheese straws - to warm up the party.

1. Fill a chilled highball glass with ice cubes, 50ml of Hendrick's gin and 20ml of elderflower cordial.
2. Add two strips of cucumber (use a peeler to peel vertically) and two mint leaves.
3. Top up with fresh tonic and stir.

Starter: Roasted asparagus & parma ham spears with aioli

Super easy but looks vibrant and is deliciou - allow 4-5 asparagus spears and 1 slice of parma ham per person. Wrap the asparagus spears in the ham the night before and arrange on a baking tray ready for sticking straight in the oven. Aioli for dipping can also be made the night before and chilled in fridge.

1. Slice the ham into two lengthways so you get 2 long strips.
2. Wrap half the asparagus spears in the ham, leave the rest plain (it's nice to get a mixture).
3. Brush lightly with olive oil, season with pepper and roast at 180C for around 5 minutes.

Serve with aioli (garlic mayo) for dipping.

I used this recipe from BBC Food which was uber garlicky, so don't be tempted to add more cloves even if you're a garlic fan!

• 3 free-range egg yolks
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ lemon, juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150ml/5fl oz extra virgin olive oil

1. Blend all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor.
2. Pour the oil into the blender in a steady stream, until it forms a thick sauce.
3. The mixture, once blended, should be vibrant and yellow in colour. Sprinkle paprika on top to garnish.

Main: Roast leg of lamb with all the trimmings

Using a leg with bone in makes everything so much simpler. I used a 2.2kg leg for 6 people, which was plenty.

Leg o' lamb

1. Mix 3 crushed garlic cloves with a small bunch of chopped rosemary, zest of 1 lemon and a glug of olive oil.
2. Stab leg 4 times on each side and massage in marinade.
3. Season with salt and pepper
4. Cook at 200C for 1.5 hours which should give you a nice pink middle.
5. Leave out of the oven to rest, covered in tin foil, for 15 mins before serving.

Homemade mint sauce

Finely chop 4 tbsp of fresh mint leaves, and mix in a mug with 2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp hot water and 3 tbsp white wine vinegar. Season to taste.

Spuds & veg

1. Peel and chop Maris Pipers, then simmer for 10 mins in boiling water until just tender.
2. Drain and shake them in pot so they go all fluffy at the edges.
3. Tip into a roasting tray with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil at bottom (pre heated in oven for 10 mins).
4. Add in some sliced carrots and parsnips. Slice these in 2, no smaller, as they shrivel up loads when they roast.
5. Coat and season with sprigs of thyme, salt, pepper and a few whole garlic cloves.
6. Roast in oven below the lamb, for around 45 minutes.

Yorkshires

This recipe is my failsafe and makes exactly 12 puddings. You want everybody to have at least 2 each innit. Make the batter in advance and leave in a jug to chill in fridge. It seems to make the puds lighter.

• 140g plain flour
• 4 eggs
• 200ml milk

1. Combine gradually in a bowl so there are no lumps. Season with salt and peps.
2. Pour batter into a jug.
3. Add a tsp of sunflower oil to each hole of a 12 hole muffin tray.
4. Put in oven for at least 10 mins so oil is SUPER HOT (this is key to them rising!)
5. Carefully take muffin tray out and pour in batter to each hole so it is nearly at the top.
6. Cook at 220C for 20 mins (these can go in once the lamb has come out of oven, so you can bust up the temperature).

Dessert: White chocolate & raspberry trifle

After a stuffing main you want a light dessert. Trifle haters gon' hate. However they may be converted with this whipped up bad boy.

• 175g/6oz white chocolate
• 2 medium egg yolks
• 25g caster sugar
• 150ml milk
• 85g/3fl oz double cream
• 220ml whipped cream
• 4 x 4cm thick slices swiss roll (bought or homemade)
• 2 tbsp Kirsch liqueur
• 225g fresh raspberries
• a few fresh mint sprigs

1. Put a 55g/2oz piece of the white chocolate in the fridge, (this will make it easier to grate later). Break the remainder into small pieces.
2. Cream the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a large bowl.
3. Pour the milk and cream into a small pan and bring to the boil. Pour on to the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the time. Pour back into the pan and place over a moderate heat.
4. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken and add the chocolate pieces.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Cover the custard with a little icing sugar and piece of cling film to prevent a skin forming.
6. Place the swiss roll slices in a large glass bowl and sprinkle with the Kirsch.
7. Scatter with raspberries. Pour the white chocolate custard over the swiss roll and leave to set in the fridge, preferably overnight.
8. Top with freshly whipped cream just before serving, and decorate with fresh raspberries and a few mint leaves.