<p>Easter is filled with tradition and the dinner table is no exception. Take a look at these great dishes to cook for your family this Easter.</p><h2>Roast Lamb</h2><h3>Ingredients</h3><ul><li>Lamb top round</li><li>Salt and pepper</li><li>12 cloves garlic (4 cloves chopped)</li><li>1 tbsp chopped rosemary</li><li>2 tsp thyme leaves</li><li>2 pints grape tomatoes</li><li>2 tbsp olive oil, divided</li><li>Chopped parsley for sprinkling (optional)</li></ul><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Heat oven to 180°C.</li><li>Season lamb with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and place in roasting pan.</li><li>In a small bowl, combine chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme, and 1 tablespoon oil.</li><li>Rub over lamb and roast for 10 minutes.</li><li>Toss tomatoes and garlic cloves with the remaining tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.</li><li>Scatter tomatoes and garlic around lamb and roast until the internal temperature of lamb registers 125°F for medium-rare (15 to 20 minutes more).</li><li>Transfer lamb to cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.</li><li>Serve with tomatoes and garlic and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.</li></ol><h2>No-Peel Braised Carrots</h2><h3>Ingredients</h3><ul><li>300ml vegetable stock</li><li>300g baby topped carrots</li><li>2 tbsp butter</li><li>1 tsp caster sugar</li><li>1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed</li></ul><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Heat the vegetable stock.</li><li>Then tip the carrots into a deep frying pan.</li><li>Add the butter, sugar, fennel seeds, and the hot stock. Season to taste.</li><li>Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots are cooked through and the liquid is reduced and glossy.</li></ol><h2>Crispiest Ever Roast Potatoes</h2><h3>Ingredients</h3><ul><li>4 tbsp rapeseed oil</li><li>1 kg potatoes, cut into quarters (peelings reserved)</li><li>50g butter</li><li>Bunch of lemon thyme</li><li>6 garlic cloves, lightly bashed</li><li>1 tbsp sea salt</li></ul><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 8).</li><li>Add the oil to a large flameproof baking tray and put it in the oven for the oil to heat up.</li><li>Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.</li><li>Tip in the potatoes and the peelings (to impart extra flavour) and simmer for 8-10 minutes.</li><li>Drain the potatoes and discard the peelings.</li><li>Leave to steam dry for 15 minutes, then return the potatoes to the pan.</li><li>Put the lid on and gently shake to lightly rough up the edges.</li><li>Remove the tray from the oven and put it directly on your hob over medium heat.</li><li>Add the butter to the hot oil and, using tongs, add the potatoes to the tray one by one, carefully turning them in the fat and leaving a little space between them.</li><li>Reduce the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6).</li><li>Nestle the lemon thyme in amongst the potatoes, along with the garlic.</li><li>Sprinkle over the sea salt and return to the oven to roast for 1 hour, turning every once in a while until golden and crisp.</li></ol><h2>Giant Butter Bean Stew</h2><h3>Ingredients</h3><ul><li>4 x 235g cans butter beans</li><li>100ml Greek extra virgin olive oil</li><li>3 small red onions, finely sliced</li><li>2 large carrots, finely sliced</li><li>3 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped</li><li>4 sundried tomatoes, sliced</li><li>1kg ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped</li><li>4 garlic cloves, chopped</li><li>1 tsp paprika</li><li>1 tsp ground cinnamon</li><li>2 tbsp tomato puree</li><li>1 tsp sugar</li><li>Small pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped</li><li>Small pack dill, finely chopped</li><li>100g feta (optional), crumbled</li></ul><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Drain the canned beans, reserving 200ml of the liquid.</li><li>Heat the oil in a large flameproof lidded casserole dish and cook the onions, carrots, and celery until tender and the onions are soft and transparent but not coloured.</li><li>Stir in the remaining ingredients, reserving half of the chopped herbs and feta (if using).</li><li>Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4).</li><li>Cook over gentle heat for a further 5 minutes, then pour over the reserved liquid.</li><li>Cover the dish and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.</li><li>Check occasionally that the beans are not drying out. Add a little more water if needed.</li><li>Remove the lid and bake for 10 minutes more.</li><li>Can be made 2 days ahead and reheated.</li><li>Stir through the reserved chopped herbs, season to taste, then crumble over the remaining feta just before serving.</li></ol><h2>Chocolate Fudge Easter Cakes</h2><h3>Ingredients</h3><ul><li>140g soft butter</li><li>140g golden caster sugar</li><li>3 medium eggs</li><li>100g self-raising flour</li><li>25g cocoa, sifted</li></ul><h3>For the frosting</h3><ul><li>85g milk chocolate, broken</li><li>85g soft butter</li><li>140g icing sugar, sifted</li><li>235g (1.5oz) packs white chocolate Maltesers</li><li>Mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs</li></ul><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Heat oven to 190°C (fan 170°C, gas 5) and put 16 gold cases into a fairy cake tin.</li><li>Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes with an electric hand whisk until smooth.</li><li>Divide between the cases so they are two-thirds filled, then bake for 12-15 minutes until risen.</li><li>Cool on a wire rack.</li><li>For the frosting, microwave the chocolate on high for 1 minute.</li><li>Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the melted chocolate.</li><li>Spread on the cakes and decorate with Maltesers and chocolate eggs.</li></ol>
