What a beautiful day, the daffodils are looking very appreciative of the Spring sunshine after the long winter.  I get up early to put the slow roast lamb in for lunch today and make a cup of tea. Going to style the roast on Jamie Oliver’s slow roast lamb, the twist is that the boys are home and are going to cook today!

A mid morning hot cross bun with delicious lemon curd, Lily the labrador gets into the spirit of the occasion and the boys get to grips with the lunch preparation.

The lamb shoulder takes about four and a half hours to cook and then time to rest. The recipe will follow in the ‘Weekend Treats’! Once the lamb is prepped with garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and olive oil, cover the roasting tray with foil, and put into a max heat oven.  Turn the heat down immediately the lamb is in to 170 degrees and then you can leave it and do something else, like take the dog for a walk or read the Sunday papers.  The lovely thing about this recipe is that the meat falls off the bone in wonderful tender pieces. We’re going to have a Provencal style mash with this, using the roasted garlic, some roasted tomatoes, olives, capers and lemon zest.

A few ‘boccas’ (the neat picture, not the huge plate we are about to dive onto!). I’ve grated a little beetroot and mixed with horseradish sauce.  On the blini, place some creme fraiche, a little smoked salmon and the beetroot mix. Enjoy with a glass of champagne! Happy Easter.