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Easter Lunch

Serves
8
Dishes
5

A spring lunch for eight: deviled eggs to start, a shoulder of lamb slow-roasted until it pulls apart, asparagus with brown butter, crisp smashed new potatoes and a sharp lemon tart. The lamb cooks by itself through the morning while you set the table.

On the menu

  1. StarterDeviled Eggs

    24 halves; three each.

  2. Slow-Roast Lamb Shoulder with Garlic and Rosemary: Seven hours in a low oven until it pulls apart with a spoonMainSlow-Roast Lamb Shoulder with Garlic and Rosemary

    A 2.5 kg bone-in shoulder feeds 8; serve with its garlicky pan juices.

  3. SideAsparagus with Brown Butter and EggMake ×2
  4. SideCrispy Smashed PotatoesMake ×2

    Two sheet pans, in the oven with the lamb for its final browning.

  5. Lemon Tart: Sharp, smooth lemon custard in a crisp, sweet pastry caseDessertLemon Tart

    Made the day before.

To drink

A dry Provence-style rosé. Non-alcoholic: rhubarb and ginger cordial with sparkling water.

The day before

  • Make the sweet shortcrust, blind-bake the case and bake the lemon tart; chill (it keeps 3 days).
  • Boil, peel and halve the eggs and make the filling; store them separately in the fridge.
  • Boil and chop the 4 eggs for the asparagus.
  • Boil and smash the potatoes on the oiled trays; cover and refrigerate.

Game plan

Counted back from the moment you serve.

  1. 7 h 40 min before serving

    Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Stud the lamb with garlic and rosemary, rub with oil, salt and pepper and set it on the onions with the wine and water.

  2. 7 h 30 min before serving

    Lamb in, covered tightly with two layers of foil, for 30 minutes.

  3. 7 h before serving

    Lower the oven to 140°C (285°F) and roast 5–6 hours more.

  4. 1 h before serving

    Check the lamb pulls apart with a spoon. Uncover and raise the oven to 220°C (425°F) for its final browning (20–30 minutes).

  5. 50 min before serving

    Smashed potatoes in on the other racks (they need 40–45 minutes from cold).

  6. 45 min before serving

    Pipe the filling into the egg whites, dust with paprika and chives and chill 15 minutes.

  7. 35 min before serving

    Lamb out to rest, loosely covered, at least 20 minutes. Raise the oven to 230°C (450°F) and flip the potatoes.

  8. 30 min before serving

    Serve the deviled eggs.

  9. 15 min before serving

    Skim the lamb juices and mash in the soft onions and garlic with the lemon. Blanch the asparagus in two batches, 2–4 minutes; make the brown butter.

  10. 5 min before serving

    Pull the lamb into chunks. Dress the asparagus with brown butter, eggs, lemon and chives. Potatoes out, with herbs and flaky salt.

  11. Serve

    Serve.

  12. 50 min after serving

    Dust the lemon tart with powdered sugar and slice with a hot knife.

Shopping list

Produce

  • 3 onions
  • 1 head garlic (10 cloves)
  • 2 kg small new potatoes
  • 1.25 kg asparagus
  • 7 lemons
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 16 g)
  • 1 small bunch chives
  • 1 bunch rosemary (4 sprigs)

Meat & fish

  • 2.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder

Dairy & eggs

  • 22 large eggs
  • 250 g unsalted butter
  • 150 ml heavy (whipping) cream

Pantry

  • 200 g all-purpose flour
  • 200 g superfine sugar
  • 30 g powdered sugar
  • white wine vinegar (1 tsp)
  • Dijon mustard (2 tsp)
  • 90 g mayonnaise (or Mayonnaise)
  • 200 ml olive oil
  • Pantry check: fine sea salt, flaky sea salt, black pepper

Spices

  • smoked paprika (1 tsp)

Drinks

  • 200 ml dry white wine