An Easter feast!

The end of Lent means it's time to invite your friends and family around for a delicious Easter meal. Emma Parkin gives us some easy recipes to cook up a scrumptious spread.

Butternut & carrot soup
Serves 6

2tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1tbsp curry powder
1tsp ground cumin
2tsp ground coriander
1tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
6-8 large carrots
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/4 litres chicken stock
juice and zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp brown sugar
salt and black pepper
250ml milk

1. Preheat your oven to 190 C/gas mark 5 and pour the olive oil into an ovenproof dish. Heat in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Add the leek, curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon and stir. Return to the oven and roast for two minutes. Add the carrots and squash, stir to coat with the spiced oil. Return to the oven for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large saucepan, add the stock, orange juice and zest, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
3. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir in the milk, then bring back to the boil. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve hot with fresh bread rolls.

Fat 26g Carbs 23g Energy 635kcal
Protein 57g Sodium .2g Fibre 3g

Lamb cutlets with sweet potato mash and salsa verde
Serves 4-6

800g sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked
1/2 cup cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 small lamb cutlets, trimmed
olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced or halved

Salsa verde
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice

1. Mash the sweet potatoes with the cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm.
2. Rub the cutlets with salt and pepper and a little oil, cutting notches in the fat side of the meat to prevent them from curling up as they cook.
3. Place under a pre-heated grill until they have browned for about five minutes. Turn over and brown on the other side, for 3-5 minutes, until cooked to your preference.
4. Season the tomatoes and cook under the girl for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
5. Meanwhile, make salsa verde by mixing the chopped herbs, spring onions, oil and lemon juice. Season to taste.
6. Serve the cutlets with the mashed sweet potato, grilled tomatoes and salsa verde.

12 chocolate chip cookies
300ml orange juice
150ml brandy/whiskey
5tbsp whipped cream
3tbsp chocolate shavings, to garnish

1. Dip the cookies in orange juice, then dip in your preferred spirit.
2. Make a column of dipped cookies, one on top of each other.
3. Wrap them in foil and freeze.
4. Defrost and place on a serving dish. Shape with a spatula into a log.
5. Cover with whipped cream.
6. Decorate with chocolate curls by shaving chocolate with a carrot peeler onto the top of the log.

• The egg has always been a symbol of the Resurrection to Christians.
• The traditional act of painting eggs is called 'Pysanka.'
• The date of Passover changes as it is dependent on the phases of the moon, which means Easter is also a movable feast!
• The custom of exchanging eggs has been traced back to Egyptians, Persians and Greeks, to whom the egg was a symbol of life.
• Easter bonnets are a throw back to the days when the people denied themselves the pleasure of wearing finery for the duration of Lent.