Easter gives us the perfect excuse to get together with friends and family and enjoy some quality time.
Try one or two of these delicious recipes – they’re sure to meet with your guests’ approval.
Often informal gatherings are the best. Serve a couple of salads, some buttered new potatoes and this gorgeous salmon for an effortlessly delicious lunch.
Baked Salmon
Calories 465 per portion
Fat 35g (11g sat) per portion
Ingredients
- Salmon fillets 4, each approx. 150g (5oz), skin removed
- Lemon ½, juice only
- Fresh dill 15g (½oz)
- Butter 20g (¾oz)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cucumber ½, thinly sliced
- White wine vinegar 2 tbsp
- Caster sugar 1 tsp
- Chives 15g (½oz), finely snipped
- Chopped watercress 2 tbsp, plus sprigs to garnish
- Soft cheese 110g (4oz)
- Light mayonnaise 2 tbsp
- Steamed new potatoes to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/Gas 4. Line a large baking tray with foil.
- Place the salmon fillets on the foil, drizzle with the lemon juice, sprinkle with a little torn dill, dot with the butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Enclose the salmon in the foil then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and is even in colour when pressed with a knife.
- Meanwhile, add the cucumber slices to a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and a little salt and pepper. Reserve a few more dill sprigs for garnish, chop the rest and add half to the cucumber and the remainder to a second bowl. Add half the chives to the cucumber and the rest to the second bowl. Gently toss the cucumber together and set aside.
- Add the chopped watercress, soft cheese and mayonnaise to the bowl of herbs and stir together until well mixed. Spoon into a serving bowl.
- Stir the cucumber once more then spoon onto a large shallow platter. Arrange the cooked salmon on top then garnish with the watercress sprigs. Serve with the sauce and new potatoes, if using.
Cook’s tips
Thick cut pieces of smoked cod loin could also be cooked in the same way in the foil then served with the sauce on a bed of stir-fried or microwaved spinach.
Lamb Crown Roast
This show-stopping Lamb Crown Roast will be sure to impress! This tasty Sunday Dinner idea is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.
A favourite of our Divisional Manager, this creamy pastries are a real treat.
Strawberry Puffs
Calories 356 per portion
Fat 25g (14g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Ingredients
- Ready-rolled puff pastry 320g pack
- Icing sugar 50g (2oz), plus 1 tbsp, plus extra to dust
- Mascarpone 250g (9oz)
- Fromage frais 200g (7oz)
- Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
- Strawberries 450g (1lb)
- Caster sugar 25g (1oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Roll out the pastry to about 36 x 23cm (14 x 9in), then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar. Cut into 16 equal-size rectangles. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden. Cut into two lengthways and leave to cool.
- Mix together the mascarpone, fromage frais, 50g (2oz) icing sugar and the lemon zest. Chop one third of the strawberries and stir into the mascarpone.
- Put the remaining strawberries in a food processor with the caster sugar and lemon juice and whizz to a purée, then sieve.
- Sandwich four pastries with three layers of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat to make eight puffs. Drizzle each serving plate with the strawberry coulis, add a strawberry puff, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Cook’s tips
Vary the fruits depending on what’s in season; autumn blackberries with a little chopped fresh mint, or forced rhubarb mixed with frozen strawberries in early spring.
All of these recipes are taken from our iconic cookbook; Dairy Diary Favourites, which is available to buy here for just £8.25.
Use the code DDPR and you can get free P&P (a little Easter treat from us).
A classic for Easter.
Simnel Cake
Calories 722 per portion
Fat 30g (13.2g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Ingredients
- Butter 250g (9oz), softened
- Light muscovado sugar 250g (9oz)
- Eggs 4
- Plain flour 300g (11oz)
- Baking powder 1 tsp
- Ground mixed spice 2 tsp
- Ground almonds 50g (2oz)
- Luxury dried mixed fruit 500g (1lb 2oz)
- Lemon 1, finely grated zest and 2 tbsp juice
- White marzipan 500g (1lb 2oz)
- Apricot glaze or sieved apricot jam 2 tbsp
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 and line a 20cm (8in) cake tin with baking parchment.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour along with each egg. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and spice and fold the almonds, dried fruit and lemon zest and juice into the mixture. Spoon half into the cake tin and smooth the surface level. - Roll out one third of the marzipan until it’s a circle, just smaller than the cake tin, and lay it on top of the mixture in the tin. Spoon the remaining mixture over the top and level the surface.
- Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 2–2¼ hours, or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake. Cover with a sheet of baking parchment if it starts to brown. When cooked, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool.
- Remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Spread the apricot glaze or jam over the top. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Place it on the cake and smooth down, taking care not to trap any air pockets underneath. Pinch around the edges.
- Divide the remaining marzipan into 11 pieces and roll each into a ball. Brush a little apricot glaze or jam onto the base of each and evenly space around the top of the cake. Place under a hot grill to brown the marzipan lightly. Remove from the grill and leave to cool before serving.
Cook’s tips
The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
If you have a choice of marzipan, choose white marzipan, which has a more natural flavour than golden marzipan.
Chocolate Lollipops
Looking for something to make with little ones? These ‘sheepish’ chocolate lollies are great fun. This is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.
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2 Use your dates reminder stickers to note everyone’s birthdays.
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