Hosting #06: Easter lunch

Hello! Welcome to today’s deep-dive on EASTER COOKING (this is a paid subscriber-only edition of the newsletter). Every other month I tackle a singular cooking topic to bring you a primer, a reference that you can consult at any time — e.g. on jam-making, kitchen organisation (spring clean, anybody??) and fish cookery (should you be looking for Good Friday inspiration). Thank you for being here.

The light is changing, the days are stretching, the trees are blossoming (hate the hayfever, love the aesthetic) — and whether Easter means something to you spiritually or not, I can think of few better reasons to celebrate than the arrival of Spring.

A langorous lunch on Easter Sunday has all the convivial, family-centred energy of Christmas — the big table, the passing of dishes — without the expectation that everything need be perfect. Less pressure, more pleasure. A Greek-inspired spread feels right for this moment: bright, generous, the kind of food that looks like you’ve made an effort without requiring you to lose your mind. I’ve put together a full menu with recipes, a shopping list and a prep schedule so that as much of the thinking has been done for you as possible. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the Greek potato wedges!

Love,
Alexina

P.S. There’s also a recipe for Hot Cross Buns in today’s deep-dive + some tips on bread-making!

Black olive devilled eggs (easily gf)

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Toasted rice pudding
with cinnamon, lemon + orange (gf, easily vg)

This menu serves 6.

This is a pretty low-key menu to deliver but, as a reminder, here are some tips to keep it easy:

• Do an internet shop — It’s worth booking a slot early and using it to secure all the store cupboard ingredients, dairy, alcohol and hardy veg (onions, garlic etc.) that you’ll need. This will lighten the overall load and give you peace of mind

• Cut the menu down or opt for a few shop-bought shortcuts, if you like — you could skip the canape or dessert, or opt for shop-bought options in lieu.

• Prep as much as possible on Good Friday or Easter Saturday — including seemingly small tasks like prepping your herbs. Leave the bare minimum to do on Easter Sunday itself.

• Enlist help from the family! Ask them to bring the dessert! Get someone to shred the lamb, or finish setting the table. Enlist someone to plate up the canapes + serve the drinks. Too much perfection stops everyone from relaxing anyway!

Shopping list

Prep plan / mise-en-place

Printable version here:

I have to credit Rosie Mackean for this layout/way of planning a dinner party — she writes the brilliant Substack The Dinner Party, and knows all about how to get ready for one. I highly recommend subscribing:

Without further ado, let’s get into the recipes! They all serve 6.

For the black olive crumb:
Pitted black olives — 150g (I use tinned)
Sourdough, crusts removed — 250g
Olive oil — 2 tbsp
Garlic clove, crushed — 1