A Mother’s Day Menu (that anyone can cook)
A few people recently mentioned to me recently they couldn’t possibly cook a meal for friends, and it got me thinking about how often we underestimate ourselves and overestimate how complicated things need to be. There are so many amazing chefs and restaurants out there doing incredible things but when it comes to cooking at home, things really don't have to be that complicated.
A full-on Sunday roast can be intimidating, not to mention it can generate a lot of washing up, but you can also create a Sunday lunch that is impressive and won’t leave you with hundreds of pots and pans to scrub. You really can!!!
I have put together this menu with the hope that even if you think you can’t cook you can make this! There’s no final rush to get things on the table so you can take your time and prep some of it ahead meaning you can focus on relaxing with your guests. As with every recipe, be sure to read through everything before you start so you’re aware of everything that needs to happen!
A few helpful notes
The Potatoes
You want the potatoes to be roughly the same size so they cook evenly so if you have any large ones it’s worth cutting them in half before you boil them.
Be very generous with the salted water as you want the potatoes to absorb some of that seasoning. It will feel like a lot of salt but remember, you’re not drinking the water…or at least I hope you aren’t!
The potatoes could happily be cooked ahead, warmed up in the microwave, and then tossed with the butter and herbs just before serving.
You could cut the herbs in the morning and then leave them in a bowl in the fridge with the cubed butter until you need it.
I’ve used four herbs here which is a lot. If you just when for one I’d say lots of fresh mint and butter would still be great. You can also use some of the leftover herbs scattered on the lamb just before you serve.
Zingy Pea Salad
As this is served cold, it’s another thing you don’t have to worry about cooking at the last minute.
You could prep 90% of it ahead and then just toss the leaves and pea shoots through just before serving (if you do that in advance they’ll go soggy).
With the lemon, I’d suggest adding half of the lemon and then tasting before you add any more. My husband doesn’t like things to be lemony so i held back but i think the more the merrier with this - a bit of lemon zest in there would also be good.
The feta cheese is quite salty so I’d season the dressing, toss it all together and then give it another taste to see if you think it needs more salt.
The Lamb
Yes there are anchovies and no it won’t be fishy - I PROMISE! The anchovies help to bring out the flavour of the lamb and there won’t be any fishiness left.
We have gone for a slow cook here because it’s so much easier than worrying about timings for pink lamb. By slow cooking the lamb you’ll be left with tender, juicy lamb that will fall off the bone and can be left in the oven on low until you’re ready to eat it.
It’s best to marinate this the day before you want to eat it, or even two days before will be just fine. I’ve made the marinade in a little copper but you could also make it in a blender or just chop up all the ingredients as much as you can and mix it all together. It doesn’t need to be neat, just small.
Yes, lamb can be expensive but there are usually really good deals in the Spring and as it’s quite a rich meat you don’t need huge portions. If you have leftovers, they’re great gently pan-fried with some middle-eastern spices and served on flatbreads or turned into a decadent shepherd’s pie.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6 (or less with delicious leftovers)
Time: Quite a while but it’s mostly waiting for the lamb and having a nice time relaxing while that’s happening.
For the lamb:
1 bone-in shoulder of lamb (roughly 1.7kg)
Half a tube of anchovy paste or about 5 anchovies finely chopped
100g butter, softened
1 bulb of garlic, peeled
2 tsp salt
30g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
150ml Chicken or veg stock
For the peas:
500g peas or petite pois
20g Mint leaves, finely chopped
20g Dill, roughly torn from the stems.
200g feta cheese
150g pea shoots or if you can’t get them something like watercress is good
Juice of 1 lemon
50ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
For the herby potatoes:
1kg Waxy new potatoes
3tbs butter
Roughly 2 tsp sea salt
60g of leafy herbs finely chopped (I used a mixture of parsley, dill, chives and mint)
For the affogato:
150ml Wild-Abor clear cream liquor
6 scoops of vanilla or chocolate icecream
Six double espressos (about 360-400 ml hot strong coffee)
METHOD
The Night Before…
It’s best to season the lamb the night before. This helps give the meat a good flavour and it’s also one job you can tick off and forget about - then in the morning, it’s in the oven to slow roast! To make the marinade, blend together all of the ingredients except the lamb into a buttery paste. If it’s too thick add a little oil so you have a nice spreadable consistency. If you don’t have a chopper or blender see the notes section for some tips (hint - just chop chop chop).
Use a small sharp knife to poke holes all over the lamb. If you’re a garlic girl then you can also slot some slithers of garlic into some of the holes. Then cover the lamb with the marinade covering every inch and try to get some of it into the holes if you can. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
On the day:
In the morning (about five or six hours before you want to eat) preheat the oven to 150C/300F and transfer the lamb to a high sided baking tray along with about 150ml chicken or veg stock. Tightly cover the tray with foil and put it in the oven for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, remove the foil so it can brown, baste the meat and then it goes back in the oven for another 2hrs basting halfway through. When it’s done you’ll be able to easily pull the bones out and shred it with two forks. To serve spoon some of the juices over the meat and you’re good to go. As it’s cooked for so long it doesn’t need to rest, but if you’re not ready to eat you can simply baste it, turn off the oven and leave it un there until you’re ready.
While the lamb is cooking you can prep the peas as they’re served cold. Start by balancing the peas which is just a fancy way of saying cook then cool! Boil them for about 90 seconds in hot salted water then drain and immediately put in iced cold water to stop them cooking and more and keep that nice fresh flavour.In a large bowl (that gives you enough room to mix properly) add the peas along with most of the herbs and feta. Keep a bit to the side to garnish if you’re feeling fancy.
In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and a really generous grind of black pepper. Give it a taste and add more lemon juice or zest if you feel it needs it. Stir the dressing through the peas and also the leaves if you’re ready to serve. Otherwise, keep the leaves to one side until you’re ready to go.
To make the potatoes, cut any large ones so they’re all roughly the same size and put them all in a large pot with cold water. Bring the water up to a boil, salt generously and cook for 15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when you poke in a sharp knife and it feels soft.
Drain the potatoes and then return to the pan with the butter, sea salt and chopped herbs. You can pop the lid back on and leave them until you’re ready to serve (potatoes stay nice and hot so you have a little time here to get everyone up to the table).
To make the affogato
1. Scoop the gelato or ice cream into a serving bowl, glass, or coffee cup.
2. Stir together the hot espresso and Wild-Arbor and pour the mixture over the gelato and derve immediately as the ice cream starts melting.