Monday 5 April 2010

Easter Feastin

I have a major food and wine hangover today. I was so full last night when I went to bed that I couldn't sleep until something like three am, groaning with a gut like Chris Farley's.
We had a lovely day with lots of wine, an abandoned attempt at a game of Rummikub, because my stepmother Judy and I had had more wine than you should drink before learning the rules of a game.
I made Dad his simnel cake yesterday and I finished Drew's Bailey's cheesecake first thing in the morning, which left the rest of the morning and afternoon to concentrate on the rest of the food.
Because I like to actually spend time with the people I'm going to dine with AND I don't like to worry too much about sensitive timing, I chose dishes which required little effort and a lot of time in the oven, so that lunch could cook unattended, filling the house with wonderful smells while we hung out and drank the aforementioned glasses of wine.
I took a lot of inspiration from Delicious and Olive magazines this year and put a bit of a Mediterranean twist on a fairly traditional menu. None of the ingredients cost more than a few quid, because we're still po'. Even the pork roast was only like £10, weighing over 2 kilos (about 4 1/2 lbs).
We had:
A roast belly of Gloucester Old Spot pork stuffed with cous cous, feta and herbs.











Butter beans braised in tomatoes, anchovies and oregano.
Freshly baked sourdough bread (success! :-D) and a leafy green salad.














Some crushed new potatoes, roasted with garlic, fennel and rosemary.
And grilled courgettes.We rounded off the meal with a slice of simnel cake and some Baileys Cheesecake, which my husband is so possessive of, he actually dictated how big a slice everybody could have. I've promised he can have the remaining 8 slices all to himself. I expect them to last until tomorrow.

5 comments:

  1. I can't wait to try those potatoes, they look so delicious and I can just imagine the smell m m m. It is crazy how we over indulge at holidays and dinner parties. I always say I'm not going to do it this time, but then I do. You should get lots of points for the Baileys cheesecake. He is a lucky fella.

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  2. I think I DID get bonus points for the Bailey's cheesecake, but it's quite easy to make, as there's no baking involved. It's totally Drew's fave, so I'm sure I'll get plenty of love for the next few days.
    The potatoes are super easy too and as it turns out, brilliant cold the next say with left over salad:-)

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  3. Ooh, your husband is like Cauldron Boy-he dictates like that too. I'm glad you had a nice Easter, Emily. Are you going to post the cheesecake recipe by the way?

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  4. Hey Stella, Happy belated Easter to you!
    The cheesecake recipe is one I made for Valentines Day and found in the March edition of Olive Magazine. Here it is: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5048/baileys-cheesecake

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  5. How could you eat a Gloucester Old Spot??? You must be SICK! Pure, pure evil.

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