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Easter and spring gatherings are just around the corner – a time of year when for us, the rhythm of cooking becomes part of the day itself.
For this Easter, we turn to Emily Scott – chef, author and storyteller – whose approach to food feels entirely at home within our world. Her latest book, Home Shores, is a celebration of the sea and fresh fish, and she has written several other cookbooks with delicious seasonal recipes inspired by her vibrant life by the coast.
Emily’s recipes feel made for this moment: simple, generous dishes designed to be shared slowly.
Here, she shares three recipes for Easter entertaining.
Roasted Asparagus with hazelnuts, garlic, marjoram and sourdough crumbs
One of my favourite ways to cook these gorgeous green spears, gently roasted on good olive oil, sea salt and
black pepper and simply served with a delicious nutty, herby sourdough crumb.
Ingredients
100ml good olive oil
50g hazelnuts, skin on
600g asparagus
150g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
1 bunch fresh Marjoram or oregano
2 cloves garlic
Cornish sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 Lemon & juice
edible flowers – borage, violas, primroses
Method
Preheat the oven 180’C
Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 6-8 minutes, in the middle of the oven or until lightly
roasted.
Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. Rub the hazelnuts in
the towel to remove skins (don’t worry about skins that don’t come off that adds texture and colour) and
allow them to cool. Crush roughly with a pestle and mortar or the end of a rolling pin.
Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, marjoram, garlic, sea salt
and cook for 4–5 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside.
Prepare the asparagus. Wash and trim off the hard ends from the asparagus, then arrange the spears on a
baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Drizzle with good olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until the spears are lightly browned and tender.
Place on a large serving platter, and sprinkle over the crushed hazelnuts, sourdough crumbs, lemon rind and extra marjoram and edible flowers.
Place the lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining oil in a small bowl, whisk to combine and drizzle over the
asparagus to serve.
Serves 4-6
Cook’s note – Warm 100ml creme fraiche and gently stir in 50g parmesan, spoon onto plates and sit the
roasted asparagus on top.
Butterfly leg of lamb roasted over coals with lemon, garlic and thyme
A wonderful way to cook lamb in the oven or over coals. Splitting the joint effectively into a butterfly shape
allows it to cook more quickly and evenly (the butcher can prepare the joint for you) This is such a zesty
marinade and with a tzatziki in the summer or damson and plum jam in the colder months. Marinade ideally
overnight.
Ingredients
2kg – 2.5kg leg of lamb (before butterflying)
3 lemons juice and zest
1 tbsp dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp runny honey
Good olive oil
2 small bunches thyme leaves (remove from stalks)
Tzatziki
1 small cucumber
2 cloves garlic
good olive oil
1 x 250g plain greek yoghurt
1 x 250g creme fraiche
1 small bunch dill
1 small bunch garden mint
1 lemon, juice
Method
Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the butterflied lamb into the bowl and rub the marinade all
over the meat. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or even better overnight.
Make the Tzatziki – skin and deseed the cucumber and grate it, place it in a sieve over a bowl and lightly salt
it and leave for 1 hour to remove the water, stir occasionally to help sieve the liquid out.
Crush the garlic, add the olive oil, creme fraiche, yoghurt and fold together. Pat the cucumber dry in a tea towel and mix with the other ingredients. Finely chop the dill and mint. Add a squeeze of lemon, sea salt and pepper. Taste.
To serve, drizzle with extra olive oil and more herbs.
Cook the lamb -Bring the lamb back to room temperature, season with sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper. Cook over hot coals for 45 minutes turning it as it cooks.
Transfer the lamb to a board and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with dollops of tzatziki, more lemon and green leaf salad.
Cook’s note – To cook the lamb in the oven preheat to 200’C and cook the lamb 15 minutes per 450g and
then 15 minutes over. Baste the meat every 15 minutes.
Seaside madeleines
I have tried to perfect these beautiful light sponges that I have had great affection for over the years. Hot
from the oven and brushed with jam, one is never enough. I have found that using upcycled scallop shells
works beautifully as madeleine moulds and sets the seaside scene perfectly.
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter
100g golden caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
100g plain flour
1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch cornish sea salt
1 lemon, zested
Melted butter, for greasing
3 tbsp rhubarb jam, to glaze (or any jam you love)
Scallop shells, washed, scrubbed and brushed with butter and dusted flour.
Method
Lightly butter the scallop shells and dust with flour.
Gently melt the butter in a pan. Allow to cool.
Sift the flour and baking powder and add the sugar, lemon zest and salt into a bowl. Beat the eggs lightly and whisk into the mixture followed by the melted butter. If the mix is a little thick add a splash of milk (you are looking
for a ribbon consistency) cover and chill the batter for at least one hour or preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C, once at temperature, ladle or spoon the batter into the buttered and floured
madeleine moulds or like me use scallop shells as moulds.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.
I love madeleines just brushed with jam and dusted with icing sugar, but of course dipping the end in melted chocolate is extraordinarily good or dip the warm sponges into Pedro Ximénez.
Cook’s note – If you have time it really is good if you can leave the batter to rest for at least an hour or if
you can get ahead overnight. Best eaten straight away and if there happens to be any left make great sponges
for tiramisu or trifle.
A huge thank you to Emily for sharing these delicious recipes – we hope they provide culinary inspiration ahead of your spring gatherings. Happy Easter from Sorbet Living x
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