Easter Menu from Original Irish Hotels

Starters by Knockranny House Hotel

Method:

Heat the oil in a thick based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, potatoes, thyme and fry for 3 - 4 minutes until softened without colour. Add the garlic and the wild garlic leaves.

Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cream and use a hand blender to liquidise the soup.

Season to taste and serve in a warm bowl.

Main Course by Beech Hill Country House

For the lambFor the Roast Potatoes.

Side of Lamb6 Carrots
2 large onion
½ bunch of celery
2 bay leaf
2 clove garlic
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
½ bottle red wine
Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Use a very hot pan with a little vegetable oil, make sure the lamb is seasoned heavy (you can put slight indentations on the skin for better effect), get a strong sear on all skin of the lamb.

2. Prepare carrot, onion, celery and garlic, these will be the base vegetables for the jus.

3. Next find a strong oven dish, you can layer the vegetables on the bottom, along with the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.

4. Next cover the vegetables with the lamb on top and pour over the red wine.

5. This should be wrapped in foil and cooked out slow on 165c for roughly 4 hours depending on size, cook lamb to 60c, remove from oven and let it rest until it reached 65c

6. Use the rest of the vegetables and lamb stock to make your jus, its best to reduce the rest in a small pot to get the strongest flavour, when its reached the best flavour strain out the left over vegetables, it can be thickened with a roux or cornflour. (add extra lamb stock and soy sauce for extra flavour)

For Roast Potato:

Peel and wash the potatoes, ½ cook them in boiling salted water. Have your oven hot at 190c and add the veg oil, crushed garlic and rosemary. Have the oil hot before adding the part cooked potato. Add a generous amount of sea salt and cracked pepper, cook until crisp and fluffy, turning occasionally.

Dessert by Ballynahinch Castle Hotel

Directions:

1.- For the sponges, preheat the oven 160 degrees, fan speed 3. Mix all the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. Combine together.

2.- Pour into two cake moulds (24mm diameter) lined up with parchment paper.

3.- Bake for 30 minutes. Cool down on a cake rack. Once cool slice the sponge into three parts each.

4.- For the frosting, whisk the butter and the cream cheese until combined. Add the sieved icing sugar in two steps.

5.- Start by putting a sponge on the button on a cake stand, frost the top and put another layer of sponge. Follow that process until having used the 6 layers. Glaze the top and sides of the cake with the leftover frosting and smooth the surface down with the help of a palette knife.