Easter promise

Potato gratins with garlic and red Leicester

1 hour
Easy

The red Leicester gives these a sharp flavour and brilliant orange colour.

Butter for the ramekins
Maris piper or King Edward potatoes 5 large, about 1.2kg, cut into 2 cm chunks
Garlic 1 clove, chopped
Onion 1, chopped
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Crème fraîche 150m
l Milk 125ml
Red Leicester 200g, grated
Parmesan 30g, grated

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter 6 ramekins or 1 large baking dish.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender, drain. Fry the garlic and onion in a little olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
• Mix the crème fraîche and milk together in a large bowl then stir in the potatoes, onion mix and both cheeses. Pour into the ramekins or baking dish and cook in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden and bubbling. Leave for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6

Spring vegetables with tarragon butter (pictured above)

10 minutes
Easy

To make this dish in advance without losing the bright green colour, cool the veg in iced water after cooking, then drain. Just before serving, reheat with the butter.

Green beans 100g, trimmed
Sugar snap peas 100g
Peas 50g, fresh or frozen
Butter 25g
Tarragon a small bunch, chopped

• Steam the vegetables or blanch in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and mix with the butter and tarragon and season well before serving. Serves 4

Limoncello syllabub with crushed amaretti

20 minutes
Easy

It's very important not to over-whip the cream so whisk it until it's just starting to thicken then add the lemon mixture. Once you've whisked it again it will be at the perfect consistency.

Lemons 2, zested and juiced
Limoncello 75ml
Double cream 300ml
Caster sugar 100g
Amaretti biscuits 12

• Mix the lemon juice, most of the zest and the limoncello together. Pour the cream into a large bowl and softly whip with the sugar. Drizzle in the lemon mixture and whisk until incorporated. Divide between 6 small glasses and refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before serving, put 6 biscuits in a plastic bag. Crush with a rolling pin and sprinkle over each dessert with a little lemon zest. If you like, serve each with a biscuit. Makes 6

Blood orange Campari cocktails

10 minutes
Easy

The sweet orange juice balances the slightly bitter taste of Campari to make a refreshing aperitif.

Ice
Campari 180ml
Blood orange or orange juice 750ml
Soda water 750ml
Orange 1, for slicing and decorating glasses

• Fill 6 highball glasses with ice. Pour over the Campari, followed by the blood orange juice. Top up with the soda and serve decorated with the orange slices. Makes 6

Goat's cheese balls with chives and pink peppercorns

25 minutes
Easy

These are simple to make but look like you've gone to a lot of trouble. Cut the bread into circles with a small pastry cutter or just slice into squares.

Sourdough bread cut into 16 circles or squares
Extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
Soft goat's cheese log 200g
Chives 10g, finely chopped
Pink peppercorns 3 tbsp, lightly crushed

• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Drizzle the bread with the olive oil, season and bake for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove and cool.
• Cut the goat's cheese into 16 pieces and then roll into little balls. Roll 8 of them in the chives and the others in the pink peppercorns. Refrigerate the balls until serving then arrange on the toasts to serve. Makes 16

Brilliant wine match
The wines for this menu have a distinctly Italian air. Pair the watercress and orange salad with a delicate, not too citrussy Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2005 (£3.99, Sainsbury's). Follow on with the fresh and lively Waitrose Italian Organic Rosso 2005 (£4.99), which makes a crisp, crunchy fruit contrast to the rich roast. To finish, go for chilled glasses of Italy's favourite lighthearted sweet, grapey fizz, Asti Spumante (Araldica NV, £5.99 or £3.99 with three for two offer, Thresher).