Wondering what to cook for Easter Monday lunch? Why not try out a lovely traditional roast lamb dish?

This meal makes the most of mint jelly from Ballymaloe to create the perfect springtime meal. 

Eating lamb on Easter dates back to the time of the Jewish Passover, when a lamb was sacrificed and eaten to commemorate the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. In Christian tradition, the lamb represents the sacrifice of Jesus, who was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

Lamb is also a popular choice for Easter because it is a seasonal meat, with the best quality lamb being available in the spring. The young age of the lamb ensures that the meat is tender and succulent, making it perfect for a celebratory meal.

Lamb noisettes recipe with Ballymaloe Mint Jelly

Ingredients

Allow per serving:

  • Fresh white bread
  • Butter and olive oil for frying
  • 1—2 noisettes or boned loin roast of lamb
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 heaping tsp spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp roux
  • 1 tsp Ballymaloe Mint Jelly

Method

Cut round croûtons of bread, about the same thickness as the lamb noisettes. Fry them in a bit of butter and oil, until golden brown. Keep warm while you cook the noisettes.

Melt a little more butter and oil in a pan, season the noisettes with salt and pepper then fry for 3 to 4 mins on each side until cooked. Remove from the pan.

To make the sauce, toss the spring onions into the pan sweat for a few minutes, add the wine and stock, and boil to deglaze the pan. Thicken very slightly with a little roux then stir in a tiny knob of butter and the Ballymaloe Mint Jelly.

Arrange each noisette on a croûton. Then spoon a little of the sauce over and serve immediately.

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