Easter entertaining

We can’t believe that Easter is here already. It doesn’t seem a moment since we were getting excited about Christmas and the Chinese New Year! But it does give us a great excuse (not that we need one) to plan a beautiful table setting for a scrumptious family feast.

First, the basics. At Shimu, you’ll find a great range of dining tables and chairs online, from black lacquer to rustic elm to quirky antique. We also have some show-stopping sideboards, which are great for giving a dining room the wow factor. Pictured below is our Ming dining table and chairs, decorated to great effect with a minimalist arrangement of white hydrangeas and anemones in a  simple fishbowl.

Whether your style is minimalist, boho, chic or rustic, set the right tone for your Easter gathering with an unforgettable, easy-to-make tablescape. If the weather’s good, why not take your dining table and chairs outside and dine alfresco? In the table setting below, florals are combined with citrus accents to create an elegant Easter tablescape that harks to spring.

If the weather’s not up to it (and let’s face it, alfresco dining seems unlikely), bring the outside in with beautiful spring flowers to add colour to your table (see left). For a theme harking back to the winter months, try the simple yet dramatic tablescape pictured right.

 Fill a tall clear glass vase with manzanita branches for a dramatic statement. Decorate with blue eggs and accessories to make impact against the stark white tableware.

 For a more eccentric arrangement, we love this setting of pears in delicate floral glass teacups. The green shade of the pears contrasts beautifully with the duck egg garland, and the gently illuminated bunny adds a quirky finishing touch.

Once the table is set, all that’s left to consider is the meal. We think there’s nothing better than delicious spring lamb, and we’ve found this foolproof recipe by Delia Smith to make things easy for you. Enjoy this mouthwatering recipe for spring lamb cooked in butter and herbs, with redcurrant, orange and mint sauce.

 Happy Easter everyone!

Delicious Spring Lamb

Ingredients
1 leg of lamb, weighing about 4 lb 8 oz (2 kg)
1½ oz (40 g) butter, at room temperature
2 level tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 level tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
1 level teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 level teaspoon salt
freshly milled black pepper
For the gravy
1 level dessertspoon plain flour
3 fl oz (75 ml) dry white or red wine
10 fl oz (275 ml) vegetable stock
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons authentic redcurrant jelly (one with a high fruit content), eg Tiptree
zest 1 orange (use a zester)
1½ level tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Method

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C). Begin by chopping all the herbs as per the instructions given in the ingredients list, then mix the butter, herbs and garlic together, adding a level teaspoon of salt and some freshly milled black pepper.

Now stab the joint in several places with a skewer, and rub the herb butter all over the upper side – this will allow the butter to run into the joint during cooking.

Next, wrap the joint loosely in foil, allowing a bit of space to let air circulate, then fold the edges and seal well. Now place it in a large roasting tin and cook for 2 hours on the centre shelf of the pre-heated oven, then open out the foil and cook it for a further 30 minutes, so that it browns nicely.

With these cooking times the lamb will be slightly pink. If you like it well done, give it a little extra time in the foil before opening it out.

When it is ready, remove the joint to a warm serving dish and keep in a warm place while you make the gravy. Empty the juices from the foil into the roasting tin, then tilt the tin slightly.

You will see that the meat juices and fat will separate, so spoon off most of the fat into a bowl and discard, and leave the juices in the tin.

Now place the tin over a medium heat, and when the juices start to bubble, sprinkle in the flour and work it to a smooth paste, using a wooden spoon, then cook for a minute or so, to brown.

Now pour in the wine and let it bubble, then gradually add the stock by degrees, to make a thin gravy. Taste and add seasoning, if it needs it, then pour into a jug.

Place the redcurrant jelly in a small basin, break it up with a fork, then mix in the orange zest and mint – and that’s it. This must be one of the quickest sauces in the world, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Pour it in a jug and serve with the lamb and the gravy. Bon appetit!

For a more eccentric arrangement, we love this setting of pears in delicate floral glass teacups. The green shade of the pears contrasts beautifully with the duck egg garland, and the gently illuminated bunny adds a quirky finishing touch.