At last, a reason to celebrate: Easter is just a week away, and spring buds and blossom are all around. Goodbye winter, hello spring and a fresh cycle of life. Over the holiday, I intend to see friends and family, and not be hidden away in the kitchen the whole time, so I’ll be cooking simple but fun food. For Easter Sunday, I’m planning a light take on cassoulet, using neck of lamb instead of more traditional meats, and at a fraction of the cost, but still with that fantastically rich flavour. I’ll lighten the dish with some small spring onions, radishes and carrots, and give it a kick with a gutsy salsa verde made from wild garlic and watercress, both of which are in full season. As for pudding, I’m not looking much beyond a classic chocolate mousse with a scrunch of sea salt and a sprinkling of honeycomb.
Spring cassoulet with neck of lamb, borlotti beans, radish and watercress
At this time of year, lamb is tender and mild-tasting, so if you prefer something with more oomph, ask your butcher for hogget or mutton instead. Serves six.
1 whole head garlic (or 1 large bunch wild garlic leaves)
200g dried borlotti (or flageolet) beans, ideally soaked overnight in cold water
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
600g neck of lamb
3 medium carrots
25g butter
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
300g radishes, topped, tailed and halved
2 bunches spring onions, topped, tailed, trimmed and cut in three lengthways
3 bay leaves
2 large sprigs rosemary
500ml stock
500ml white wine
For the salsa verde
1 large bunch watercress, large stems removed and discarded
1 handful wild garlic leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
1 large handful mint leaves
2 baby shallots, peeled and quartered
1 large clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
Heat the oven to 160C/320F/gas mark 2½. Bash the head of garlic once with a rolling pin, to separate the cloves, then peel them. Put the beans in a pan and add enough cold water to come a finger’s length above the top of the beans. Add the bicarb and half the garlic (if you can get wild garlic, use half a bunch instead of the garlic cloves). Bring to a boil, then leave to simmer gently for 60-90 minutes, until the beans are very soft.
Meanwhile, cut the lamb into five or six pieces and season all over. Peel the carrots and cut them into bite-sized chunks roughly the same size as the radishes.
Heat a heavy casserole on a high flame, then add the butter and oil. When the fat is sizzling, add the lamb pieces and brown on all sides for a few minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate, tip the radishes, spring onions, carrots and the rest of the garlic into the pot, and saute for six to eight minutes, to colour. Add the herbs, browned lamb, stock and wine, bring to a simmer, then half-cover and transfer to the oven to cook for two hours, turning the meat once halfway through.
Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Blitz all the ingredients bar the oil, in a food processor, then slowly stir in the oil until you have a loose-ish and vividly green sauce. Season to taste and put in a bowl.
Serve the lamb in shallow bowls with new potatoes or mash, and top with a dollop of salsa verde.
Chocolate mousse with honeycomb
To give this rich pudding an even more grown-up edge, add a tablespoon or two of dark rum, brandy or mescal to the beaten egg yolks. Serves four to six.
200g 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate, broken into pieces
Sea salt
5 eggs, separated
250ml double cream
50g caster sugar
For the honeycomb
200g caster sugar
5 tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp baking soda
Put the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water), stir with a wooden spoon until melted and glossy, then season with a few pinches of salt. Put the egg whites in a large, squeaky-clean bowl, and whisk to stiff peaks.
In another bowl, whisk 100ml of the cream until it’s just thickening: if you whip it too much, it will make the mousse turn grainy, so you want to take the cream to the point where it just slides off a spoon in dollops.
In a third bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture doubles in volume. Whisk in the chocolate, then gently fold in the thickened cream with a large metal spoon. Fold in a third of the egg whites, then fold the lot back into the remaining egg whites, taking care not to beat out too much air. Spoon the mousse into four to six ramekins or one large glass bowl, then refrigerate for a few hours, to set.
To make the honeycomb, oil and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Put the sugar and syrup in a deep saucepan and, over a low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and simmer until the mix turns a pale golden amber, then take off heat and whisk in the bicarbonate of soda (it will foam and fizz on contact, so take care). Pour out the mixture on to the prepared baking sheet and leave to set.
Serve the mousse with the rest of the cream softly whipped and chunks of honeycomb scattered on top.
