An Easter spread

We present to our readers, a week before Easter Sunday, a couple of recipes they can prepare to celebrate the end of the Passion period and the happy occasion that is Easter.

We dubbed the rice dish as “paellita” because it is not actually the big Spanish fiesta dish, but a smaller version, using less ingredients, simpler technique and is individually plated. It is crowned with a red, olive-fried prawn. We use brown rice, as it has the texture of paella rice and is much healthier.

The second recipe is lamb chops marinated in mustard and honey, which you can find in our second cookbook. It is much easier to prepare, quicker to cook and as delicious as the traditional roast lamb. It is served on a bed of blanched spinach, for your vegetable portion. But if preferred, have this with a green salad with dressing of your choice.

The Recipes

Paellita

Ingredients

One half kilo brown rice

One half piece of chicken breast (ideal if you have left-over roast chicken. Otherwise, slightly season fresh meat with salt and pepper and stir-fry). Flake.

Four pieces medium size squid – clean, take the ink pouch away and cut into one centimeter pieces, crosswise. Slightly cook in olive oil.

50 grams crab meat (can be bought peeled in supermarkets)

50 gms small shrimps, peeled

Prawns (number depends how many are to be served), cook in olive oil.

One piece sweet ham, cut into small squares.

A pinch of saffron 

50 ml tomato sauce

Half a head of native garlic, crushed

Green peas for garnish

Procedure

Cook rice, set aside.

Sauté garlic until brown. Add shrimps, then ham, shrimps, chicken, crab meat, squid. Mix well. Add tomato sauce and saffron. Let simmer for a while.

Mix in the rice. Portion out a cup of rice on each plate and top each with a prawn.

Lamb marinated in honey and mustard

Ingredients

500 gms lamb chops

3-4 tbps prepared mustard

3-4 tbps honey

1 clove garlic, chopped

1-2 tsps fresh thyme

Olive oil

Ground pepper

Procedure

Marinate lamb chops in mixture of honey and mustard.

Let stand for about 2 hours.

When ready to serve, pan-fry chops until medium done.

Saute garlic and onion and pour over chops.

Serve at once with mint sauce.

E-mail comments and questions to [email protected]