Easter is coming up this weekend, and although you may not be able to get away to your favourite holiday destination, there's no reason that it still shouldn't be special. Local catering company Source Kitchen have kindly shared some delicious recipes that can help you have a great easter weekend. 

Source Kitchen works closely with its clients to create exceptional bespoke menus, carefully customised to the needs of each event. Whether it’s an intimate private dinner party, large family gathering, outdoor wedding or corporate function, they’ll create a menu that stuns and an event to remember. Showcasing top quality ingredients and the freshest local and seasonal produce. 

Source Kitchen is run out of Matakana by Matthew and Laura, two highly experienced chefs with a passion for creating a restaurant quality experience, no matter the location. They have access to local farms, orchards and oceans and work closely with hand-picked suppliers to bring your event to life. 

Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder 

Our signature lamb dish, this fall off the bone tender lamb dish is worth the wait!

Ingredients

2kg- Shoulder of Lamb 

1 bottle – White Wine 

300ml- Good Quality Chicken Stock 

20g – Fresh Thyme 

20g – Fresh Rosemary 

3pc – Bay leaves

1 bulb of garlic cut in half  

2 onions roughly chopped

2 carrots roughly chopped

1 stick of celery 

20g tomato paste 

Spice Mix 

10g- Coriander seeds 

10g- Yellow Mustard seeds 

10g -Fennel Seeds 

8g – Black Pepper Corns 

5g – Star Anise 

5g – Cloves 

50g- Sea Salt 

Method

Preheat fan oven to 115°C

Blitz all spice mix ingredients in blender and massage into the lamb. 

Heat oil in a large heavy based oven proof pot and sear the lamb all over. 

Remove the lamb and add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and rosemary to the pot. When the ingredients begin to soften, add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1-2 mins stirring constantly. Add the wine and reduce right down. 

Once the wine has reduced, place the lamb shoulder on top of the vegetables and then add enough chicken stock so the vegetables are covered, bring the stock up to a simmer.

Cover the pot with foil and the lid, and place in the oven for 5-6 hours. 

Remove pot from the oven and carefully remove the lamb from the pot.

Pass the cooking liquid through a sieve to remove the vegetables. 

Reduce this liquid until you have a tasty sauce. Enjoy!

Easter Crispy Tatties

This Easter weekend treat the family to our chef Matthew's crispy potatoes.

Ingredients

1.5kg – Agria Potato

45g – Table Salt

170ml – Pomace Olive Oil

Method

The day before:

First, peel the potatoes and cut each potato into equal sizes. Once portioned rinse the potatoes under cold running water for 8 minutes to wash away the starch.

Place 4 litres of cold tap water in a large saucepan with the potatoes and table salt. ‘You want the water to taste like the sea’. Place the pan over medium heat and simmer until the potatoes are just cooked. Don't let the water boil. (approximately 25–35 minutes).

Carefully remove the cooked potatoes and place them on a cooling rack to dry out. Then place the rack in the freezer for 1 hour. This process will remove all the moisture from the potatoes.

Remove potatoes from the freezer, place the potatoes in a large bowl and carefully coat them in oil. Place the coated potatoes onto a roasting tray and place in your fridge uncovered overnight.

On the day:

Preheat the oven on fan-bake to 200C. Put the potatoes into the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the potatoes and reduce to temperature to 180C continue to cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes or until crispy.

Once ready, remove from oven and season with flaky sea salt and pepper.

Salted Caramel Slice 

This weekend, we publish Chef Laura's recipe from Source Kitchen's most popular afternoon slice. A winner for all the family to enjoy. 

Biscuit base:

140g plain flour

40g desiccated coconut

120g butter (diced and softened)

90g brown sugar

Salted Caramel filling:

125g butter (diced)

2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk 

115g golden syrup

1 teaspoon of sea salt 

Chocolate layer:

270g dark chocolate (buttons or chopped, recommend Whittakers 72% Dark Ghana, do not use milk chocolate, you need the bitterness of dark chocolate to cut through the sweetness of the caramel!)

2 teaspoons rice bran oil

Method

For the base: 

Preheat oven to 165°C fan bake. Grease and line a square 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper (or as close to these measurements) 

Sift the flour and add brown sugar into a large mixing bowl, add coconut and softened butter, mix to combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the tin and level with the back of a large spoon. 

Bake for 12-15 mins or until it turns a light golden brown colour. 

For the caramel filling:

Place the butter, condensed milk, and golden syrup, in a medium saucepan over low heat. Be careful as the mixture can easily catch. Stir continually with rubber scraper making sure you scrape down the sides and bottom of the saucepan, it will take 15-20 mins for the mixture to thicken and become a caramel consistency, be patient it’s worth it

You may need to increase the heat slightly but keep stirring. Once you have achieved a thick glossy caramel add the sea salt and mix through. Pour the hot caramel over the biscuit base, spread with a palette knife to ensure the base is evenly covered. Cook at 160°C for 8–10 minutes or until a rich golden colour. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

For the chocolate layer:

Set up a double boiler by placing the chocolate pieces and oil in a metal mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until just melted. 

Continuously stir the chocolate in the bowl away from the heat for 3-5 min until cooled slightly. Pour the chocolate evenly over the caramel mixture, rotate the tin to ensure even coverage. Leave to cool at room temp. for at least 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator for a further hour to completely set. Using a warm dry knife, (dip the knife in hot water and dry with a paper towel in between cutting each piece) cut the slice into your desired size, I recommend 3cm X 3cm). Store single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, if it will last that long!!

For more information about Source Kitchen click here