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Easter is a time of year that invites us to slow down and gather around the table. The days are getting longer, the first spring produce is arriving, and there’s a sense of renewal in the air. For many of us, it’s also the perfect excuse to invite friends and family over for a relaxed lunch or an early evening meal.
Hosting doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special. With the right kitchen tools and a thoughtfully set table, you can create something memorable without spending the whole day in the kitchen. This year, I’ve been focusing on effortless Easter entertaining: cooking a dish that feels celebratory yet is easy to prepare, and pairing it with a table setting that’s perfect for this time of year.
The result? A pesto-crusted rack of lamb with roasted spring vegetables: a dish that looks fancy, feels vibrant and celebrates seasonal produce, while also giving me time to spend with my guests.
Keeping Easter cooking simple
When you’re hosting, it’s all too easy to spend too much time worrying about what’s going on in the kitchen and not enough time with your guests. Having reliable appliances can make all the difference when you’re preparing a meal for several people.
Air fryers have become one of my favourite tools for this kind of cooking. They’re quick, they’re consistent, and the Ninja CRISPi Air Fryer has the added bonus of portability, interchangeable dishes, the ability to store leftovers directly in said dishes (they even include lids!) and visibility of your food as it cooks.
For this Easter menu, I cooked my lamb first, preparing the veg in advance and transferring it to the same air fryer container as the lamb rested, saving washing up, too.
The effortless Easter table
Of course, Easter hosting isn’t just about the food. The table itself sets the tone for the whole meal.
A beautifully arranged table doesn’t need to be elaborate. A few thoughtful touches – like placemats and table linen that evoke the season, alongside simple tableware, can transform an everyday meal into something special.
A good dinner set creates a clean canvas for the food. For this meal, the rich, green stoneware glaze of the Green Saintes dinner set complements the fresh colours of the seasonal ingredients, while its minimalist design allows the food to take centre stage. Durable and dishwasher and microwave-safe, it’s perfect for hosting. It’s surprising how these small details can help create the feeling of a carefully considered table with minimal effort.
Recipe: Pesto-crusted rack of lamb with roasted spring vegetables
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the lamb:
1 rack of lamb, trimmed (mine was around 650g raw weight)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Half a jar of green pesto
50g panko breadcrumbs
½ tbsp olive oil (or slightly more, depending on how “liquid” your pesto is)
For the vegetables:
1 large courgette, halved lengthways and sliced into 1cm semicircles
1 pack of asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
175g frozen peas
2 tbsp olive oil
100g feta
Small handful of fresh mint, chopped
Method:
Combine the green pesto with the panko breadcrumbs and ½ tbsp olive oil (more if needed) and set aside. This will be the crust for your lamb.
Brush both sides of the lamb rack with the Dijon mustard. Press the pesto mixture into the mustard, creating a crust for the lamb, leaving the bones visible.
Insert the crisper plate into the large dish of your Ninja CRISPi. Assemble the air fryer, and preheat at 180°C for five minutes.
Once preheated, carefully place the lamb rack in the air fryer dish, bones facing upwards, and set to roast at 180°C for 30 minutes. (Note: timings may vary depending on the size of your lamb rack: a small rack will need less cooking time)
When the lamb is cooked, remove it from the CRISPi and set it aside on a board to rest. While it rests, combine the courgette, asparagus and peas with the remaining olive oil, transfer to the dish that you used to cook the lamb, and set the CRISPi to air fry for 10 minutes, giving the veg a good stir halfway through.
When cooked, combine the veg with the crumbled feta and chopped mint. Slice your lamb and serve it with the vegetables. Add potatoes for a heartier meal.
Creating Easter memories at home
Easter entertaining doesn’t need to be complicated to feel special. By choosing simple yet impressive seasonal dishes and reliable kitchen tools, you can focus on what matters the most: enjoying time with the people around you. With thoughtful touches both in the kitchen and at your table, you can create an atmosphere that feels welcoming, warm and effortlessly memorable.
