Easter
Easter with Corney & Barrow
Eastertime is a great excuse to enjoy some delicious spring recipes with family and friends, all accompanied by stand-out wines (not forgetting some chocolate too!). Whether you're a seasoned chef or looking to experiment in the kitchen, below you can find some fabulous Easter recipes from our friends, Gatherers Catering, each accompanied by wine recommendations from us. To discover more from the Gatherers team, follow them on Instagram @gatherers.
If you fancy creating your own dish, have a read of our recent blog, 'Wine Pairings for those Difficult-to-Match Ingredients' which details a whole host of herbs and spices along with a few other staple spring ingredients that are notoriously tricky to match with great wines — a guide of what you should have in your glass (water is never the answer) and recommendations.
In the meantime, if you are simply seeking some fresh inspiration on what to drink during the Easter period, you can find our full Easter Wine listed here.
MEAT/LAMB
Perfect selection for your Easter lunch
If you're enjoying a traditional leg of lamb this Easter, a glass of red wine wash it down nicely...
Fancy trying something more unusual? The B-Qa de Marsyas Rouge is a blend from Lebanon's Bekka Valley and is brimming with bright red fruit, leather spice and chocolate nuances, all framed by supple tannins.
If your lamb has mediterranean-styled side dishes, why not plump for a bottle of Breccario Ciliegiolo from Leonardi Bussoletti, which exudes, lively red cherry fruit laced with sweet spices? To complement lamb coated with herbs and spices, Elephant Hill's Pinot Noir is a tremendous pick — sumptuously soft with a dense berry core of fruit intermingled with bay leaf and floral notes.
Finally, if you are looking for a bottle that is sure to be enjoyed by everyone at the table, you can't go wrong with our very own Company Reserve Claret. Rich rasberry and blackcurrant with a touch of decadence that is moreishly smooth and textured.
To see Gatherers Catering in action, watch the video here as Clive and Justin join us from the C&B Kitchen to show you how to prepare the ultimate herb-crusted lamb rack and what wine to drink alongside it.
FISH
Excellent pairing for Good Friday and beyond
Our Easter selection includes a whole host of fish-friendly wines, from the opulent yet zingy Muscadet Sévre et Maine Cru Monnieres to the refreshing English Sparkling Breaky Bottom Cuvée Grace Nichols.
Pair this tasty fillet of gurnard with mussel butter recipe with a bottle or two of Păsări Pinot Grigio with its fresh and zesty grapefruit and peach medley.
Alternatively, Intipalka Chardonnay is a Peruvian gem brimming with creamy, tropical fruit and textured salinity.
VEGETARIAN
Delicious wines to share for your vegetarian dinner
Whether you're a seasoned vegetarian or not, this Wild Garlic & Ricotta Gnocchi is deliciously rich and moreish! If serving this dish with seasoned double cream, a cool glass of Cap au Sud Chardonnay is the perfect accompaniment. Made by François Carillon of Puligny Montrachet fame, this Southern French iteration is bursting with tropical fruit flavours and richer oak characteristics akin to Burgundian élevage.
If you prefer to tuck into your gnocchi with tomato sauce, pair it with Cecilia Beretta’s Valpolicella Superiore Mizzole. A fresh and delicate red displaying oodles of wild cherries and toasty notes, providing a delicious transition into spring!
DESSERTS / CHOCOLATE
You will fall for our tantalising dessert wines!
Of course, it wouldn't be Easter without chocolate and other sweet treats! Our wine selection has a handful of dessert wines included for this reason (pssst, our C&B Tawny Port and Sauternes are egg-cellent choices to accompany chocolate eggs!).
If you are looking to whip up Helen's Chocolate and Easter-spiced Ricotta Tart (made by our lovely colleague and talented baker Helen!), then you will need a drop of Saint Albert Pacherenc du Vic Bilh from southern France. This is sunshine in a bottle, boasting marmalade-coated tropical fruits with a swirl of caramel that is all lifted by refreshing citric acidity.
If you fancy something a little more decadent, enjoy a glass of Vignamaggio’s Vinsanto with a slice of this tart instead. It oozes sweetly spiced caramel with orange peel and barley sugar — a tremendous Easter treat!
RECIPES
LAMB
There is nothing more perfect than Lamb at Easter and this recipe from our friends – The Gatherers, is a perfect dish for a family get-together or with friends.
Click here to watch the recipe.
WILD GARLIC & RICOTTA GNOCCHI
This is a delicious vegetarian Wild Garlic & Ricotta Gnocchi, the flavours will wow vegetarian and meat-eaters alike.
FILLET OF GURNARD WITH MUSSEL BUTTER
This is a luxurious fish recipe that can be great as a starter or a main course, if you want something different from Lamb.
CHOCOLATE AND EASTER-SPICED RICOTTA TART
Our Chocolate and Easter-spiced ricotta tart recipe comes from our wonderful colleague and talented baker – Helen White who spoils us with her amazing baked goods every Monday morning.
MEXICAN OXTAIL
Looking for a serious alternative to the traditional Easter fare? Look no further than this rich and meaty Mexican that will dish will light up any dinner table and is a great for sharing.
TROUT AND CRÈME FRAÎCHE
This is a great dish for any fish lover – perfect with trout, sea trout or salmon. This recipe pairs very well with Champagne, English Sparkling as well any Chardonnay (oaked/un-oaked).
PROVENÇAL AUBERGINES WITH TOMATO
Régine Sumeire was one of the first women winemakers in Provence and an early pioneer of its infamous pale, ethereal style of rosé.
As well as being instrumental in propelling Provence rosé towards its status as a cult classic, Régine is a fantastic cook.
In her spare time, she has written two recipe books and here has paired a simple Mediterranean staple with her Pétale de Rose.