Weekend food with Darina Allen

THERE’S something very special about Easter Sunday lunch, it feels like a celebration of spring. I’ve just got a beautiful leg of spring lamb from my butcher. A once-a-year treat — sweet, succulent and juicy.

Spring lambs are born before Christmas and are at their best at 3-4 months old, weighing 9-10kgs. Usually one needs to order ahead from your local butcher to be sure of some precious young lamb like this.

Spring lamb needs just a few flakes of sea salt rubbed into the skin before roasting. Spikes of garlic, sprigs of rosemary and spices like cumin or coriander which greatly enhance the flavour of the hogget we’ve been enjoying up to recently overpower the delicate young lamb.