Easter: Recipes using April ingredients

At this time of year we begin to see all the lovely new spring ingredients appearing, bright green watercress, peas, salad onions and spinach contrasted against the deep pink of rhubarb, all little harbingers of mild weather to come.

Use the recipes in this section to keep your Easter cooking at its absolute best.

A Very Easy One-crust Rhubarb Pie

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and f...

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and fluted. It looks very attractive because you can see the f...

35 minutes

to cook

American Chef's Salad

A chef's salad is so named because it is supposed to be an innovative way of using whatever you happen to h...

A chef's salad is so named because it is supposed to be an innovative way of using whatever you happen to have handy to create a main-course salad. Ham, salami, chi...

Chinese Stir-fried Chicken

If you can't get purple sprouting broccoli this recipe can be made with broccoli. The Delia Online Cooke...

If you can't get purple sprouting broccoli this recipe can be made with broccoli. The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to make this recipe, just click on the ...

Chinese Stir-fried Prawns

Purple sprouting broccoli, like runner beans, is such a joy to eat just as it is, so it's good to make the ...

Purple sprouting broccoli, like runner beans, is such a joy to eat just as it is, so it's good to make the most of its short season in the garden by serving it often. ...

Cold Poached Egg Salad with Watercress Sauce

This is a kind of variation on the egg mayonnaise theme, but I think extremely attractive and even more del...

This is a kind of variation on the egg mayonnaise theme, but I think extremely attractive and even more delicious.

Vegetarian

Four Star Salad

This salad is a meal in itself. The stars in question here are avocado, French garlic sausage, mushroom ...

This salad is a meal in itself. The stars in question here are avocado, French garlic sausage, mushroom and lettuce, with a lovely, garlicky, soured cream dressing.

Fresh Crab Salad

This is a very good recipe for using those small, ready-dressed crabs that are sold in the half-shell. T...

This is a very good recipe for using those small, ready-dressed crabs that are sold in the half-shell. The tartness of capers, gherkins and lime cut through the ric...

Fresh Shelled Pea Soup

This soup is a lovely dark green colour and has all the wonderful ingredients and flavours of peas à la Fra...

This soup is a lovely dark green colour and has all the wonderful ingredients and flavours of peas à la Française – peas, spring onions, lettuce and bacon – blended in...

10 minutes - 15 minutes

to cook

A picture of Delia's Fried Plaice Fillets with a Herb and Polenta Crust recipe

Fried Plaice Fillets with a Herb Crust

A good way to avoid making breadcrumbs, and therefore save time, is to keep a packet of polenta (cornmeal) ...

A good way to avoid making breadcrumbs, and therefore save time, is to keep a packet of polenta (cornmeal) in the cupboard. It makes an excellent coating for all ty...

4 minutes - 6 minutes

to cook

Kedgeree with Kippers

I admit that, having tried kedgeree on several occasions with brown rice, I have now come to the conclusion...

I admit that, having tried kedgeree on several occasions with brown rice, I have now come to the conclusion that it is always better made with white rice (which also h...

Orecchiette with Sprouting Broccoli

Orecchiette in Italian means ‘little ears’ and while they are a very special pasta shape, which catches the...

Orecchiette in Italian means ‘little ears’ and while they are a very special pasta shape, which catches the sauce perfectly, they are not always available, so any othe...

Vegetarian

Orange and Rhubarb Meringue Pie

The flavour of orange zest does something quite magical to the flavour of rhubarb, and this light, fluffy m...

The flavour of orange zest does something quite magical to the flavour of rhubarb, and this light, fluffy meringue pie is a perfect dessert for late spring. ‘Pile-i...

45 minutes - 50 minutes

to cook

Poached Quails' Egg Salad

This may sound more difficult than it is but it’s actually blissfully simple and can all be made well in ad...

This may sound more difficult than it is but it’s actually blissfully simple and can all be made well in advance.

Vegetarian

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Chilli

This is something a little different to ring the changes whilst we have an abundance of sprouting broccoli....

This is something a little different to ring the changes whilst we have an abundance of sprouting broccoli. I think it goes very well with most oriental dishes or j...

5 minutes - 6 minutes

to cook

Vegetarian

A picture of Delia's Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream recipe

Rhubarb Ice Cream

It has to be said that while we were filming ice creams for The Summer Collection television series, the te...

It has to be said that while we were filming ice creams for The Summer Collection television series, the team tasted them all (with not a spoonful left over!) and vote...

Rhubarb and Ginger Brulee

Rhubarb and ginger has to be a marriage made in heaven. Combine them with a wonderful cream and Greek yo...

Rhubarb and ginger has to be a marriage made in heaven. Combine them with a wonderful cream and Greek yoghurt brûlée topped with loads of brown sugar and it really ...

38 minutes - 43 minutes

to cook

Rhubarb and Orange Muffins

There were a few sceptics when, in my muffin madness, I suggested we try rhubarb. But if you chop it sma...

There were a few sceptics when, in my muffin madness, I suggested we try rhubarb. But if you chop it small it does what other fruits do, and releases its juicy frag...

25 minutes - 30 minutes

to cook

Rosti Crab Cakes

As a great lover of any type of fish cake I have always adored American crab cakes, but somehow the small E...

As a great lover of any type of fish cake I have always adored American crab cakes, but somehow the small English crabs seem too rich for them. After some serious t...

6 minutes

to cook

Vegetarian

A picture of Delia's Salmon Steaks with Avocado and Creme Fraiche Sauce recipe

Salmon Steaks with Creme Fraiche Sauce

If you want to serve something really special for a summer dinner party that leaves you utterly free from a...

If you want to serve something really special for a summer dinner party that leaves you utterly free from any hassle, this cold salmon dish fits the bill perfectly. ...

Spinach Gnocchi with Four Cheeses

Once again it's the Italians who are so clever at inventing such simple things out of what seem to be fairl...

Once again it's the Italians who are so clever at inventing such simple things out of what seem to be fairly ordinary ingredients but then become something quite outst...

Vegetarian

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

This recipe is an absolute hit with everyone who eats it – even my husband, who professes not to like spina...

This recipe is an absolute hit with everyone who eats it – even my husband, who professes not to like spinach! The combination of the four cheeses is its secret, an...

50 minutes - 1 hour

to cook

Vegetarian

Spinach and Ricotta Souffles

Everything in this recipe can be made well in advance and then all that needs to happen is the egg whi...

Everything in this recipe can be made well in advance and then all that needs to happen is the egg whites get whisked and incorporated just before cooking. The...

25 minutes - 30 minutes

to cook

Vegetarian

Stir-fried Rice with Egg and Spring Onions

The golden rule of stir-frying rice successfully is to always make sure the cooked rice is absolutely cold....

The golden rule of stir-frying rice successfully is to always make sure the cooked rice is absolutely cold. In other words, you can't boil it and stir-fry straight ...

Vegetarian

Thai Crab Salad with Mango

This is a low-fat variation of Thai Grilled-beef Salad with Grapes. In Thailand they serve it with pomel...

This is a low-fat variation of Thai Grilled-beef Salad with Grapes. In Thailand they serve it with pomelo, which is very similar to grapefruit. When they’re no...