Easter 2022 will be celebrated on the 17th of April. You might know that the date of Easter changes each year, but do you know how the date is worked out? 

Easter takes place on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on, or just after, the spring equinox. Simple. Regardless of when it is or why you celebrate it, it’s all about an end to the darkness of winter and the new life and vitality that we start to see around us. Sounds like a good thing to celebrate.  

From classic British lamb to tender seafood, at Donald Russell we have a wide range of specially selected meal options to buy for home delivery. 

Easter is a wonderful time for family gatherings, get-togethers and parties. Let’s be honest – after the last couple of years, any excuse to meet up with loved ones is a good one. Whether it’s a formal dinner party or a few drinks and a film, there’s one thing that will make it stand out. Food. Here are our Chef’s suggestions of some must-haves on your buffet table: 

You can't go wrong with sausage rolls. Our award-winning Mini Sare packed with juicy pork, with Wiltshire ham and just the right amount of seasoning and onion. All wrapped by hand (every single one) in a crisp, buttery, golden pastry. Our premium take on a classic. One tip from us: make sure you get one before they all disappear.

More often found as part of a meal than a buffet, fish cakes are light, tasty and always go down well. Our Mini Fish Cakes are made with richly flavoured smoked haddock, leek, and creamy mature Cheddar cheese mixed with smooth potato, all coated by hand in golden breadcrumbs. Simply cook in the oven and serve. 

A DIY option from our Chef, Eddie. Take one of our award-winning Confit Duck Legs, shred the meat and mix with two tablespoons of hoisin sauce. Place a little into fresh bao buns with some coriander and thinly sliced red onion.  

Ash Wednesday is observed 46 days before Easter. In 2022, this will be on the 2nd of March. It marks the start of Lent, a time when people often choose to give up an enjoyable habit as a metaphorical sacrifice. As such, it’s traditionally a time to leave beef and chicken aside in favour of fish or seafood. 

For a tasty meal using our wild Scottish fish, try Wild Lemon Sole Fillets. Gently pan fry with some butter, lemon and parsley for a light meal that’s healthy and full of flavour. Serve it with our Yorkshire Petits Pois and our crispy signature Alpine Fries. 

If you want the work done for you, our Chef’s fully prepared Smoked Haddock & Orkney Cheddar en Croûte combines flavoursome smoked haddock with creamy Orkney Cheddar in a flaky, golden puff pastry case. Simply heat and serve with our Parisian Carrots and smooth Buttery Mashed Potato. 

Once again, fish is the order of the day for Good Friday as people have traditionally avoided eating meat for religious reasons. 

For a classic Scottish fish dish, try an Arbroath Smokie. Hot smoked haddock with a uniquely rich, deep flavour. Inside the coppery brown skin lies succulent, tender fish, ready to flake off the bone for you to enjoy. Smoked using a method which has remained largely unchanged since the Vikings brought it over, it’s a local tradition which has protected geographical indication meaning it has to come from Arbroath, in the east coast of Scotland. A delicious meal with some boiled potatoes and a crisp salad. 

Lamb is the top billing when it comes to Easter Sunday. At Donald Russell, all our lamb is grass-fed and specially selected from the finest British farms. This allows it to fully develop into the rich, deep flavour that makes it prized all over the world.

Try our Whole Lamb Shoulder. Fully prepared with the bone in by our expert Butchers, it’s best cooked low and slow to allow the generous marbling to melt away, leaving meat that’s flavoursome and supremely succulent.

If you would prefer a beef option, try our Chuck Eye Roast. Cut from just above the ribeye, it’s full of the same rich flavour at a much lower price. It’s heavy marbling keeps it deliciously juicy for a classic Sunday roast. You can order it in a smaller size to serve two or a larger size for up to five people. 

Depending on when Easter falls, it’s a seasonal time to enjoy lamb. Most of the time, however, the timing doesn’t quite work out. This means that most lamb you see at Easter time is imported from New Zealand. Our British lamb is frozen at the peak of perfection so you can enjoy it any time of year.

The idea of eating lamb at Easter probably comes from the Jewish tradition of sacrificing a lamb during the festival of Passover. This, combined with the timing has made it a firm favourite. 

Depending on when Easter falls, it’s a seasonal time to enjoy lamb. Most of the time, however, the timing doesn’t quite work out. This means that most lamb you see at Easter time is imported from New Zealand. Our British lamb is frozen at the peak of perfection so you can enjoy it any time of year.

The idea of eating lamb at Easter probably comes from the Jewish tradition of sacrificing a lamb during the festival of Passover. This, combined with the timing has made it a firm favourite. 

Serve it with our Goose Fat Roast Potatoes with Rosemary Butter, Homestyle Yorkshire Puddings and plenty of steaming hot Traditional Lamb Gravy. A classic meal.

Warm, comforting hearty fare is what you want for Easter. 

Our French Trimmed Pork Loin Roast is hand-crafted to create a show-stopping roast that tastes as good as it looks. Succulent and full of sweet, delicate flavour and of course, plenty of that all-important crispy, tasty crackling. 

For the best crackling, our Chef Eddie recommends rubbing the skin with lots of olive oil and sea salt, then scoring the fat gently with a sharp knife. Put it in a hot oven then turn it down to finish cooking. If it doesn’t seem to be crisping enough, turn the oven back up for the last 10-15 minutes.

Or try some grass-fed British beef. Our Extra Trimmed Rump Roast is lean and packed full of intensely rich flavour. If you have any leftovers, make up some Traditional Scottish Stovies for the next day. 

Last, but most definitely not least, dessert. Try a light, sweet Raspberry Pavlova Cheesecake. Or Strawberry. Or Blackcurrant – we have plenty of options. We also have a Cheesecake Selection with six different flavours so you can find your favourite. 

Or enjoy a treat for the whole family to share, like our NEW traditional Simnel Cake or Extra Fruity Brioche Hot Cross Buns. Both classic Easter flavours that are sure to go down well with everyone.