Mother’s Day Feast Menu 1: One-pan chicken with salad and almond tart

Get together and celebrate the amazing women and mums in your life with this 3-course Mother’s Day Feast. 

These quick and simple recipes are minimum fuss, maximum flavour – you can cook the tart the day before and prepare your salad ahead of when you need it.

Our main course takes just five minutes to prep before being popped in the oven, so you don’t have to slave away in the kitchen all afternoon.

Poached Salmon with Quick Caesar Salad

This delicious Caesar Salad recipe is perfect for a small starter or even a light lunch on its own – make ahead and serve the poached salmon cold, or prepare just before eating to enjoy a warming treat.

Prep time: 10 minutes    Cook time: 15 minutes     Serves: 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

You’ll need:

• 2 salmon fillets (300g)
• 5 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped (20g)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise (50g)
• 3 tbsp semi skimmed milk
• 25g Parmesan cheese
• 1 whole Romaine heart, leaves separated and roughly torn (200g)

Method 

1. Poach the salmon in boiling water for 10-12 minutes, remove and cool slightly before breaking into large flakes.
2. Mix together the anchovies, garlic, mayonnaise, milk and half the Parmesan, finely grated.
3. Toss the Romaine leaves in the Caesar dressing, top with the salmon flakes. Shave the remaining Parmesan and scatter over the salmon and serve.

One-pan Spring Chicken

Taking just 5 minutes to prepare before you pop it into the oven, this full-of-flavour one-pan recipe is sure to become a springtime favourite. An ideal family meal.

Serves: 4    Prep time: 5 minutes     Cook time: 1 hour

You’ll need:

• 700g new potatoes, halved
• 1tbsp oil
• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 4 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

Method 

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan.
2. Put the potatoes and oil into a large oven dish and toss to coat well. Tuck the chicken in amongst the potatoes and do the same with the garlic and rosemary. Drizzle with the juice of half the lemon and add the squeezed lemon to the pan. Season well and roast for 50 minutes.
3. After 50 minutes toss the asparagus into the pan and give it a shake so the spears nestle in amongst the cooking chicken and potatoes. Cook for a further 8 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked and the veg is tender.
4. Pick out the roasted garlic and squeeze the now melting centres into a small bowl, add the juice from the remaining lemon and season. Use a fork to mix the dressing and mash the garlic. Tip the chicken and potatoes onto a warmed serving plate and drizzle over the dressing.

Tip: This recipe is easily doubled or halved.

Blueberry Almond Tart

Blueberries in a delicate almond sponge makes a perfect pudding or tea time treat. You can make it ahead and serve cold or fresh out of the oven – try it with ice cream for a little extra decadence!

Serves: 6    Prep time: 20mins      Cook time: 40 mins

You’ll Need:

• 175g blueberries
• 150g castor sugar
• 212g short crust pastry
• 110g ground almonds
• 50g butter, softened
• 3 free range eggs, beaten
• Few drops each vanilla and almond essence
• 15g flaked almonds, toasted
• Sifted icing sugar

Method 

1. Place the fruit in a small pan with 50g of the sugar and warm through until the juices begin to rest. Remove from the heat and cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas Mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface large enough to line an 18cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Ease the pastry gently into the corners without stretching and trim the edges. Chill until required.
3. In a mixing bowl cream together the rest of the sugar, the almonds, butter, eggs and flavourings until soft and well blended.
4. Spoon the fruit into the pastry case, spread over the topping and flatten. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the topping is set and light golden.
5. Serve warm or cold topped with the flaked almonds and a shake of sifted icing sugar

Recipes courtesy of www.makemoreofsalad.com,  www.british-asparagus.co.uk & www.berryworld.com