These recipes would be great for a laid-back lunch as they can both be made ahead of time and then take minimal preparation to serve. The rich peppery goulash is made with beef (but for a more seasonal touch you could make it with lamb) and although it’s not a highly authentic Hungarian recipe the ingredients work well together, especially when served with a refreshing dollop of cool sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill. It’s cooked long and slow in the oven, giving it a wonderful depth of flavour and the meat a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

The St Clement’s cheesecake has bright sunshine colours and zingy citrus flavours. It has a crunchy biscuit base and a smooth creamy filling which is topped with a sparkling clementine and lemon jelly, caramelised clementines and chocolate shavings.

The ingredients for the goulash can easily be doubled up to feed a larger crowd and it tastes even better if you can make it the day before and re-heat it. The cheesecake can also be made a couple of days in advance, as long as you keep it well-covered in the fridge.

Wishing you a very Happy Easter!

5 PEPPER GOULASH

This is lovely served with rice or crushed potatoes and steamed spring greens. Serves 6-8.

• 1.5kg braising steak

• 120g cubed pancetta

• 150g small chorizo sausages

• 3 fat cloves garlic

• 2 large red onions

• 2 fresh red chillies

• 2 large red peppers

• 1tbsp sweet paprika

• 1tbsp smoked paprika

• 450g jar roasted peppers

• 250g chestnut mushrooms

• 2 tins chopped tomatoes

• 450ml beef stock

• 230ml red wine

• 2tbsp plain flour

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 2 bay leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 140ËšC/gas mark 1. Cut the braising steak into large cubes and finely chop the onion and garlic. De-seed the chillies and red pepper and cut the peppers into large chunks and finely chop the chillies. Drain the roasted red pepper, de-seed if necessary and cut into large pieces. Cut the chorizo into thick slices and gently wipe the mushrooms with damp kitchen paper to remove any soil, then chop into quarters.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-based pan and gently brown the pancetta, then remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Add the onion to the pancetta fat and cook until lightly brown then add the chopped garlic and chilli and cook for a further few minutes. Spoon the onion mixture into the casserole dish then brown the pieces of beef in the original pan and then cook the sliced chorizo until lightly coloured.

Add the pieces of beef and chorizo to the casserole dish and then stir in the flour. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper and bring to simmering point before covering with a well-fitting lid and placing in the oven for about three hours. Check the goulash every hour or so, giving it a stir and topping up with water if it looks a little dry. The beef should be meltingly tender when cooked.

ST CLEMENT’S CHEESECAKE

If you haven’t got the time (or inclination) to make the caramelised clementines this cheesecake tastes good even without the topping. Serves 8-10.

• 6 large clementines

• 1 large lemon

• 400g crème fraiche

• 200g mascarpone cheese

• 200g ricotta cheese

• 250g caster sugar

• 12 digestive biscuits

• 85g butter

• 7 leaves of gelatin

Wash the lemon and clementines well then zest and juice the lemon. Zest four of the clementines then peel and segment, reserving the juice. Thinly slice the two other clementines. Melt the butter in a large pan, crush the biscuits then add to the pan and mix well with the melted butter. Press the mixture into the base of a 22cm spring form tin and chill in the fridge until set.

Place the sliced clementines in a small pan with 100ml of water and 50g of the sugar. Bring to the boil and then gently simmer until the liquid has become syrup then carefully remove the clementine slices and lay on a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Soak four of the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. When soft remove them from the water and squeeze out. Place 100g of the sugar in a pan with the crème fraiche and warm gently until the sugar has dissolved then add the softened gelatin, and the clementine and lemon zest, and stir until smooth. When cool stir in the mascarpone and ricotta. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and chill until firm.

To make the jelly topping: soak the remaining three gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for five minutes, then when soft remove from the water and squeeze out. Place the clementine segments, the remaining 100g of sugar and the clementine and lemon juices in a small pan with 100ml of water and simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add the softened sheets of gelatin and stir until smooth then allow to cool.

Top the cheesecake with the clementine slices and pour the jelly over, then place in the fridge for 2-3 hours until set.