Easter is on the horizon, and for many of us, this means getting together with friends and family to celebrate traditional spring dishes and delicacies. If you’re entertaining this Easter, or you’re looking to take an offering to a family dinner, have you thought about choosing organic produce?
What exactly does organic mean?
When you’re doing your food shop, you’ll probably come across labels that are marked with the word organic. Organic food is more popular than ever before, but what exactly does organic mean, and how is it different from other products? Organic farming is a very straightforward concept, which is designed to preserve the purity of vegetables, fruit, and meat and minimise exposure to chemicals.
If you buy organic meat, for example, organic lamb from Graig Farm, you can be sure that you’re purchasing a piece of meat that has been traced and tracked from the farm to the plate. Organic farming focuses on high standards of animal welfare and processes that optimise taste and enjoyment and reduce contact with chemicals.
The benefits of buying organic food this Easter
Easter is a wonderful time of year to delve into the depths of organic food and buy produce that is packed with flavour to celebrate spring and enjoy quality time with loved ones. Spring is traditionally associated with fresh vegetables and succulent meats that are perfectly suited to a sumptuous roast dinner.
Buying organic offers multiple benefits. When you add items to your basket in a supermarket, you might not be entirely sure where that product has been, but with organic fayre, you have access to information about the origins of the produce, and you can enjoy peace of mind that the animal has been well looked after.
Organic produce tends to be tastier and healthier, and you don’t have to worry about the potential effects of being exposed to chemicals like pesticides. Organic foods are also fresher, as they don’t contain preservatives that are added to prolong shelf-life.
Tips for your Easter roast dinner
If you’ve been charged with the mantle of providing a hearty roast dinner this Easter, don’t panic. If you’re opting for organic meat, you can’t go wrong, as long as you get the cooking time right.
You can use a temperature probe to see how you’re getting on or go by touch. Suggested cooking times are around 20 minutes per pound for rare beef and 25 minutes per lb for lamb. Add 20-25 minutes for resting. Give yourself time to heat the oven, cook the meat until pink, and then rest the meat before serving. If you’re cooking lamb, add fresh sprigs of rosemary to the roasting dish and serve with mint sauce. If you’ve got a beef joint, horseradish is a perfect accompaniment. Drain the juices from the tray to make a delicious, flavourful, rich gravy.
If you have friends or relatives coming for dinner or Sunday lunch over Easter, why not explore the concept of organic farming and treat your nearest and dearest to a tasty, fresh feast?