ENJOY THE BANK HOLIDAYS

Old-style classics with a very modern twist

We may all be stuck inside, but that’s no reason not to celebrate special occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries and would-be weddings all deserve attention, and this May is also the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Here, we’ve updated a few timeless dishes to mark the event, so even if we can’t party in the streets, we can still celebrate at home.

PEA & HAM PICNIC EGGS

Like a scotch egg but oh-so-much-easier, we used to eat these straight from the pack before the picnic blanket was even down. I’ve updated them here with a pea & ham twist – a traditional soup typically made with split or fresh peas, and the cooking liquor leftover from boiling a ham. We’ve captured those flavours in bite-sized morsels with fresh green peas and salty ham hock. Anna Glover

MAKES 16 PREP 30 mins plus chilling COOK 25 mins MORE EFFORT

6 large eggs, at room temperature

90g frozen peas, defrosted and any water drained

90g cooked ham hock, shredded

3 tbsp mayonnaise

650g sausagemeat

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp finely chopped parsley 1/2 tsp dried sage

70g plain flour

130g dried breadcrumbs

1 litre vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and gently lower in 4 of the eggs with a spoon. Cook for 10 mins, then scoop out and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.