Cola-glazed ham is one of those pork recipes that sounds unusual right up until the moment you taste it, and then it makes complete, undeniable sense. A large bone-in ham is slow-roasted in a bath of cola and orange juice, and basted throughout cooking with a reduction of the same liquids combined with dark brown sugar and mustard until the surface turns into a deep, sticky, lacquered glaze that is simultaneously sweet, tangy, and lightly caramelised. The cola’s sugars reduce into a rich syrup, and its acidity balances the saltiness of the cured ham. What makes this Easter special recipe so good as a centrepiece dish is the contrast between the glaze and the meat beneath it. The exterior caramelises into a crackling, sticky coating while the interior stays moist and juicy, which is a direct result of the covered roasting method that steams the ham in the cola bath before the foil comes off for the final high-heat basting stages. Scoring the ham in a diamond pattern before it goes in the oven serves two purposes – it gives the glaze the maximum surface area to cling to, and makes the cola-glazed ham instantly recognisable on a holiday table. This recipe produces generous leftovers, and cola-glazed ham may be even better the next day, sliced cold with mustard, layered into sandwiches, or pan-fried with eggs. It keeps well refrigerated for up to a week and freezes well for up to three months.

Avocado eggs Benedict recipe brings the best parts of the brunch classic into a fresher, more layered version with a toasted English muffin base spread with goat cheese, topped with bacon and avocado slices, finished with a poached egg and an avocado hollandaise sauce. The goat cheese is creamy and tangy, the bacon is crisp and salty, the avocado is buttery, and the egg yolk breaks into the hollandaise for a creamy finish, that makes the dish sheer perfection. The avocado hollandaise in the avocado eggs Benedict recipe is made using the immersion blender method with egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and a small amount of blended avocado emulsified with a stream of hot melted butter. It comes together in under two minutes. There is no double boiler or constant whisking involved, so there is no risk of splitting. The result is a sauce that is slightly thicker and creamier than classic hollandaise with a hint of avocado throughout. Avocado eggs Benedict recipe yields a dish that looks and tastes far more ambitious than it actually is. The work is mostly in the assembly, with the poached eggs taking 4 minutes, the hollandaise taking 2, and everything else is straightforward prep. It is a great brunch centrepiece for weekends at home, or when entertaining guests.

Lemon Pepper Fried Chicken Wings rely on dry seasoning, a light flour coating, and precise oil temperature to create crisp skin without heaviness. Lemon zest seasons the meat before frying, while lemon juice and butter finish the wings after cooking. This sequence keeps the coating crunchy and the citrus flavour sharp, not acidic or soggy.