At MTG, one of our favorite sayings is “It’s all about the sauce.”  More often than not, all you need is a good sauce to take a meal from ordinary to festive.  For a holiday meal like Easter, when we may be juggling the many aspects of putting together a holiday feast for family and friends, sauce is our not-so-secret strategy for adding flavor, texture, and just the right touch to a basic meat-and-potatoes (or fish-and-potatoes) meal.

Easter is also a time to enjoy the fresh, bright flavors of spring or indulge a bit to celebrate.  Lamb is one of our favorite centerpieces for an Easter feast, as is a succulent ham.  When we want to go with something a little lighter, salmon is a great choice.  Here are a few terrific sauce recipes from our kitchens for all three:

For Lamb: Whether you choose to use the herb crust or not, the basic red wine pan sauce from our Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamb is a beautiful complement to lamb, as is our simple Mustard Sauce.

For Ham: The flavors in these pan sauces marry well with savory baked ham–Fresh Citrus Pan Sauce, Maple Mustard Pan Sauce, Normandy Style Pan Sauce.

For Lamb and Ham: Sauces with a little sweetness, or a sweet-and-sour flavor often work nicely with both lamb and ham.  Here are a few we like: Black Grape and Balsamic Sauce, Madeira Sauce, and Quick Port Wine Sauce.

For Salmon: Because salmon is so versatile,  you can go with lighter fresh or tangy flavors in Pea Sauce with Chives, Quick Spinach Velouté, Mustard and White Wine Sauce, or Quick Ravigote Sauce–or you can go with a richer or heartier sauce like our Mushroom Ragout or Tarragon Cream Sauce.

For other great sauce ideas, take a look at our sauce recipe collection and find  just the right sauce for your Easter table.