Surprise Mom with an easy-to-make Mother’s Day treat. Rather than a feast, a simple Mother’s Day dish can be a tasty tribute to honor Mom. No need to sign up for a quickie course at the Cordon Bleu cooking school. Families with little culinary experience but good intentions can cook an edible gift.
Before the pandemic challenges hit, I might have suggested gifting an entire home-cooked meal, but under current circumstances, I think one lovely, heartfelt dish would be greatly appreciated. If you like, enhance the chosen dish with complementary add-ons. I have noted suggestions at the end of each recipe designed to round out the meal with optional store-bought goodies.
Berry Stew with Sweetened Crème Fraiche
For a dessert-centric gift: Don’t let the “stew” moniker throw you off. This is a delicious, chilled dessert that can be prepared well in advance. Served in bowls, it’s something like a crustless berry pie with a welcome herbal edge. The recipe is from a new cookbook, “Eat Cool” by Vanessa Seder (Rizzoli, $39.95). I like to serve it with shortbread cookies on the side.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 cups strawberries, hulled, halved or quartered if large
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided use
8 sprigs fresh thyme, fresh lemon thyme preferred but not mandatory
5 sprigs fresh mint
Peel from 1 whole lemon (remove in wide strips with vegetable peeler)
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup crème fraiche; see cook’s notes
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Cook’s notes: My local supermarket sells crème fraiche; it’s stocked in the cheese case next to the Brie and Parmesan. If you can’t find it, substitute sour cream.
PROCEDURE
1. Place strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, thyme, mint and lemon peel in a small saucepan along with the water. Bring to simmer over medium heat and simmer, stirring once or twice, until sugar dissolves and the mixture smells fragrant, about 12 minutes total. Pour hot liquid through a fine-mesh strainer over berries and gently stir to combine.
3. Use a potato masher (or meat mallet, the kind with a handle attached at a right angle to a disk) to mash berries, leaving some completely intact and some completely mashed. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. At this point, the berry stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days ahead of serving.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraiche, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. This can be made up to 2 days in advance of serving and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
5. To serve: Divide berry stew among 4 bowls and top each with a dollop of sweetened crème fraiche. Serve immediately.
Source: “Eat Cool” by Vanessa Seder (Rizzoli, $39.95)
Add-ons: Serve with crisp cookies or wedges of chocolate brownies. If you like nuts, a few candied nuts could be sprinkled on top, or a small bowl could be served on the side. If you want a pie crust garnish, buy refrigerated pie dough; cut the dough into bowl-sized hearts. To bake, place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash (one beaten egg). Bake until golden in a 350-degree oven. At serving time place a heart on top of each “stew.”
Frittata with Potatoes and Greens
For a breakfast gift, one that could be lunch or brunch, try this tasty frittata. A frittata is an egg-based Italian dish that is like a crustless quiche. The addition of Greek yogurt gives this concoction a delicious tanginess. This recipe is versatile, open to using personal favorites. My favorite rendition uses chopped Tuscan kale and a combination of fresh dill and parsley. I use unskinned Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes because they cook quickly — boiled to fork tenderness in about 9 minutes and then sliced in half and cut crosswise into chunks.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped herbs, such as dill, mint, basil, parsley, and/or chives
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt, such as kosher salt, divided use
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cups coarsely chopped (about 1/2″ chunks) cooked potatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped raw or cooked greens, such as chard, kale, arugula, or spinach
Freshly ground black pepper
PROCEDURE
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For yogurt sauce, mix yogurt, herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
2. Lightly whisk eggs and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a separate medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup yogurt sauce and stir just a couple of times (do not completely incorporate yogurt sauce).
3. Heat oil in a 10″ cast-iron or oven-safe nonstick pan over medium heat. Add shallots and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened and potatoes are golden, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens and cook, just until warmed through and wilted if greens were raw. Add egg mixture and cook, until sides are just beginning to set, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Transfer pan to oven and bake frittata until puffed and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Cut frittata into 4 or 6 wedges and serve with remaining yogurt sauce alongside.
Source: Adapted from epicurious.com
Add-ons: Fruit salad if serving for breakfast, mixed green salad or coleslaw if serving for lunch or dinner. Sliced tomatoes topped with a smidgen of vinaigrette could work any time of day.
Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Tart
A savory tart cries out for a warm-weather picnic. This Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Tart is a favorite, whether served at an outdoor outing or as a first course for a company dinner. The sweetness of browned onions and shallots team beautifully with crisp bacon and creamy ricotta. If serving at a picnic, provide small plates or sturdy napkins and a sharp knife; place the tart on a rustic cutting board and let guests help themselves.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 round prepared pie dough, such as refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crust
4 slices thick bacon
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 shallots, cut crosswise into thin slices
1 1/2 large yellow onions, cut in half top to bottom, thinly sliced crosswise
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk lightly beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Ease chilled dough into a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use top of bent finger to press dough into fluted sides of pan. To create a double layer of dough on sides of crust, trim dough 1/4-inch above top of pan; fold overhanging dough over so top of fold is even with top of pan to reinforce sides; press with top of bent finger to seal sides. Roll rolling pin over top of tart pan to make top of dough even all the way around. Poke dough at 1-inch intervals with tines of fork (bottom and sides). Line dough with sheet of aluminum foil. Add about 1 cup dry beans, raw rice or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven; remove foil and beans, rice or weights. Set aside.
2. In large, deep skillet cook bacon until crisp; remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease in pan. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and heat oil on medium-high heat. Add shallots and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown, about 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Add sugar, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Cook until onions are golden, stirring occasionally, about 20 additional minutes.
3. In small bowl combine ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Gently spread ricotta mixture on bottom of tart shell. Top with shallot mixture, spreading out into an even layer. Crumble or chop bacon and sprinkle on top of shallot mixture. Brush top edge of crust lightly with egg wash. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until golden brown and heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
Source: “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” by Cathy Thomas (Wiley, $29.95)
Add-ons: For a picnic, provide a mix of olives and assorted fresh fruit or fruit salad. A cucumber salad would be nice — sliced peeled “cukes” tossed with rice vinegar, salt to taste and toasted sesame seeds. Or a tomato salad napped with fresh herbs and vinaigrette.
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