Sunday, May 8 is Mother's Day and while it may seem ludicrous to only honor moms one day out of the year, make sure she feels special this weekend.
For some that will mean taking Mom to brunch or dinner, but as we all know, it will be insanely busy everywhere.
Have no fear, I spoke with a couple of awesome local chefs and an incredibly talented cocktail blogger and they gave me four recipes that Mom will surely enjoy. Many moms out there would love to be treated to breakfast in bed rather than waiting in line for an hour at a brunch hot spot, but if cooking isn't in the cards, both restaurants mentioned below will be open on Mother's Day!
Steak & Eggs
Chef Brandon Zarb has been working with Public House and Imperial for over six months now. His recipe is classic and brings back fond memories for him. Steak and eggs can also be a canvas as the possibilities for playing with seasonings, using different styles of eggs and steak, and/or changing up the garnish are endless.
Brandon spoke briefly about his version, “My mom’s favorite dish to eat for breakfast is steak and eggs. She serves it very simple with a sliced tomato, sunny side up eggs, and a medium-rare steak. New York Strip is her favorite cut, but the most important thing is to pan sear the steak. Something about the smell of a steak searing in a pan will always remind me of my mom!”
Directions: How do you properly sear a steak? The key is a piping hot pan (preferably cast iron). Place the pan in a 500 degree oven as the oven heats. Once the oven is at temperature, remove the pan and place on a burner over high heat for 5 minutes. Coat the room temperature steak with oil (canola, coconut, or any high smoke point oil), season with salt and pepper, and place in the middle of the pan. Cooking times will vary according to the thickness of the cut.
--------------------
About eight years ago, I lost my mom to cancer. I loved my mom and miss her every single day. Writing about Mother's Day has not been easy, but I would like to think of this as a tiny tribute to her. She absolutely loved dessert, especially Italian confections. She was also fond of vodka, not that she was a heavy drinker, but she did raise five boys so a bit of Grey Goose at the end of the day was well earned. Rather than simply offering a dessert recipe, I enlisted the help of my good friend Nick Britsky of NickDrinks.com to combine two of Mom's favorites: vodka and tiramisu.
You're the Reason She Drinks Cocktail
- 1 oz Espresso or Coffee Liqueur (if you can find the new Galliano one, get that)
- 2 oz cold coffee
- 1/4 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 oz vodka
- One lady finger to garnish
Directions: Whip cream, vodka and sugar with egg beater until stiff peaks. Add coffee and espresso liqueur to small wine glass. Lightly stir to combine. Top with a healthy dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a lady finger.
Not that I can generalize about all moms, but my mom did not expect much. Mother's Day was never about the show, but rather spending the day with her loved ones. One day surely is not enough to show mom how much she means to you, but try your best. No matter what you do, tell mom you love her.
The next two recipes come from Bistro 82's Executive Chef Derik Watson. He recommends starting off with a mimosa (Mom deserves a proper mimosa so use equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice for a brilliant drink.)
After the mimosas have been poured, brew some coffee, and get started on this lovely omelette and festive fruit salad.
Vegetable Omelette with Gruyere Cheese
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Vidalia onion
1 Tbsp oyster mushroom chopped
1 Tbsp red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
2 Tbsp green asparagus blanched/sliced
1 Tbsp Roma tomato chopped
2 Tbsp grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 tsp chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 each large farm fresh eggs
1 tsp heavy whipping cream
Directions: In a nonstick skillet, saute the vegetables together with the butter over medium heat and season with kosher salt and black pepper. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and heavy cream together. Add the egg mixture to the sauteed vegetables. Add the Gruyere cheese. Cook until the desired doneness of the eggs and roll the omelette onto a plate. Top with any additional cheese and chopped parsley.
Fresh Fruit with Lavender Honey
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp lavender buds
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup watermelon
1/4 cup honeydew melon
1/4 cup cantaloupe melon
2 each strawberry
1/4 cup blueberries
2 leaves of mint, finely chopped
Directions: In a small pot, bring the honey and lavender buds to a boil and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes on low heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Combine all of the fruit and drizzle with the desired amount of infused honey. Garnish with mint.
