It’s no secret that food plays an important role during the long holidays. Thanksgiving has the obvious turkey and Easter ham, Christmas and Hanukkah feature traditional home-cooked meals (and cookies), and we celebrate the mainstays of summer: Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. There is also a barbecue.
Brunch will be available on Mother’s Day.
There is no denying that this holiday occupies a special place in the food calendar. A great example of this is that many local restaurants and bakeries line the red carpet with spreads worthy of the guest of honor. But some of us choose to commemorate the occasion with a unique spread that celebrates not only our mothers and grandmothers, but also those who made us mothers.
It’s a chance to be free from expectations and respond to our own whims and creativity. If brunch is your go-to meal, these four recipes (two ready-to-use salads and two vegetable sides) will spice up your egg-based midday meal. It’s also the perfect accompaniment to your favorite grilled protein, turning your backyard barbecue into an event. The recipes, all taken from recent cookbooks, are versatile, creative and make the most of what’s around you. It’s like a mother.
Little gems and flavorful granola salad
Serves 4 to 6 people.
The bright shallot vinaigrette in this deceptively simple salad pairs perfectly with the crunchy veggies. A delicious granola to always have on hand, it provides a crouton-like crunch. You could use different greens for this, but the little gems have the perfect amount of nooks to scoop up all the delicious toppings. From Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Lives to Eat by Melissa Ben-Ishay, co-founder of Baked by Melissa. (William Morrow, 2024).
For salad:
• 2 small balls of lettuce
• 2 Persian cucumbers (thinly sliced)
• 3 daikon radish (thinly sliced)
• 1 shallot (thinly sliced)
• Savory granola, for serving (see recipe)
For the shallot vinaigrette:
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon.dijon mustard
• 1/4 c.extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/4 tsp.fine grain sea salt
• 1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon.rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp.nutritional yeast
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Trim the ends of a small gem lettuce. Place the lettuce, cucumber, radishes, and sliced shallots in a large bowl, reserving some of the vegetables for garnish.
Prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine shallots, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, rice vinegar, and nutritional yeast until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Serve with the reserved vegetables. Top with flavorful granola.
savory granola
Makes 3 cups.
From When You’re Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat (William Morrow, 2024) by Melissa Ben Ishay.
• 1 1/2 c.rolled oats
• 1/2c.pumpkin seeds
• 1/2c.sliced almonds
• 1/2c.puffed quinoa
• 2 tbsp.Gum
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3c.extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon.garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine oats, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, puffed quinoa, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine egg whites, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, oregano, and pepper. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are completely coated.
Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and level it with a spatula.
Bake for 30 minutes. Stir the granola with a spatula and bake for another 15 minutes, until the granola is golden and toasted.
Allow granola to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. It should stay in good condition for about 3 weeks.
Roasted carrots, avocado and furikake seeds
Serves 4 people.
The salad this recipe is based on is from ABC Kitchen, a beloved New York City restaurant. At the time, the restaurant was helmed by Dan Krueger, a talented chef who pioneered vegetable-focused cuisine at a time when the term “vegetables” didn’t even exist. The combination of roasted and fresh citrus juices acts as a bright accent that complements the earthy sweetness of the carrots. The crunchy seeds and sprinkles add a fun texture and flavor, while the yogurt provides a cooling sensation. The ingredient list may seem long, but it mainly consists of spices and seasonings, which you can adjust to suit what you have on hand. This recipe will yield more citrus juice than you need. Save the rest as a dressing to drizzle over salads or vegetables. Note: Find furikake in the international section or Asian market of your supermarket. From “Hot Seat” (Harvest, 2024) by Olga Masov and Sanae Lemoine.
For furikake seeds:
• 3 tbsp.sunflower seeds
• 3 tbsp.pumpkin seeds
• 3 tbsp. Furikake, or whatever else you like (see notes)
For citrus carrots:
• 3 medium garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon.dry
• 1/2 tsp.freshly ground black pepper, additional if desired
• 1/4 tsp.crushed red pepper flakes
1/4c. plus 2 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon.red wine vinegar
• 1 pound medium carrots, peeled
• 2 oranges, cut in half
• 2 lemons cut in half
If provided:
• 1/4 c.Sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt
• Flesh of 1 avocado, thinly sliced.
• 3 handfuls sprouts or microgreens (optional)
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Make furikake seeds. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Spread sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a 9-by-13-inch sheet pan. Toast, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and golden brown. Don’t brown the seeds too much. Transfer to a small bowl, add the sprinkles, mix and set aside.
Leave the oven on to roast the carrots.
Make the carrots: Line a half sheet mold with parchment paper.
In a mini food processor, combine garlic, salt, fennel, coriander, thyme, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Pulse until mixture looks coarsely chopped, then add 1/4 cup oil and vinegar and process until marinade is evenly distributed. (If you don’t have a mini food processor, chop the flavorings until roughly homogeneous and combine with the oil and vinegar in a small bowl.)
Arrange the carrots in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Spoon the marinade all over the carrots and roll until well coated.
Arrange two orange halves and two lemon halves, cut side down, on top of the carrots. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until carrots are golden brown.
Transfer the carrots to a platter and the roasted citrus to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Squeeze half of the roasted orange and lemon into a small jar and squeeze out the remaining fresh citrus. You should consume 1/2 to 2/3 cup of citrus blend juice. Pour 1/4 cup of the blended juice into a measuring cup (reserve the rest for another use; it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days). Season the juice with salt and pepper, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and whisk until emulsified. Pour half of the dressing over the carrots and reserve the rest to eat.
To provide: Spread sour cream or yogurt on a large plate and top with carrots, avocado, and sprouts (if using). Sprinkle the remaining dressing all over, sprinkle with the furikake seeds, and serve.
Charred asparagus with caper raisin relish
Serves 6 people.
Capers and raisins make a quick, sweet, salty, and savory thick vinaigrette for asparagus. The pine nuts add crunch and are the finishing touch. If your family hasn’t reached the caper realm yet, simply serve them the asparagus naked and save much of the sipping-friendly flavor for yourself. From “Big Bites” by Kat Ashmore. (Rodale, 2024)
• 2 pounds of asparagus (about 2 bunches)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon.balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp.Coarsely chopped (drained and rinsed) capers
• 1/4 c.golden raisin
• 2 tbsp.finely chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 tsp.kosher salt, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c.toasted pine nuts
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Wash the asparagus and pat dry. Cut off the woody ends and discard.
To make the relish, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, raisins, and parsley in a small bowl. Season the dressing with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Let’s set it aside.
Preheat the broiler to high and insert a large, heavy rimmed baking sheet. It heats up like an oven, so the asparagus starts cooking as soon as it hits the pan.
In a large bowl, toss asparagus, 1 teaspoon olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer the asparagus to the hot skillet and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and well browned, 4 to 8 minutes total. Place the charred asparagus on a plate and pour the relish over it. Scatter with toasted pine nuts and serve warm or at room temperature.
Spinach, mozzarella cheese and caramelized pink grapefruit salad
Serves 4 people.
If you get buffalo mozzarella instead of regular mozzarella, you’ll end up with a very decadent salad. Buffalo mozzarella is creamier, softer, and more flavorful, but a little more expensive. From Champneys: The Cookbook (Aster, 2024), written to commemorate his 100th anniversary of Champneys luxury spa in the UK.
For salad:
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 5 1/2 tbsp.pumpkin seeds
• 1 pomegranate
• 2/3 c.Mozzarella, ideally buffalo mozzarella, see notes
• 3 1/3 c.baby spinach
About dressing:
• 2 3/4 tbsp.linseed oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Peel the pink grapefruit and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Grill or torch the segments until caramelized. Let’s set it aside.
Roast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for a few minutes and set aside.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate, reserving the juice for the dressing. Cut the mozzarella cheese into pieces. In a large bowl, toss together the mozzarella cheese, spinach, and pomegranate seeds.
In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed oil, reserved pomegranate juice, cardamom powder, lemon zest, and juice, and season to taste. Add to spinach and mozzarella mixture and stir to combine.
Serve the salad on a platter, topped with caramelized grapefruit pieces and sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.
