Mother's Day Lunch Recipes

Goat Cheese Toasts

Ingredients:

1. Baguette bread - 36 slices (1/2-inch thick).
2. Olive oil - 3 tablespoons.
3. Goat cheese - 8 ounces, soft and fresh.
4. Cream cheese - 4 ounces.
5. Italian parsley leaves - 2 tsps, finely chopped, fresh.
6. Thyme leaves - 2 tsps, finely chopped, fresh.
7. Lemon peel - 2 tsps, finely grated.
8. Chives - 2 tsps, thinly sliced.
9. Sicilian green olives/Kalamata olives - 1/2 cup, pitted, finely chopped.
10. Salt and
11. Black peppercorns - A handful, coarsely ground.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grab a couple of large baking sheets and arrange on it the bread slices. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crostini turns pale golden and crisp.
   
2. Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
   

Note: Both the crostini and cheese mixture can be prepared two days ahead. In an airtight container, store the crostini at room temperature. Cover and freeze the cheese mixture in a refrigerator and on the D-day, take it out and let stand at room temperature for an hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

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Steamed Lemon Custard with Raspberries

Ingredients:

1. Egg whites - 2, large.
2. Cream of tartar - 1/4 tsp.
3. Lemon - 1/2, zested and juiced.
4. Pure vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp.
5. Cake flour - 3 tsp.
6. Sugar - 1/4 cup.
7. Salt - 1/4 tsp.
8. Raspberries - About 2 dozen.
9. Mint leaves - A bunch, fresh (for garnish).
10. Confectioners' sugar - 1/2 cup, for dusting.

Instructions:

1. Put the egg whites in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer or wire whisk, until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract; go on whipping until the whites hold soft peaks. Sieve the cake flour, sugar, and salt together. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry materials into the egg whites.
   
2. Grab 2 (6-ounce) ramekins and in the bottom of each, put 10 raspberries. Spoon the batter into the ramekins and set them in a bamboo steamer with a lid. In a cooking pan, heat 2-inches of water over medium flame. Set the steamer in the pan and steam the custard for 15 - 20 mins.
   
3. Run a thin-bladed knife around edges of the ramekins and turn upside down onto plates. Garnish with raspberries and mint. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top.

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Sweet Potato Sauté

Ingredients:

1. Cooking spray
2. Sweet potatoes - 2 large, peeled and cut into wedges
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp.
4. Black pepper - 1/4 tsp, grounded.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven turning the temperature to 400 degrees F.
   
2. Grab a large baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
   
3. Now arrange the potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer and coat them with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
   
4. If preparing in advance, fill 3/4th of a medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Put in the potato wedges, boil for 5 - 7 mins (or until they just start getting tender) and drain well. Just before you plan to serve them, bake par-boiled potatoes at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

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Celeriac and Parsnip Soup

Ingredients:

1. Butter - 50g.
2. Onion - 200g, finely chopped.
3. Celeriac - 800g.
4. Parsnip - 800g.
5. White chicken stock - 2.5 litres.

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a deep skillet. Add peeled onion, roughly cut parsnips and celeriac. Cook without color for a few minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the stock; boil and skim. Boil all the ingredients slowly at low temperature until tender. Pass the soup through a fine sieve (Alternate method: process the soup in a food processor) until smooth. Place into a clean pan, and reboil, adjusting the consistency and seasoning as per your preference. Your celeriac soup is ready.
    
2. Peel and cut the extra parsnips into very thin slices. Saute in hot oil until brown and crispy. Drain thoroughly on absorbent paper to let soak excess oil. You now have your Parsnip chips.
    
3. Pour soup into a warm bowl. Garnish with parsnip chips and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve hot.

Yield: Six servings.

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