By Leslie Brenner
Have you left planning your Mother’s Day celebration till the last minute? No worries — there’s still ample time! Shop today, make anything this afternoon that needs to be made in advance, and tomorrow will be a breeze. In fact, many of the dishes below can be made entirely in advance.
I’ve put together some of my favorite dishes for Mother’s Day — things that are delightfully spring-y, festive, delicious and versatile: Any of these would be perfect for brunch, lunch, dinner or a picnic. If you have time, add in a hand-made food gift — like Olivia’s Salsa Macha, or a jar of Jubilee’s Pickled Shrimp. Or give her your mom a new cookbook (even if you tell her it’s been ordered and it’s on the way, she’ll still love it).
OK, enough chatter. Here come the recipes. Mix and match according to what sounds good.
Fresh Herb Kuku from Najmieh Batmanglij’s ‘Food of Life’
Carrotes Râpées
This version of the classic French carrots in lemon vinaigrette asks you to cut the carrots into fine julienne, but you can just grate them, as French home cooks do.
Pickled Shrimp
I love this aforementioned pickled shrimp from Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee. (The cookbook also makes a great gift).
Quinoa, Pea and Mint Tabbouleh
This minty salad from Michael Solomonov’s Zahav has been a favorite of mine for years. I made it just last night — a double-batch, though there was only two of us. That’s how much I like it.
Buckwheat Blinis with Crab Salad, Smoked Trout or Smoked Salmon
Top these tender, delicious little buckwheat blinis with crab salad, as Roxana Jullapat suggests in her splendid book Mother Grains. Or dab each with crème fraîche or sour cream, and top with a small piece of smoked trout or smoked salmon and snipped chives or a sprig of dill. If you’re taking them to a picnic, bring the blinis separately and assemble them on the picnic table.
Pea-Ricotta Dip
Super easy to make, light-hearted and lemony, Pea-Ricotta Dip is wonderful with rye bread, baguette or even crackers.
Greenest Gazpacho
Deliciously vegan and delightfully herbal, The Greenest Gazpacho is a make-ahead crowd-pleaser that also travels well. (Bring the herbs in a zipper bag and serve in short plastic glasses.)
Cucumber, Radish and Feta Salad
This pretty Cucumber, Radish and Feta Salad is inspired by khiar bel na’na, a Levantine cucumber salad made with dried mint and orange blossom water. We love what fresh mint layers into the mix.
Herb-Happy Potato Salad
More a blueprint than a strict recipe, our Herb-Happy Potato Salad is infinitely riffable. Find more delicious potato salad ideas here.
Najmieh’s Fresh Herb Kuku
The wonderful Fresh Herb Kuku from Najmieh Batmanglij’s Food of Life (photo near the top of the story) is like a Persian frittata.
Poached Salmon or Arctic Char
Poached fish is always a lovely Mother’s Day centerpiece, and it’s one that happens to travel super well. Try a simple classic version with dill sauce, or the Poached Salmon with Fennel-Celery Salad and Caper Mayo from Kate Leahy’s Wine Style. Leahy’s is meant to be served warm, but it’s also fabulous cold.
Quintessential Quiche Lorraine
One of my favorite all-time brunch dishes, Quiche Lorraine also travels well. Our version is Quintessential.
Perfect Easy Roast Chicken
Classic roast chicken makes a great centerpiece anytime. You can also make it ahead, chill it down and invite it to a picnic — it’s great with all those salads, and maybe a Tangy Green Everything Sauce. Ours comes with a story about what mothers can learn from their kids who cook.
Blueberry-Lemon-Almond Anytime Cake
Inspired by a recipe in Ottolenghi Simple, our Blueberry-Lemon-Almond Anytime Cake is juicy with fruit and travels well.
Almond Tuiles
Lovely on their own, with coffee, or with ice cream or chocolate mousse (see below), these Almond Tuiles are surprisingly easy to make.
Strawberry-Mezcal Ice Cream
Your mom loves mezcal — doesn’t she?! We thought so: She’ll love our Strawberry-Mezcal Ice Cream. If she’s not a mezcal fan, swap it out for tequila, orange liqueur or a touch of almond extract or orange-blossom water.
Apricot and Pistachio Olive-Oil Cake
Apricot season will be soon, but you don’t have to wait to make this Apricot and Pistachio Olive-Oil Cake from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking with Dorie — dried apricots and apricot preserves provide the magic.
Your Favorite Chocolate Mousse
If your mom is a chocolate-lover, something tells us Your Favorite Chocolate Mousse will be her favorite too. For a picnic, you can chill these in short plastic cups and wrap in plastic film — either pre-garnished, or bring along the whipped cream and cocoa nibs or sprinkles.
Happy Mother’s Day!