If you’ve decided to treat your very special lady to a home-cooked feast but are looking for a touch of inspiration, why not try out these tasty Mother’s Day recipes?
These Mother’s Day recipes are perfect for spoiling mum on her special day…
Beef wellington
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 beef fillet steaks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 50g butter
- Bunch of fresh thyme
- 100ml dry white wine
- 8 slices Parma ham
- 500g pack ready-made puff pastry
- Flour (for dusting)
- 1 egg, beaten
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas mark 7.
- Sit the four beef fillet steaks in a roasting tin, season well and brush with a tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for seven minutes for medium rare or 10 minutes for medium. When the beef is cooked to your preference, remove from the oven, set aside to cool and then chill in the fridge for about 20 mins.
- While the beef is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 50g butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat with a large sprig of thyme, stirring frequently for 10-12 minutes until you have a softened mixture. Season well.
- Pour over the wine and cook for a further 10 minutes. The mixture should hold its shape when stirred.
- Remove the mushroom mix from the pan to allow to cool, discarding the thyme sprig.
- On a large chopping board, lay cling-film over the board. Overlap two slices of Parma ham in a double row and repeat for all four steaks.
- Spread a quarter of the mushroom mix over each of the two slices of Parma ham, then sit the fillet and wrap over each side of the Parma ham.
- Chill the rolled fillets while you prepare the pastry.
- Sprinkle some flour over the work surface. Divide the 500g pack of puff pastry into quarters. Divide each quarter into two square pieces of roughly two-thirds and one-third. Repeat for the other three squares. Use the thirds to roll the base pastry for each wellington and the two-third squares for the lid pastry for each wellington.
- Remove the prepared fillets from the fridge and sit it on the centre of the smaller squares of pastry.
- Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg.
- Using the rolling pin, lift and drape the larger pastry squares over each fillet, pressing well into the sides.
- Trim to allow a 4cm rim and seal the rims with the edge of a fork or spoon handle.
- Glaze all over with the remaining beaten egg and, using the back of a knife, mark the beef wellingtons with diagonal lines, taking care not to cut into the pastry itself.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- On the day of serving, heat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 4. Brush the wellington with a little more egg and bake until golden and crisp, at the following times to suit your preference:
20-22 mins for medium rare
25-30 mins for medium
- Allow to stand for 10-15 mins before serving.
- Serve with roast potatoes and greens.
Marmalade potatoes with fresh mint
Ingredients
- 500g salad potatoes
- 30g butter
- 3-4 tbsp blood orange marmalade
- Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Method
- Cook the whole salad potatoes in a pan of simmering water for approx 15-20 minutes, depending on size.
- Drain the potatoes.
- Add the butter to a large, wide saucepan or frying pan. Allow to melt.
- Add the potatoes to the melted butter and colour slightly.
- Stir through the marmalade and coat all the potatoes.
- Remove from the heat and scatter over the chopped, fresh mint.
Individual rhubarb and custard trifles
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the custard
- 300ml double cream
- 1.5 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
For the base
- 400g British pink rhubarb
- 125g caster sugar
- 100ml sherry or elderflower cordial
- 12 sponge fingers
For the topping
- 300ml double cream
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- Reduced syrup from the poached rhubarb
Method
- To make the custard, pour the double cream into a heavy-based saucepan and gently warm. Gently whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour in a jug. Keep whisking while you gradually pour in the warm cream and make sure it is combined. Pour the custard mixture from your jug into the pan and cook over medium heat for a minute, stirring with a wooden spoon until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (the mixture should leave a trail when you drag your finger through it).
- As soon as it’s cooked, take it off the heat and transfer to a jug (adding the vanilla paste or extract), then cover with piece of food wrap to prevent a skin forming. When cool, place in the fridge to chill.
- To prepare the rhubarb, heat the oven to 200℃/180℃ fan/400°F. Angle cut the trimmed rhubarb into an ovenproof dish in and sprinkle over the 125g of caster sugar. Mix together well with your hands, leaving the rhubarb in a single layer, then cover the tin or dish with foil, sealing the edges, and cook in the oven for approx 25-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the stems, until the rhubarb is tender but still holding its shape).
- Once the rhubarb is cooked, leave it to stand for 20 mins. Gently transfer with a slotted spoon to another dish for now. You should have about 150ml of liquid in the ovenproof dish.
- Set aside 75ml of the rhubarb juices for now and measure out another 80ml. Add the sherry or elderflower cordial to it.
- Now make the rhubarb syrup for the top of the trifle. Pour the reserved 75ml of rhubarb juice into a small heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half.
- Arrange your sponge fingers at the bottom of your four individual dishes.
- Top the drenched sponge fingers with the rhubarb and pour over any juices that have collected in the dish. Once the custard is cold, carefully scrape it into the dishes, on top of the rhubarb, smoothing it to the sides, trying not to smear the glass. Cover the dishes with food wrap and put into the fridge.
- Take the trifle out of the fridge shortly before serving, and whip the double cream spoon gently over the set custard. Drizzle the reduced rhubarb syrup over the top and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
