Talk about a Mother’s Day spread! Spoil the women who represent strength in your life with a sumptuous feast fit for royalty says editor Chad January.   

Honey and chilli glazed salmon with roast potatoes and pea purée 

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min   

Ingredients

FOR THE POTATOES
1kg baby potatoes, halved 
Glug olive oil 
Salt and milled black pepper 
4 cloves garlic, chopped  

FOR THE PEA PUREE
3 Tbsp butter 
1 onion, sliced 
500g frozen peas, rinsed 
¼  cup vegetable stock 
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped, plus extra to garnish 
1 tsp fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish 
1 lemon, zested and juiced  

FOR THE SALMON  

4x 125g salmon fillets, skin-on 
2 Tbsp honey 
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped 
2 spring onions, sliced  

Chef’s Tip: Counting pennies? Swap out salmon for hake, snoek or kingklip.  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Spread potatoes out on a greased baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season, and sprinkle over half the garlic. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 
3. In a saucepan, heat butter and add onions and remaining garlic. Fry for about 5-6 minutes, then add peas and stock, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. 
4. Blitz pea mixture until smooth. Add herbs, lemon zest and juice, season and stir to combine. 
5. Season salmon generously. Heat oil in a large pan and fry fish skin-side down for about 2-3 minutes. Flip salmon and fry for 2 minutes. Set aside. 
6. Crank oven to grill setting and place fillets on a greased baking tray. 
7. Combine honey, mustard and chilli, and brush salmon with half the mixture. Grill for about 2-3 minutes and remove from oven. Brush with remaining sauce and set aside. 
8. Serve salmon with potatoes and pea purée, and garnish with spring onions and any remaining sauce.

Little Chef: Get the kids to toss the potatoes in seasoning before roasting, or let them help you brush the salmon with the honey glaze before grilling. 

 

Crispy pork chops and quick herb ‘pesto’ 

Serves 4 • Total Time 25-30 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE CRISPY PORK CHOPS 

4 pork loin chops 
Salt and milled black pepper 
Glug olive oil 
1 tsp grated ginger 
2 cloves garlic, sliced 
2 Tbsp butter 
½  lemon, juiced 
1 Tbsp fresh coriander, chopped 
2 Tbsp honey   

FOR THE HERB PESTO
10g fresh coriander 
10g fresh parsley 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
1 clove garlic, sliced 
3 Tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp pink peppercorns  

Method

1. Season pork chops and heat oil in a large pan. 
2. Fry chops for about 5-6 minutes per side or until golden brown. 
3. Add ginger, garlic and butter into the same pan and fry for about 2 minutes. 
4. Add lemon juice, coriander and honey. Baste chops with this mixture. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Blitz together coriander, parsley, zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and pink peppercorns. Season well. 
6. Serve pork smeared with herb pesto and a fresh stone fruit salad. 

Little Chef 
Let the kids go wild with a pestle and mortar to make the herb pesto.  

 

Spinach and mushroom beef Wellington 

Serves 6 • Total Time 45 Min To 1 Hr [Plus 30 Min Chill Time]  

 

Ingredients

1-1.2kg beef fillet 
Glug olive oil 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic 
2 punnets button mushrooms, finely chopped 
1 large bag Swiss chard, finely chopped 
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard 
1 roll puff pastry, defrosted 
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Drizzle beef fillet with oil and season generously. 
2. Brown fillet in a hot pan for about 3-4 minutes per side and set aside to cool completely. 3. In a dry pan, fry onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes or until golden. 
3. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Season and set aside. Place mixture into a clean tea towel and squeeze to release extra moisture. 
4. 5. In a clean, dry pan, wilt spinach and set aside to cool. Place into a clean tea towel and squeeze to release extra moisture. 
5. Brush beef fillet with mustard and set aside. 
6. Place a sheet of clingfilm twice the size of beef fillet on a clean surface. 
7. Layer spinach on top of clingfilm, making sure it’s twice the length and width of beef fillet. 9. Top with mushroom mixture and flatten with a spoon. 
8. Place beef fillet on one end of spinach and mushroom mixture and, using clingfilm, roll up to enclose. Chill for 30 minutes. 
9. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
10. Place puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 3mm thick. 
11. Remove clingfilm and place fillet onto one end of puff pastry. Roll up to enclose and crimp edges with a fork. 
12. Brush with egg, place onto a greased baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden. Allow to rest. 
13. Serve slices of beef Wellington with creamy mash or a fresh side salad. Drizzle with your favourite sauce – we chose Dijon mustard and the gravy made by the slow-cooked lamb shanks with polenta. 

Little Chef: Place mushroom mixture and wilted spinach into a clean tea towel and squeeze to release extra moisture. This will get messy, but kids love it!   

Chef’s Tip: Make sure that all ingredients are cold and dry before assembling – this will help the Wellington to hold together.  

 

Slow-cooked lamb shanks with polenta  

Serves 4 • Total Time 3 HR 

Ingredients

FOR THE LAMB SHANKS
2-3 lamb shanks 
Glug olive oil 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 tsp ground coriander 
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp regular or smoked paprika 
3 onions, quartered 
5 cloves garlic, peeled Handful fresh coriander
3 cups beef stock 
3 Tbsp harissa paste 
½  lemon, juiced  

FOR THE POLENTA 
4 cups water 
1 tsp salt 
1 cup polenta 
2 Tbsp butter 
Salt and milled black pepper 
115g cream cheese 
2 Tbsp fresh coriander or parsley, chopped  

Method

1. Drizzle lamb with oil and season. Rub with ground coriander, cumin and paprika. 
2. Heat oil in a large pot and brown lamb in batches for about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside. 
3. Add onions and garlic to the same pot and fry for about 5 minutes. 
4. Return lamb to pot and add fresh coriander, stock and harissa. Simmer gently, covered, for about 21/2 hours or until meat is tender. 
5. 5. Remove lamb and blitz remaining liquid until smooth. 
6. Simmer sauce until reduced by half. Season well and add a squeeze of lemon. 
7. To make the polenta, bring water and salt to the boil. 
8. Whisk in polenta, taking care to beat out any lumps. Add butter. 
9. Whisk until polenta thickens slightly, then cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. 
10. Season well and stir through cream cheese and herbs. 11. Serve lamb with polenta and sauce.

Chef’s Tip: Mix together ¼  cup chopped herbs (parsley, mint and coriander), 1 grated garlic clove, zest of 2 lemons and 1 chopped red chilli. Sprinkle lamb and polenta with this mixture to cut the richness.  

Little Chef: Kids can lend a hand by rubbing the lamb with spices or by stirring the herbs and cream cheese into cooked polenta.

 

Roasted veg panzanella 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20-25 Min 

Ingredients

1 punnet baby marrows, thickly sliced 
2 red onions, cut into eighths 
Glug olive oil 
2 cloves garlic, sliced 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed 
4 plum tomatoes, quartered 
½  loaf ciabatta, torn into chunks 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
Handful fresh basil, torn 
2 wheels feta, crumbled  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Arrange baby marrows and onions on a greased baking tray. 
3. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic and season well. Roast for about 10-15 minutes. 
4. Toss through asparagus, tomatoes and ciabatta, and add another glug of olive oil, if needed. Roast for 5 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven, toss through zest and lemon juice. Scatter with fresh basil and feta to serve.

Chef’s Tip: This salad works well with any root vegetables such as regular or sweet potato, beetroot, carrots, and fennel.