Cherished Mother's Day Recipes From Top Chicago Chefs That Mom Will Love
Have you heard the saying “Cooking is love made visible”? This Mother’s Day, show Mom how much you love her by cooking one of these delicious recipes from our esteemed chefs and corporate partners!
From cherished meals passed down through generations to nostalgic treats that bring back fond memories, these culinary delights are perfect for a Mother’s Day celebration:
Cornbread Muffins (D'Andre Carter: Soul & Smoke)
Chicken & Artichokes (Paul Virant: Vistro Prime, Gaijin, & Petite Vie)
Duck Fat Waffle (Donald Young: Duck Sel)
Enfrijoladas (Daniel Espinoza: Santa Masa Tamaleria)
Mom's Meatloaf (Mary Smith: Edlong Employee)
Enjoy!
Want to give moms coping with cancer a chance to celebrate more Mother's Days for years to come?
Cornbread Muffins
D'Andre Carter: Soul & Smoke
Soul & Smoke is a culinary haven where southern soul meets Chicago flair. Chef D'Andre Carter's innovative take on comfort food has earned Soul & Smoke a top spot among Chicago's culinary scene.
"My mom and grandma would always eat cornbread with red beans and rice and collard greens, but it’s also a nice snack to have around the house anytime." ~ Chef D'Andre Carter
Ingredients:
1 lb unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 lb frozen yellow corn
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 and 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat a convection oven to 350°F.
Generously coat muffin tins with pan spray.
Heat a thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add butter and frozen corn. Cook until the mixture is heated through and starts bubbling.
Add brown sugar and stir until it's fully incorporated. Continue cooking until a nutty scent develops. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, sift together the remaining dry ingredients and set aside.
Using a blender, process the corn mixture until smooth. Then, add milk, cream, and eggs to the corn puree. Work in batches if necessary.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth and free from lumps.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tins.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the tops of the muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Chicken & Artichokes
Paul Virant: Vistro Prime, Gaijin, Petite Vie
Chef Paul Virant brings his culinary expertise to Vistro Prime, Gaijin, and Petite Vie, offering a fusion of flavors. With a focus on fresh, quality ingredients, Chef Virant's dishes are both delicious and comforting.
"This is my wife's recipe and it's super simple and delicious! Our two boys asked for this more than any other dish growing up!" ~ Chef Paul Virant
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 oz) can of artichokes
2 tablespoons of butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
In a 2 qt dutch oven, heat to medium.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken breasts in 1 tablespoon of butter, both sides. Then, remove them from the pan.
Add the smashed garlic and sliced shallots to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add the canned artichokes to the pan and cook until they are reduced by half.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat until the breasts are cooked through.
Uncover the pan and add chopped parsley, the remaining butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the chicken and artichokes with steamed rice and sautéed spinach.
Duck Fat Waffle
Chef Donald Young: Duck Sel
Chef Donald Young brings his culinary magic to Duck Sel, where traditional flavors meet innovative techniques. With a focus on quality ingredients and creative presentation, his dishes are a true delight and beloved by the Culinary Care community!
"Cooking with my mom when I was younger holds a special place in my heart. Those were the initial moments where my love for cooking began! This waffle recipe represents these fun memories I had growing up - from cooking family dinners to making desserts side by side with my mom in the kitchen.” ~ Chef Donald Young
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose Flour (such as King Arthur brand)
2 tablespoons milk powder
2 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (equivalent to 4 tablespoons)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon osmotolerant yeast (dry active yeast will work, but will rise more slowly)
1/4 cup pearl sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Warm the milk to about 90-95°F and dissolve the yeast in it. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and bloomed yeast. Add the flour and milk powder on top. Mix on slow to medium speed with a dough hook attachment for about 2-3 minutes until the ingredients are well combined and a smooth dough forms.
Add brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and one cube of butter into the dough. Increase the mixer speed and allow the butter to incorporate into the dough.
Once most of the first cube of butter is mixed, add the next cube and repeat until all the butter is incorporated. Mix on medium to high speed for about 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn off the mixer and add the pearl sugar. Mix on low speed to slowly incorporate the pearl sugar into the dough.
Cover the bowl with a wet towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof for one hour or until it doubles in size.
Portion each waffle to about 4 oz or to your desired size that will fit in your waffle iron.
Allow the waffle dough to proof for about an hour, or until it almost doubles in size again. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough for a day or two or freeze it for up to a month.
Preheat your waffle iron to medium heat. Once hot, place the waffle dough in the iron and gently press it down. Cook for about 3 minutes until the waffle is golden brown and crispy.
Enfrijoladas
Chef Daniel Espinoza: Santa Masa Tamaleria
Santa Masa Tamaleria, located in the heart of Chicago, is known for its authentic Mexican cuisine crafted with love and tradition. Chef Daniel Espinoza brings his passion for Mexican flavors to every dish, creating culinary experiences that warm the soul.
"My mom used to make these growing up. They might resemble enchiladas in a sense, but it was something so nostalgic and comforting that I'm glad to see it on brunch menus nowadays." ~ Chef Daniel Espinoza
Ingredients:
2 cups pinto beans
1 onion
Queso fresco
Sour cream
Tortillas
Radishes
Avocado
2 bay leaves
2 avocado leaves
Cilantro sprigs
6 cloves of garlic
2 jalapeños
Cooking Instructions:
Cook two cups of pinto beans over medium heat with half an onion, 2 bay leaves, 2 avocado leaves, and cilantro sprigs until the beans are tender and soupy.
Add 6 cloves of garlic and 2 jalapeños to the simmering beans.
Once the beans are cooked, slightly overcook them and then purée them into a sauce.
In a separate pan, sear the tortillas in oil until they're lightly browned. Then, stuff them with queso fresco and roll them onto your plate.
Pour the bean sauce over the rolled tortillas.
Garnish with more cheese, shaved radishes, onions, avocado, and cilantro.
Mom's Meatloaf
Mary Smith: Edlong Employee
Edlong has been a proud partner of Culinary Care for nearly 8 years! Their involvement has helped fill plates and hearts with essential cancer-fighting ingredients — a warm meal, hope, love, and community support. (Want to get your company involved? Click here.)
“Mom cooked everything with love and creativity. One of everyone's favorite things about when Mom made meatloaf was sandwiches with the leftovers the next day. We loved them!” ~ Mary Smith
Ingredients:
3 ½ pounds ground beef
1 ½ cups minute oats or breadcrumbs
1 onion, diced
2 eggs
¼ cup chili sauce (optional)
1 cup ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients together without overmixing.
Form the mixture into a loaf in a roasting pan or place it in a loaf pan.
Bake in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes.
Optional: During the last 10 minutes of baking, top with more ketchup and/or serve with brown gravy.
Help Moms Like Jamie Celebrate More Mother’s Days
Providing a free, nourishing meal for a mom during cancer treatment can be as easy as a small monthly donation. You’ll help fill a mom's plate with nourishing food and her heart with happiness, a sense of community, and hope. We think that’s a pretty great way to celebrate Mother’s Day!
“We’re having a lot of financial trouble so sometimes it’s a matter of not having anything to bring for myself and it’s very expensive to eat at the hospital. Without these meals, I may not eat at all. I cannot thank Culinary Care and the partnering restaurants enough for the delicious and healthy meals.” ~ Jamie
