A Special Dinner for Mom

Story And Photographs By

NATALIE FINDLAY

Moms work tirelessly to make sure breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are always ready. Now it’s your turn to make something for her. These four delicious and simple dinner options will make her feel special, and say thank you this Mother’s Day.

Lemon Herb Pork Tenderloin Serves 2 - 3

580 g pork tenderloin

2 Tbs butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ tsp fresh thyme

1 Tbs fresh parsley

½ Tbs fresh oregano

1 Tbs fresh sage

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 lemon, juice and zest

½ cup (125 mL) chicken or beef stock Dollop of butter

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.

2. Season the pork with the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper.

3. Add butter to an oven-safe pan over medium heat, and melt.

4. Place pork in the pan and brown on all sides and put the pan in the oven. Roast for approximately 12 minutes or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145º F. Remove pork from the pan and let rest on a plate.

5. In the same pan, over medium heat, add the juice from the lemon and the stock and let reduce over medium high heat 5 minutes. Add any remaining juices from the resting pork tenderloin.

6. Remove pan from heat and add a dollop of butter and gently swirl to incorporate. Slice the tenderloin into medallions and drizzle with the gravy.

Suggested sides: roasted mushrooms, asparagus and broccolini.

Creamy Chicken with Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts (or legs or thighs)

1 tsp salt and pepper

1 Tbs (15 mL) olive oil

1 chorizo sausage

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1 Tbs fresh oregano, roughly chopped

5 sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cup (125 mL) white wine

1½ cups (375 mL) milk of choice

1 cup spinach, thinly sliced

¼ cup Kalamata olives

2 Tbs parsley, roughly chopped

1. Season chicken breasts (or legs or thighs) with salt and pepper.

2. Slice chorizo sausage on the diagonal.

3. Over medium heat, add olive oil to a Dutch oven or pan with a lid. Add chorizo sausage to the pan and brown the sausage, 3-5 minutes. Remove sausages from the pan.

4. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides and remove from pan.

5. Add the garlic, oregano, and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute.

6. Add the white wine and cook a couple of minutes. Add your milk and stir.

7. Add the spinach, chicken, and sausage to pan. Reduce heat slightly and cook until chicken is cooked through approximately 20 minutes (depending on whether you are cooking breasts or legs and thighs and whether they are bone in or out).

8. Finish with the addition of Kalamata olives and garnish with parsley.

Roasted Salmon with Fennel and Orange

Serves 4-6

1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced

16 stalks asparagus, trimmed

1 red pepper, sliced

1 tbs (15 mL) olive oil

½ tsp sea salt and pepper

600g salmon filet

5 fresh dill fronds

12 small tomatoes

1 orange, sliced on the round

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.

2. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment, add the fennel, asparagus, and red pepper (leave room for the salmon and tomatoes). Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.

3. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, dill, and olive oil.

4. Add the tomatoes and salmon to the baking sheet and lay the slices of orange over the salmon.

5. Roast everything another 12-15 minutes (or until salmon has cooked through). Garnish with fresh dill fronds.

Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Labneh and Fresh Veggies

Serves 4-6

2 cups (500 mL) Greek yogurt (instructions below, start the day before)

1 lemon, zested

½ tsp sea salt

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs parsley, fine chopped

1 lemon, juiced

½ tsp sea salt and pepper

4-6 cups leafy greens (your favourite kind)

3 golden beets

16 stalks asparagus

12 cherry tomatoes

½ head romanseco/green cauliflower (or any colour)

1 watermelon radish (or 3 regular radishes), sliced thin

12 olives

450 g raw shrimp

1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

1 baguette or crusty sour dough loaf, toasted

1. To make labneh, mix 2 cups of Greek yogurt with the lemon zest. Line a deep bowl with 2 layers of cheese cloth, scoop the mixture onto the cheese cloth. Lay a wooden spoon across the bowl or measuring cup and tie the cheese cloth to the wooden spoon so the yogurt can drain. Let sit in the fridge for approximately 24 hours.

2. Make the dressing (can be made the day before as well). In a small glass jar add olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Shake to combine.

3. On your serving platter, place a bowl to hold the shrimp then surround the bowl with your greens.

4. Wash the beets, prick with a fork, and wrap in foil. Roast at 400º F for 45-60 minutes. Let cool slightly, peel, and cut into wedges.

5. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add the asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.

6. Lay the beets on top of greens along with the roasted cauliflower, asparagus, and tomatoes. Add the sliced radishes and olives.

7. Place bread on a serving plate. Remove labneh (strained Greek yogurt) from fridge and place on a serving plate.

8. Heat a medium pot filled 2/3 with water. When it reaches a boil, add the shrimp. Cook just until they change colour approximately 3-5 minutes. Strain.

9. Add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and stir to combine for 1 minute. Pour shrimps into serving bowl. Top veggies with the dressing. Enjoy with a crisp white wine.