Drizzled sorbet, Scotch eggs and scones: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Mother’s Day treats – recipes | Mothers’ Day

A scotch egg, a scone, a sorbet and a sgroppino: nothing says Mother’s Day tea like a mix of dishes that, when put together, seem slightly out of place, but are all made with so much love. Focus on one of today’s deals, or go with all three. Extra points for anyone who can put them all on a platter and present them to a still-sleeping mum at lunchtime – or maybe teatime – tomorrow. On your marks, ready? Go!

Blood orange sgroppino (top photo)

This gorgeous Venetian cocktail, paired with all the great Italian finds, is simple and immeasurably delicious, and will make any celebration that much more special. I recommend doubling the amount of sorbet, as it’s a tasty treat anytime. You can find liquid glucose in the baking section of most supermarkets.

Preparation 5 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Freeze 24h+
Serves 4

For the sorbet
120ml liquid glucose
260g caster sugar
80 ml sweet red vermouth – I used Martini Rosso
560 ml of fresh blood Orange juice (i.e. from about 10 blood oranges), or regular fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the sgroppino
1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
½ teaspoon flaked salt (optional)
1-2 limesquartered (optional)
360ml prosecco (about ½ bottle)

First prepare the sorbet. Put the glucose, sugar and 270 ml of water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then stir in the vermouth, orange juice and lemon juice. Pour into a suitable container, seal and freeze for 12 hours or overnight, until solid.

Take the block of ice cream obtained from its container and, using a rolling pin, gently break it into small pieces of about 5 cm. Put them in a food processor and blitz until all the ice crystals have broken up and the mixture looks a bit like a thick fruit smoothie. Put back in the container and freeze again for two to three hours: the sorbet obtained must be soft and easy to grasp.

One hour before serving, put four glasses of champagne in the fridge or freezer to chill.

Combine the sumac and salt, if using, in a small plate. Rub a wedge of lime, if using, all around the rim of each chilled glass, then dip and swirl the top of each glass in the sumac mixture, to coat the rim a little.

To assemble the sgroppino, put 720g (or about eight scoops) of sorbet in a blender with the prosecco and blitz for 10 seconds, until thick but not melty. Pour into chilled glasses, to fill them all three-quarters full, quickly cover each with another half scoop of sorbet, squeeze a little lime juice if desired and serve immediately.

Scones with rhubarb and ginger compote

Sweet, salty and tangy compote is the star here, but if time is of the essence or you don’t have rhubarb, the smell of freshly baked scones alone will be a winner in any Mother’s Day scenario. .

Preparation 10 minutes
Steep 10 mins+
Cook 1 hour
Makes 8

for the compote
200g forced (or regular) rhubarbtrimmed and cut into 3 cm pieces
10g of gingerpeeled, coarsely cut into 4 pieces
3 cardamom podsslightly sunken
½ lemon
100g caster sugar
2 vanilla podssplit lengthwise or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the scones
250g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
70 g cold unsalted butterdiced
Fine sea salt
155 g cold liquid kefir in the fridge or buttermilkplus 1 extra tbsp
40 g runny honey
150g fresh cream

Put all the ingredients for the compote in a small saucepan and leave to macerate for at least 10 minutes (and up to two hours). Add two tablespoons of water to the pot, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat – this should take about 12 minutes, during which time the rhubarb should soften but hold its shape. As soon as the liquid begins to simmer, strain it through a small sieve placed over a heatproof bowl, then remove the ginger, cardamom, lemon and vanilla pods and return them to the pan. saucepan with all the strained liquid. Boil for two minutes, until reduced by half. Transfer the rhubarb pieces to a bowl, then strain the reduced liquid over the top and remove and discard the ginger, cardamom, lemon and vanilla. Refrigerate compote until needed.

Heat the oven to 220 C (200 C fan)/425 F/gas 7. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter and half a teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a food processor and mix to form coarse crumbs (if you don’t have a food processor, use your hands to rub the butter into the flour). Transfer to a large bowl and make a well in the center.

Mix kefir and honey, then pour it into the well. Using a butter knife, stir the kefir into the flour until it all comes together in a shaggy mass, then invert onto a clean work surface. Fold the dough over on itself six times, tucking any dry bits back into the mixture until most of them are incorporated – you don’t want to overwork it; the dough should be slightly sticky and shaggy. Shape the dough into a round 5cm thick, then use a 5cm round cookie cutter to cut out six scones. Roll out the scraps of dough to 5cm thick, then cut out two more scones, so you now have eight in total.

Arrange the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush the top with the extra tablespoon of kefir, then bake for 13 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, cut each scone in half and spoon a generous dollop of clotted cream over the base. With the back of the spoon, make a small well in the middle of the cream, then place a spoonful of rhubarb compote on top. Drizzle with a little more rhubarb juice and serve.

Nothing beats a homemade Scotch egg (or at least nothing says, “Look how much effort I put into telling you I love you!” anymore). The Levantine lamb mix in this one is wonderfully versatile, so feel free to make more and turn them into meatballs (for you and/or your mom). If you can’t find thin bulgur, use instant couscous. I like to serve them with tahini sauce, but feel free to swap them out for yogurt or your favorite hot sauce.

Preparation 30 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Serves 4

40g fine bulgur (see recipe introduction)
5 large cold eggs in the fridge
200g minced lamb (15-20% fat, ideally)
½ small onionpeeled and finely chopped (70g)
2 cloves garlicpeeled and crushed
10g chopped parsley
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemonfinely grated zest, to obtain 1 teaspoon, then squeezed, to obtain 2 tablespoons
Fine sea salt
40g plain flour
50g panko breadcrumbs
500ml vegetable oilfor frying
50g of tahini
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

Put the bulgur in a heatproof bowl, pour 70 ml of boiling water, cover with a plate and steam for 20 minutes, until the bulgur is cooked.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then add four of the eggs and boil over medium-high heat for seven minutes. Drain then plunge immediately into cold water to stop the eggs from cooking, then peel them carefully and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the lamb, onion, half the crushed garlic, parsley, allspice, cinnamon and lemon zest in a food processor along with three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt , and blend for one minute until well blended.

Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and whisk. Mix the flour and a quarter teaspoon of salt in a second small bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and cooked bulgur in a third small bowl.

To build the scotch eggs, divide the lamb mixture into four equal portions and place each between two sheets of parchment paper. Using your hands, press down each portion of lamb mixture, working it into a circle 10cm wide x just under ½cm thick. Peel off the top layer of paper from a circle of lamb and place a peeled egg in the center. Pull the sides of the paper under the lamb mixture, so it envelops the egg, then smooth out the spaces and set aside. Repeat with lamb rings and remaining eggs.

Then, working one egg at a time, roll it first in the flour, then dip it in the egg mixture and finally roll it in the panko mixture, to coat it evenly. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Place the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Oil is ready for frying when it registers 175°C on a thermometer (or when a pinch of panko sizzles and begins to color immediately). Gently lower two eggs and fry for three to four minutes, turning once halfway through with a slotted spoon, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining Scotch Eggs.

For the tahini sauce, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, remaining crushed garlic, three tablespoons of water and one-eighth of a teaspoon of salt in a small bowl until smooth.

Cut each egg in half, season the inside with a pinch of salt and Aleppo pepper, and serve hot with the tahini sauce on the side for dipping.