4 Chefs Share Top Recipes that Their Mom Passed Down

Food has always been the gateway to the heart. Whether you’re preparing a meal for someone or the one preparing a meal for someone else, the love that’s shown through the expression of food is what helps to build deeper connections and memorable experiences for those involved. This is especially true for mothers. Black mothers have not only been an anchor in the Black community, but they’ve passed on numerous lessons and experiences to last a lifetime. These four chefs have been honoring the legacy of their mothers by continuing to create dishes that were either household favorites or go-tos in their mothers’ routine.

Alex Hill (@JustAddHotSauce)

Alexandra “Alex” Hill is known for her unique recipes that always feel like home. She’s made it a point to share her creations across social media for others to recreate in a fun, affordable, and easy way. Her passion for cooking was initially introduced by her mother who allowed her curiosity to run free in the kitchen, and always set aside time to cook heart-felt meals for their family.

“My mom who is Puerto Rican and from Brooklyn, NY, knew nothing about Soul Food when she started dating my dad, who is Black, but she wanted to show us our culture through food. So, she would practice cooking Soul Food from Patti Labelle’s Southern Cooking cookbook and made the smothered chicken recipe ALL THE TIME! My brother and I absolutely loved it, and I now make it with my own twists when I want a piece of home, and it’s comforting every single time,” Hill explained to EBONY.

Smothered Chicken

Tools needed: Cast-iron pan, Prep bowls, Chef’s knife, Cutting board, Measuring cup and spoons, Tongs

Ingredients (Serves 2):

2 whole chicken legs or 4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
2 celery stalks (cut on a bias)
1 small yellow onion (sliced)
3 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon better than bouillon chicken base – THE HOLY GRAIL!
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup water (start with 1/2 cup)
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil (about a tablespoon)
Garnishes: parsley
Optional sides: white rice or mashed taters

Directions

Season chicken generously with salt and pepper In a cast iron pan on medium high heat add some EVOO to the pan, and let it get hot.

Add the chicken legs skin side down and let it sear for about 6 minutes until the skin gets a good crust on them. Searing just creates texture to the dish. Flip over and let cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from the pan and lower heat to medium.

Add celery & onions and scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir them around because that’s a TON of flavor. Season with salt and pepper and let sauté for about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 60 seconds.

Add the better than bouillon, stir to combine then add the flour and stir well so the flour taste is cooked off (this just acts as a thickener to get the gravy THICK!)

Add buttermilk, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 cup of water and stir to combine.

Add chicken back into the pan and lower the heat to medium-ish low; you want a gentle simmer. I like to let this cook low and slow, about an hour-ish or more. The flavors really combine as it cooks. Check halfway through and add more water if the sauce is cooking down too quickly. Garnish with parsley, serve over rice or mashed potatoes and lots of gravy.

Jeffery Morneau (@chefjeffdidit)

Jeffery Morneau (also known as Chef Jeff) has let his Haitian roots lead his passion in creating flavorful dishes for family and A-list clients over the course of his career. With almost two decades of experience under his belt, he still keeps himself grounded with the humble beginnings his mother provided him in his childhood kitchen.

“There are certain dishes that don’t just live in your kitchen, they live in your memory. For me, Djon Djon rice and Lambi en sauce are more than just meals; they are moments. My mother didn’t measure. She felt the food. I have adopted that same approach, and these versions are rooted in her techniques but elevated through my own lens,” Morneau told EBONY.

Djon Djon Rice (Black Mushroom Rice) and Lambi Eni Sauce (Stewed Conch)

Djon Djon Rice (Black Mushroom Rice)

Ingredients (Serves 5)

2 cups jasmine rice (washed)
1 cup dried djon djon mushrooms
3 cups water (Haitian rice is best at a 1:1.5 ratio)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion (finely diced)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 scallions, chopped
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp epis (Haitian seasoning base)
1/2 cup green peas or lima beans (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Build the Base: Boil djon djon mushrooms in 4 cups of water for 10–15 minutes. Strain and reserve the black liquid.
Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a pot. Sauté onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and scallions until fragrant.
Bloom the Flavor: Add epis and bouillon. Let it cook down slightly so the flavors bind.
Combine: Add the reserved mushroom liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cook the Rice: Add rice and peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and steam for 18–20 minutes.
Finish: Add butter and fluff gently. The rice should be deep black and “grenen” (al dente/separated,shelly), never “pât” (too soft).

Lambi En Sauce (Stewed Conch)

Ingredients (Serves 5)

2 lbs conch (lambi), cleaned and tenderized
2 tbsp sour orange juice (for cleaning)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp epis
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tsp thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper (whole)
2 tbsp oil
1 cup water or seafood stock
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley (for garnish)

The Chef’s Touch – How I Clean Lambi:

Cut away all dark, tough skin (pink or gray bits).
Trim properly, removing the stomach and any hard pieces.
Optional: Soak briefly in baking soda and water to loosen the texture.
Wash thoroughly with lime or vinegar to remove the ocean scent, then rinse with cold water (avoid hot water as it ruins the texture).
Tenderize by slicing and pounding.
Do not use salt during cleaning, as it will toughen the meat.

Instructions

Clean and Prep: Wash conch with sour orange juice and water. Rinse well.
Tenderize: Pound the conch or pressure cook for 15–20 minutes until tender.
Build the Sauce: Heat oil and sauté onion, garlic, bell peppers, and thyme.
Develop Depth: Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly, then stir in crushed tomatoes.
Season: Add epis, the whole scotch bonnet, and seasoning.
Simmer: Add the conch and liquid. Simmer on low for 45-60 minutes until the flavors marry.
Finish: Remove the scotch bonnet and garnish with fresh parsley.
Serve the Djon Djon rice molded and clean. Place the Lambi either directly over or slightly off-center.

Joseph V. Moore, Jr. (@sirm00re)

As a vegan and plant based chef, Joseph V. Moore Jr. (also known as Sir Moore) makes it a point to go beyond what’s on the plate to make meaningful connections with others. His strong attention to detail and creativity is what’s helped him to build culinary experiences that help draw people in through familiarity. “My mother Shanell, is where it all started for me as well as my grandmother when it comes to cooking. My mom was & still is such a hard worker as a 4 time Grammy Nominated Music Song writer she still made time to cook for me & my sister when she could. She showed me that food doesn’t have to be complicated to mean something. It’s about how you make it, how you feel while you’re cooking and who you’re feeding,” Moore told EBONY.

The impact of his mother’s home-cooked meals as a child left such an impact on his life that he revamped her signature spaghetti recipe to what’s known today as “Shanell Pasta”. This included a swap in angel hair noodles and tomato-based sauce to spaghetti squash pasta and ground mushrooms.

Shanell Pasta

Ingredients

Spaghetti squash (or angel hair pasta)
Finely chopped mushrooms
Tomato sauce (canned or make your own )
Garlic, onion, red & green peppers (small diced)
Olive oil, salt, pepper, seasoning blend

Instructions

Cut open the squash in half. Roast spaghetti squash at 400°F for about 20 minutes, then pull it into strands with a fork.
In a pan, sauté garlic, onion, and peppers in olive oil. Add the mushrooms and season them well.
This can also be substituted for your favorite plant based meats in stores that are not super processed like Abbots mushroom meats or field roast.
Pour in your tomato sauce and let it simmer until everything comes together.
Serve over spaghetti squash (or pasta) gluten free preferably.
Top with Cashew Parmesan

Ashleigh Shanti (@foodordeath_)

As Ashleigh Shanti spearheads a new wave of representation in the culinary space, she still hones in on authenticity and cultural preservation through her style of food preparation. Through a Black Appalachian lens, she’s been able to create a new approach to Southern cuisine that is not only memorable but introduces new layers of depth. Her soup beans and hot water cornbread recipe, which is featured in her cookbook “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens“, is from her mother’s personal recipe collection and continues to be a staple in her household today.

Soup Beans and Hot Water Cornbread

*Photo Credit: Ashleigh Shanti/ “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens”*

Soup Beans

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

1 cup dried beans
Ashleigh’s preference is a blend of pinto and black-eyed peas), soaked in water overnight and drained
½ pound anything fatty, cured, smoked, and from a hog
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

In a large stockpot, combine the drained beans, seasoning meat, onion, and pepper
Fill the pot with enough cool water to cover the beans by 3 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for I minute, then reduce the beat to low to keep the water at a simmer.
Cover the pot and cook the beans for 1 ½ hours, checking to add more water, if necessary, to ensure beans are fully covered.
Test the beans for donenes: Take a single bean and pop it into your mouth. If you can effortlessly smash it against the roof of your mouth using your tongue, they’re done; the beans should be smooth and creamy, not firm.
If they aren’t done, cook for 30 minutes more, then test again. Once the beans are completely cooked, stir in the salt.
Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.

Hot Water Cornbread

Ingredients(Serves 4-6)

1 cup fine yellow commeal
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon bacon grease, plus more for frying

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, and sugar
Add the boiling water and bacon grease and stir to melt together.
Fill a large cast iron skillet with ½ inch of bacon grease and clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side.
Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F. Add batter to the hot grease by the heaping tablespoon and fry until crisp and golden brown, turning halfway through, about four minutes total.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels
To serve, ladle the soup beans in bowls, being sure to add plenty of the beanlikker. Top each bowl with a heaping spoonful of white onion.
Serve with the cornbread and sour corn chow chow alongside.
1 small white onion, finely diced
Sour corn chow recipe can be found on page 57 of “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens”