Welcome to Mum&sons

My two eldest boys challenged me to start a cooking blog with simple recipes that we can cook together - and my youngest one has now joined in. I am hoping they pick up some cooking and photograph skills... or that at least they learn to design and run a blog.


SALMON IN PAPILLOTE

Fish in papillote is a very healthy and easy meal. You need:
- a steak of salmon
- half a carrot
- half a leak
- half a courgette
- half a lemon: zest and juice
- salt
-1 table spoon of olive oil
- a splash of white wine

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.
Take a big rectangle of aluminium foil.  Put the oil on top. Salt the fish and put it on the olive oil. Cut the carrot courgettes and leaks in thin batons and put them on the salmon. Add the zest of the lemon, the lemon juice and the wine. Make a packet or bag with the olive oil sealing well all the sides so that air cannot get out. If you are not sure that it is properly closed put the packet on another piece of foil and seal it too. Put the packet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

The flavors are very subtle so most children like this. You can serve it with rice or mash potatoes. You can also do this with cod, halibut or any other vegetables. If you are serving this to adults you may want to cut the baking time to 10 minutes.


CHOCOLATE MOUSSE



This is very very delicious - and a bit (only a bit though) healthier than normal chocolate mousse.

You need:
80 ml refined olive oil (unless you are an olive oil addict it is better to avoid virgin olive oil for this as the taste is very strong)
60 gr caster sugar
150 gr dark chocolate
4 large eggs (separated)

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a pan over a bowl of simmering water. Once it is melted let it cool down a little. Add the 4 egg yokes and whisk it all well. It will become a very thick paste. Then pour the olive oil slowly while you keep whisking it.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Then add the sugar and keep whisking until the mixture becomes glossy. Beat one third of the egg whites with the chocolate mixture. Then fold in carefully the remaining egg whites.
Pour in a glasses or ramekins and let it cool down in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle a little bit of Maldon salt over the mousse before serving it.  You can also shape the mousse into  'quenelles' with a spoon (warmed under the hot water tap) and serve it with an orange salad. 

Anything that involves chocolate and whisking egg whites is a winner with my children.They thought that the taste was interesting and even tried the salt. The recipe contains raw eggs so eat within 24 hours (this suited us fine)