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.


LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

This is a very easy cake. We have tried and mixed various recipes. You need:
- 225 g butter (soft)
- 225 g sugar
- 225 g plain flour
- 3 eggs
- one teaspoon of baking powder
- 100 ml milk
- juice and zest of two lemons

For the topping:
- juice of two more lemons
- 150 gr sugar

Preheat the oven at 170 degrees. Beat all the ingredients of the cake together. Put the mixture into a greased and lined loaf tray. Bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile mix the lemons and sugar for the toping. When the cake is ready, wait for 10 minutes and pour the syrup on top.




HAKE IN GREEN SAUCE - MERLUZA EN SALSA VERDE

Hake is 'the fish' in Spain and you can find it in every Spanish fishmonger. Good hake is flaky and has a subtle taste. It is very difficult to find it in British supermarkets, but you can get  it at fishmongers (including online ones) and its price is more or less as haddock's.

This dish comes from the North of Spain. The key is not to overcook the fish (this goes for any fish really)

You need:
- a portion of hake per person. We did it with a filet per person as we could not find sliced hake, but it is better (and more authentic) if you do a thick slice per person.
- olive oil (3 tablespoons)
- salt
- a handful of clams
- half a handful of chopped parsley
- one onion (chopped thinly)
- two cloves of garlic (chopped thinly)
- a glass of white wine
- a glass of water
- a tablespoon of flour

Put the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic under slow heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add the flour and mix well for a minute or so.  Add the wine. Wait for a minute and then add the chopped parsley, the bay leave and a little bit of salt. Then add the water and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes. Finally add salt the fish (on both sides) and add the fish to the pan. Let it all simmer for 5 minutes (do not turn the fish over or you will break it)

While the fish is cooking, heat a frying pan and add the clams. In less than a minute they will open up (discard the ones that do not). Add the clams to the pan with the fish.

You can also cook the sauce in advance, reheat it and cook the fish in it just before you are going to eat it.

GUACAMOLE

Despite I have been cooking with my children for more than three years now and have introduced them to more than 200 recipes and all sorts of food, during the last school parent's evening I had the humiliation of reading how my youngest son had said  (in writing!) that his favourite food is... Chili Doritos. On the basis of the principle that 'if you can't beat them, join them' I have showed  them how to make guacamole this weekend. Big success. The Doritos in the picture are Cheese ones as the Chili Doritos disappeared before we managed to take the picture.

You need:
- two ripe avocados
- salt
- juice of 1.5 limes
- half a chill deseeded and chopped very thinly
- 1 tomato - tope very thinly (use only the outside of the tomato, not the seeds)
- 1 spring onion - chopped thinly
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream (you can use 1.5 spoons of philadelphia if you do not have sour cream)
- a handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Peel the avocados. Mash them with the fork. Add the lime juice immediately so that the avocados do not loose their green colour. Add all other ingredients. Mix well. Open a bag of Doritos. Job done.