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.


YOGURT DESSERT

This is not a proper recipe, but rather a nice combination of flavours. I suppose it works for breakfast too, but we have it for dessert at dinners with friends when you cannot be bothered to prepare anything else. It looks really pretty and the flavours combination is great so everybody likes it.

You need:
- yogurt
- pomegranate
- a few leaves of mint
- walnuts, pecan nuts of hazelnuts
- honey

Put the pomegranate, and nuts on top of the yogurt. Pour the honey on top and decorate with the mint leaves.

Even my 6 years old can make this…


EASTER CHICKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP

This is a traditional Spanish soup for Easter. It is often made with salted cod, but since we did not have any we did the vegetarian version of it which is still very good. It is very filling though.

You need:
- 200 gr dried chickpeas
- two onions (one whole and another one sliced thinly)
- a bay leaf
- a carrot
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 200 g spinach
- one garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (sliced thinly)
- half a teaspoon of powdered cumin
- a teaspoon of smoked paprika ('pimenton' -  they sell this in most supermarkets now)
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- salt
 
The night before you are going to prepare this soak the chickpeas in cold water (cover them completely) and leave them overnight. The following morning get rid of the water.

Put the chickpeas into a pan, add boiling water (not too much, just to cover them), salt, a peeled carrot (do not dice it), the onion (whole) and the bay leaf. Boil for an hour and a half to 1.45 hours.

While the chickpeas are simmering heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and mince garlic and let it fry over low heat for 10-ish minutes until they are soft. Then add the cumin, pimento and finally the spinach leaves. Wait for a couple of minutes until the spinach leaves wilt. When the chickpeas are ready add all this to them. Then dice the whites of the two hard boiled eggs and add them to the pan.

This tastes better the day after you have cooked it.



ASPARAGUS WITH POACHED EGG

We tried this on Sunday for lunch. Only because one of my sons wanted to learn to poach eggs. It is rather easy. Neither him nor my youngest son were keen on the asparagus though, but they enjoyed the egg with bread sticks (though they still prefer fried eggs - rightly so). We could not find British asparagus yet but the season is apparently coming early this year - they are said to be the best asparagus in the world, so if you have the chance to buy them, do so.

You need;
- a few asparagus per person (4-5)
- an egg per person
- salt
- lots of boiling water
- a few drops of vinegar

Get two pans (over medium heat) and add boiling water to each of them. Put the asparagus in one of them with a pinch of salt. Let them simmer for 3-4 minutes. When they are ready put them over kitchen paper to get rid of any water.

In the other pan add the vinegar drops. Crack the egg in a bowl, then with a spoon create a whirlpool effect in the pan and add the egg (carefully). Let it simmer for 4.30 minutes and take it out with a slotted spoon. Put if briefly also over the kitchen paper to get rid of any water.

Put the asparagus on the egg. We just added a bit of salt on the egg. You can also grill the asparagus and add parmesan and a bit of balsamic vinegar on top.