It’s hot outside.  That means salads inside.  Lots of salads.  We have a work-friend of Victor’s staying with us tonight, so he asked yet another friend to join us for dinner tonight.   These three are triple-trouble.  What a hoot!

Grilled marinated chicken atop salad greens, blanched green beans, fava beans, broccoli and cauliflower, hard-cooked eggs (NOT left over from Easter!) tomatoes, mushrooms, black grapes, blueberries, and a mango dressing.  I also reworked last nights rice into a rice salad.

And a small loaf of homemade whole wheat bread.

And chocolate mousse.  Valrhona chocolate mousse.

With raspberries.

It’s a basic cornstarch pudding base with whipped cream folded in, with crushed raspberries and additional Valrhona chocolate chunks.

Yum.

Valrhona Chocolate Pudding

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• pinch salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 6 ounces Valrhona chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the cornstarch, sugar, espresso powder, and salt in a heavy pan. Slowly whisk in the milk. Place over low heat stirring well.  After about 10 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Cover with plastic and cool completely.

For mousse, whip 1 cup of heavy cream with 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp espresso powder, and 1/4 cup sugar until stiff.  Fold into chilled pudding.