Make a Valentine's meal to impress

Valentine’s Day is all about showing our partner we care, and how better than with food. We cannot let this day go by without preparing our partner with a delightful dinner for two.

The menu Pippa Mattei proposes is easy and quick to prepare even if you have a busy schedule. Do all the shopping in good time and it should not take you more than one hour and a half to prepare the following  dinner.

Avocado shrimp cocktail

Ingredients

• 300g fresh shrimps or prawns

Or

• 150g good quality frozen, cooked shrimps, defrosted
• 1 avocado (half each)
• Cayenne pepper

Sauce

• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. If using fresh shrimps or prawns, dry fry in a frying pan until they change colour (approx. 5 mins). When cool, peel and set aside.
2. To make the sauce, mix all sauce ingredients together testing for seasoning. Cover with cling film and set aside in fridge.
3. To assemble, mix cooked prawns into the prepared sauce.
4. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit (Do this just before serving to avoid discolouring)
5. Fill the halved avocados with the prawn mixture.
6. Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper and serve on individual plates.

Peppered fillet steaks

Ingredients

• 2 thick, good-quality steaks (fillet or rib-eye or anything you prefer)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• Whole or crushed Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp soya or Worcestershire sauce
• Brandy
• 4 tbsp cream

Method

1. Marinate steaks in Worcestershire or soya sauce, and some pepper. Leave in fridge till you are ready to cook them.
2. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a solid frying pan.
3. When sizzling, add steaks and fry for 5 mins on each side adding a good amount of the pepper on both sides.
4. Add the brandy and a little salt and fry for another 2 mins.
5. Check for rareness and when ready, add the fresh cream.
6. Turn steaks twice till coated in the cream/pepper sauce, and serve immediately with chips and either steamed green vegetables or a fresh salad.

Perfect fries

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 medium potatoes per person
• Coarse salt

Method

1. Peel and slice potatoes, cutting the slices into fine strips.
2. Cook in VERY hot oil shaking the pan now and again, and ONLY when turning golden, toss with a large slotted spoon till well cooked.
3. Take out carefully with the slotted spoon, put into a bowl lined with a piece of kitchen paper (to absorb the oil).
4. Add salt and pepper and then remove the paper and serve at once.

Tip:

Start cooking chips, and when about half cooked, fry your steaks.

Fresh green salad

Dress your salad with one of two options; an oriental dressing with sesame oil and rice vinegar or a more traditional Mediterranean dressing with mustard and balsamic vinegar

Ingredients

• 1 packet mixed salad leaves
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• Fresh coriander (optional)
• Handful pine nuts (optional)
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Mediterranean dressing

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Squeeze fresh lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil

Oriental dressing

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sake, rice wine or mirin
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• Handful pine nuts and sesame seeds

Method

1. Mix salad and coriander leaves.
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and mix into the salad leaves.
3. To make the Mediterranean dressing, blend the first five ingredients then slowly add the oil mixing all the time so that it emulsifies and you have the right amount for your salad.
4. To make the Oriental dressing, dry fry or roast the pine nuts and sesame seeds being careful not to burn them. Whisk the remaining ingredients together.
5. Dress the salad with your preferred dressing just before serving and toss.
6. Add the pine nuts and serve.

Chocolate fondue

• 300g dark chocolate (70% cacao), broken into pieces
• 4 tbsp cream or crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp Grand Marnier liquor
• Assorted fruit of your choice – strawberries, bananas, tangerine and orange segments, cherries, kiwis or apples.

Method

1. Peel and chop the fruit into large bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat the chocolate pieces in a bowl set over simmering water (bain marie).
3. When beginning to melt, add the cream and the Grand Marnier.
4. Mix well and when smooth and heated through, transfer to your fondue bowl, light a heating candle underneath to keep the chocolate warm and soft.
5. Serve immediately.

Tip:

If you do not have a chocolate fondue set, pour the chocolate into warm bowls and eat with fruit straight away.

These recipes and more can be found in Pippa's Festa (which makes a perfect Valentine's gift!)