Easy Valentine’s Night Recipes
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Not keen on all the Valentine’s Day fuss? Then why not grace the kitchen with your presence this Friday 14th. From authentic bruschetta with bresaola to spicy king prawn linguine, these straightforward dinner recipes are guaranteed to impress. Even better, you can pick up all the ingredients you’ll need in one swoop at Waitrose.
STARTERS
Itsu Gyoza With Crunchy Asian-Style Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pack of Itsu gyoza, prawn or veggie
- 1 carrot, peeled & grated
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Half a chopped white or red cabbage
- Half a cucumber, sliced into halves
- A small handful of coriander
- Sesame seeds
- ¼ Cup of soy sauce
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tsp of sesame oil
METHOD
- Combine the carrot, spring onion, white cabbage, coriander and cucumber in a bowl.
- Make a basic dressing of soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil.
- Cook the gyoza as per instructions on the pack.
- Add the dressing to the salad and plate up with the gyoza.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds – and serve.
Bruschetta With Bresaola
INGREDIENTS
- Sourdough loaf, or any crusty bread
- 1 whole burrata, or buffalo mozzarella
- Olive oil
- 1 packet of sliced bresaola
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- Fresh basil, chopped
- Balsamic vinegar
METHOD
- Mix the onion, garlic, tomato and basil in a bowl.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then season to taste.
- Slice the bread and toast on both sides, preferably under a grill with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Place the mixture on the bread, topping off with bresaola and burrata and one more drizzle of olive oil. Serve.
Baked Goats’ Cheese With Caramelised Figs
INGREDIENTS
- 2 x 100g of soft rind goat’s cheese
- 4 figs, halved
- Wild rocket
- Olive oil
- Brown sugar
METHOD
- Place the goats’ cheese into a pre-heated oven (190ºC) on a tray or dish.
- Keep an eye on them until they are firm and golden on the outside, and soft and gooey inside (place a knife in the side to check).
- Dip the fig halves in the sugar and fry in a hot pan until they start to brown.
- Prepare two plates with a bed of rocket. Place the goats’ cheese and figs on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Serve.
MAINS
King Prawn, Garlic & Chilli Linguine
INGREDIENTS
- 180g extra-large king prawns
- 1 red chilli, chopped and de-seeded
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- 200g linguine
- Olive oil
METHOD
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt. Add the linguine and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain and retain a cup of pasta water.
- In a large pan, fry the chilli and spring onion until softened. Add the prawns and garlic, then cook for a further 4 minutes.
- Add the linguine and some of the pasta water to the pan. Season and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Stir until combined. Serve.
Orzo With Greens & Ricotta
INGREDIENTS
- 150g of orzo pasta
- 100g of frozen peas
- 1 packet of kale
- Half a chilli, chopped & de-seeded
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- 1 tub of Italian ricotta
- 1 packet of tenderstem broccoli
METHOD
- Bring a pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and the orzo. Cook for 3 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, add the kale, broccoli and peas.
- In the meantime, fry off the garlic and chilli until soft and leave to the side.
- Drain the water from the orzo and greens, then combine them with the garlic and chilli. Grate in the zest of one lemon, season and top with a dollop of ricotta. Serve.
Salmon Filo Parcels With Thai Curry Paste
INGREDIENTS
- 1 jar of Thai green curry paste
- 8 sheets of filo pastry sheets (4 each)
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 packet of tenderstem broccoli
- 1 x 250g pouch of microwaveable rice
METHOD
- Spread a layer of curry paste on the salmon fillet and wrap it in a couple of sheets of filo pastry.
- Bake in the oven for 20 mins at 180ºC.
- Meanwhile, boil the broccoli and microwave the rice.
- Season and serve.
DESSERT
Gü Chocolate Melting Middles With Berries & Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
- Heat the Melting Middles as per instructions on the pack.
- Plate up and serve with berries and a scoop of ice cream.
INGREDIENTS
- 3-4 tsp of instant coffee
- 250g of mascarpone
- 1 tbsp of cocoa powder
- 6 sponge fingers
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 100g of whipping cream
- Marsala (brandy, rum or amaretto will do)
METHOD
- Mix 3-4 tsp of instant coffee with 3 tbsp of water and combine with a decent glug of Marsala (around 3 tbsp when measured) and 5 tbsp of cold water in a small dish.
- Add the sponge fingers to this mixture until they’ve soaked it up. Then place them at the bottom of two tumbler-sized glasses or bowls.
- Whisk the mascarpone, cream and vanilla extract until combined, then pour over the sponge fingers. Dust with cocoa to finish. Serve.
Pineapple Carpaccio With Coconut Yoghurt
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pineapple
- 1 tbsp of coconut sugar
- Fresh mint
- 1 lime
- Co Yo natural coconut milk yoghurt
METHOD
- Crush some of the mint leaves with a pestle and mortar or rolling pin. Combine with the sugar until it forms a paste.
- Chop the pineapple up and quarter it lengthways. Arrange pineapple pieces on separate plates. Sprinkle over a little sugar and a squeeze of lime.
- Top with a spoonful of yogurt and the crushed mint to serve.
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