Here is a menu I put together for you to make a romantic valentines day at home.
Valentines day with
Japanese crusted prawns on a bed of citrus marinated courgette ribbons with a garlic mayonnaise
Splattered toad Sauvignon blanc
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Oven roasted beef fillet with a wild mushroom risotto, seasonal vegetables and a port sauce
Paul Cluver Seven flags Pinot noir
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Rich warm chocolate fondant, vanilla bean custard with a minted citrus salad
Klein Constantia noble late harvest
Japanese crumbed prawns on a bed of marinated courgette ribbons with a garlic mayonnaise
Yield: 2pax
Ingredients:
6 prawns, cleaned
100g flour
5ml salt
2 eggs, beaten
100g Japanese bread crumbs
3 courgettes, thinly sliced into ribbons
50ml olive oil
Seasoning
3 garlic clove, finely chopped
60ml thick mayonnaise
Method:
· Slice the courgettes thinly, place onto a hot grill and grill for a minute on both sides.
· Heat the olive oil gently with 1 clove chopped garlic and seasonings, once almost cooled add the grilled courgettes and allow marinating.
· Mix the rest of the chopped garlic with the mayonnaise and allow infusing.
· Dip the prawns into seasoned flour then into beaten egg and finally into the bread crumbs.
· Deep-fry until golden and cooked then place on top of a bed of courgettes and plate and serve the sauce separately.
Oven roasted beef fillet with a wild mushroom risotto, seasonal baby vegetables and a port sauce
Yield:2
Ingredients:
300g beef fillet
100g risotto rice
50g butter
100ml white wine
250g mixed mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
200g mixed baby vegetables (baby carrots, baby corn, and asparagus)
250ml port, reduced
250ml beef stock
Seasoning
Method:
· Portion the beef into 2x 150g portions.
· In a pot melt the butter and fry the onions for a few minutes, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté gently until cooked down.
· Add the rice to the pot and stir for a minute, add the white wine and once all absorbed start adding another ladel at a time of either water or stock until the risotto is cooked but there is still a bite to the rice. Season well.
· In a pot reduce the port and beef stock until it’s a sauce consistency.
· Blanch the vegetables until just cooked.
· Brown the meat in a hot frying pan then finish cooking in the oven.
· Place a ladel of the risotto on the plate and top with the sliced beef, drizzle over the sauce and serve the veggies separate.
Rich, warm chocolate fondant, vanilla bean custard and a minted citrus salad
Yield: 2 pax
Ingredients:
Cocoa powder for dusting
70g dark chocolate
45g butter
2 eggs
70g sugar
35g flour
2 egg yolks
60g castor sugar
200ml cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds removed
2 oranges, segmented
4 mint leaves, finely sliced
Method:
· Butter the moulds you want to cook the fondant in making sure they are small then dust them with cocoa powder, set aside.
· Melt the chocolate and butter over a pot of water.
· Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy, then fold through the flour and then the melted chocolate mixture.
· Pour the mixture into the mould and fill just over half way. Bake at 180’C for 8-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow sitting for a few minutes then turning out and serving immediately.
· Warm the cream with the vanilla seeds and pods and allow cooling slightly.
· Beat the 2 egg yolks with the castor sugar until combined then slowly start to add the warmed cream with the beans removed. Place back onto a low heat and stir continuously until thick.
· Segment the oranges and combine with the chopped mint.
· Flood the plate with the custard, place the fondant in the middle and top with the orange salad.
