Johannesburg - Although many romantics will be packing restaurants this Valentine’s Day, it’s always a nice option to enjoy a romantic meal at home.
Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, which gives you the time to prepare that special meal.
Four talented chefs from Montecasino devised a menu to capture your loved one’s heart. Impressive and tasty, these recipes will be sure to stir the senses and inspire romance.
I made sure they were user-friendly for home cooks, adapting the chefs’ methods where necessary or suggesting shortcuts.
Then I made the recipes myself at home – all the courses in under two hours. And they were not too difficult to prepare. So enjoy!
APPETIZER
David Williams is the Montecasino complex executive chef as well as the head chef at Jenda restaurant.
LAVENDER MARINATED PRAWNS
Serves 2
6 large prawns, deveined
15ml lavender flowers, picked from the stalks
50ml dry white wine
20ml honey
salt and pepper
olive oil for cooking
DRESSING
30ml lime juice
10ml apple cider vinegar
5ml honey
10ml olive oil
micro herbs and edible flowers to serve
Place the prawns in a container. Combine the lavender, wine, honey and some seasoning and pour over the prawns. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cook the prawns in a hot pan with a little olive oil.
Serve on a bed of micro herbs, drizzled with the dressing and garnished with flowers.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
ROSE COSMOPOLITAN
1 tot of vodka
1 tot of Cointreau
1 tot of rose liqueur
2 tots of pomegranate juice
ice to serve
Place all the ingredients with the ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into a glass and garnish with a rose petal if desired.
STARTER
Kenneth Ngubane, executive chef, Aarya restaurant at the SunSquare Hotel.
TRIO OF SALMON
Serves 2
100g thinly sliced smoked salmon or trout
30ml balsamic glaze
200g best-quality fresh salmon
10ml castor sugar
15ml vodka
15ml lime juice
15ml orange juice
10ml chopped dill
salt and pepper
15ml olive oil
10ml lemon juice
15ml finely diced onion
15ml finely diced tomato that has been seeded
10ml finely chopped pickled jalapeno
2ml finely chopped chilli
To garnish, cucumber slices, wedges of lime and micro herbs
Divide the smoked salmon into two and form each portion into a rosette. Refrigerate until required.
Divide the fresh salmon into two portions. Place them in separate containers.
To the one container add the castor sugar, vodka, lime juice, orange juice and dill. Season.
To the other, add the olive oil, lemon juice, diced onion, tomato, jalapeno and chilli. Season to taste.
Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
TO SERVE: Place some balsamic glaze onto a serving plate and arrange the smoked salmon rosette on top. Garnish with a few cucumber slices anda wedge of lime.
Take the first portion of fresh salmon from the vodka marinade and cut it into two portions. Roll into a cylinder shape and place on the plate.
Take the remaining salmon, cut it into thin slices and divide between the two plates.
Garnish with micro herbs.
MAIN COURSE
Jade Sullaphen, executive chef, Punchinellos restaurant at the Southern Sun Montecasino hotel.
ROAST BEEF AND BARLEY
Serves 2
125g butternut, boiled until soft
15g butter
45ml cream
salt and pepper
125ml pearl barley, boiled until soft
45ml cream
15g butter
500g beef fillet
15ml olive oil
30ml English or Dijon mustard
blanched asparagus to serve
prepared beef gravy, warmed
Puree the butternut, butter and cream with a stick blender and season. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Combine the barley with cream and butter and season to taste. Pack some into a ramekin and keep warm until ready to serve.
Rub the fillet with olive oil and season. Brown the outside well in a hot pan.
Remove and place on an oven tray. Rub with mustard.
Roast at 200°C for 15-20 minutes to desired doneness.
Remove and cover with foil to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
TO SERVE: Turn the ramekin filled with barley out on to the plates to form a mound.
Arrange the sliced meat with the butternut puree and asparagus and serve the gravy separately.
Note: You can buy ready-made gravy if you don’t want to prepare it from scratch.
DESSERT
Phumlani Shongwe, executive pastry chef, Medeo restaurant at the Palazzo Hotel
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SLICE
Serves 2
BASE
1 egg
25ml castor sugar
80ml cake flour
20ml cocoa powder
5ml melted butter
FILLING
2 leaves of gelatine
30ml warm water
1 egg
30ml castor sugar
100g dark chocolate, melted and cooled
125ml cream, whipped
TOPPING
90g dark chocolate, chopped
45ml cream
sliced fruit and ice cream to serve
BASE: Line the base and short side of an 18x10cm loaf pan with a long strip of baking paper, making sure the paper overhangs generously. (This will make removing the mousse easier.) Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine egg and sugar in a bowl and, using a handheld electric beater, beat until thick and pale.
Sift the flour and cocoa and fold into the egg mixture.
Mix in the butter.
Pour into the base of the tin. Bake at 180°C for 5-10 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove and cool completely.
FILLING: Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Squeeze out and dissolve in the warm water.
Combine the egg and sugar and beat well until thick and pale.
Beat in the cooled chocolate.
Mix in the gelatine and fold in the whipped cream.
Pour this mixture onto the base in the loaf tin and refrigerate until set. Spread with the topping and return to the fridge until required.
TOPPING: Combine the chocolate and cream in a bowl and microwave on 50 percent power for 1 minute until melted. Stir until smooth and cool. Spread onto the mousse.
TO SERVE: Loosen the sides of the mousse and use the paper strips to lift it out of the pan.
Using a heated knife, cut the loaf into slices. Place a slice onto a serving plate and decorate with fruit and serve with ice cream if desired.
NOTE: An easy alternative to the base of the mousse is to use a biscuit base.
Mix half a packet of crushed chocolate digestive biscuits with 40g melted butter and press into the base of the tin. Refrigerate until firm and pour the mousse on top.
The Star