It’s one thing to really, really love your food - and yes the pleasure gained from feasting on a morsel of your favourite indulgence is undeniable; but there are also some foods that can make you a better lover! Here are a couple of recipes to help set the mood for you and your partner on Valentine’s Day.
Sweetheart Strawberries
These sweetened berries are delicious on their own, but you can spoon them over a plain cake or dessert, or some vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
1 cup fruity white wine or apple juice
1/3 cup liquid honey
1 stick cinnamon
1 strip lemon rind
4 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
Preparation
In saucepan, combine wine, honey, cinnamon and lemon rind; bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Place strawberries in serving bowl; pour honey-wine mixture over top. (This can be set aside for up to 2 hours.)
Chocolate Passion
Ingredients
1/4 cup cream
225g butter
1 cup sugar
225g bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300° F. Combine cream, butter sugar chocolate and cocoa powder in a bowl. Place over a pan of simmering water and whisk all together. In a separate bowl whip eggs to a thick and pale yellow state. Mix chocolate mixture into eggs. Pour into a buttered and floured 8-inch cake pan. Place in a water bath and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm with plain yoghurt or vanilla ice cream
(Makes 12 servings)
Chargrilled Roquefort Oysters with a bite
Ingredients
1 cup of crumbled Roquefort cheese
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped shallots
1 green (spring) onion, sliced
1/8 cup of honey
1 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of good quality olive oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tablespoon of rock salt
1/2 tablespoon of ground black pepper
12 - 18 oysters on the half shell
Preparation
Combine all ingredients, except oysters, in a mixing bowl. Put oysters on the half shell, over a hot charcoal fire. Place the oysters on a fish/vegetable rack to keep them even on a tray. It is also easy to move them on and off the grill this way. Top each oyster with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and cook until edges of the oysters start to curl - approximately 2 minutes.
Serve with a beetroot and greens salad, and a glass of Champagne.
