Valentine’s Day tradition dictates that we should be wining and dining our other half in some fancy restaurant. That said, what could be more romantic that preparing dinner with your own hands and dining tête-à-tête in the intimacy of your own home? Here’s our proposal for a complete menu, from starter to dessert, ideal for a love-themed evening characterised by good food to celebrate Valentine's Day.
- Truffle-poached egg
- Artichoke risotto with savoury ricotta petals
- Pork loin with spring onions and red wine
- Chocolate ganache with figs and ginger
Truffle-poached egg
Truffle-poached eggs make for a rich and flavourful starter and are perfect to open a dinner characterised by decisive winter flavours.
Ingredients for two:
- 2 tablespoons cream;
- 100 g goat's cheese;
- 50 g Alto Adige speck;
- truffle oil to taste;
- pink pepper;
- thyme.
Method:
- Take two air-tight glass jars or bowls that can withstand high temperatures;
- place a tablespoon of cream in the bottom of each jar, add 50 g of crumbled goat’s cheese and gently place a whole egg on top, taking care not to break the yolk;
- season with salt and pink pepper before tightly sealing the jars or covering the bowls with cling film;
- carefully place the jars in a saucepan alongside a tea towel to soften any eventual blows during the cooking process;
- fill the saucepan to the 3/4 mark with water and bring to the boil before allowing to cook for 10 minutes;
- to ensure that the speck is sufficiently crunchy, place the slices on a tray lined with baking paper and cook in the oven at 150° for 15 minutes;
- serve the poached egg with the crunchy speck and drizzle over some truffle oil.
Artichoke risotto with savoury ricotta petals
This risotto made with artichokes and savoury ricotta petals is a real treat for the palate, owing to the combination of the sweet-bitter taste of the artichokes and the strong flavour of the savoury ricotta.
Ingredients:
- 1 l vegetable stock;
- 3 shallots;
- 2 artichokes;
- 1 bunch thyme;
- 1 glass white wine;
- 1 lemon;
- 4 slices pancetta;
- 30 g butter;
- 50 g parmesan;
- 25 g savoury ricotta;
- oil and salt.
Method:
- Place the pancetta on a lined baking tray and cook in the oven at 220° for approximately 7-8 minutes, until sufficiently crunchy;
- take the artichokes and, leaving approximately 3 cm of stalk, remove the first 4 layers of external leaves;
- cut off the tips and scoop out the choke;
- place the artichokes in a bowl of water with half a lemon to stop them from browning when exposed to the air;
- julienne slice the artichokes and brown the shallots in a pan;
- add the artichokes and pan-fry, pouring in the wine and allowing this to evaporate;
- cover with a little vegetable stock and allow to simmer until the vegetables are sufficiently soft;
- fry the remaining chopped shallot in a separate pan, adding the rice and toasting until the grains appear translucent;
- cover the rice with stock to a depth of approximately 1 finger, adding a little at a time until fully cooked;
- add the artichokes and switch off the hob;
- add a nob of butter and stir in the parmesan.
Pork loin with spring onions and red wine
Pork loin with spring onions and red wine is a succulent yet sophisticated second course, in which the tenderness of the meat is topped by the unmistakable flavour of the spring onions.
Method:
- 600 g loin of pork on the bone;
- 100 g thickly sliced lard;
- 125 g peeled white spring onions;
- 250 ml red wine;
- 25 ml extra virgin olive oil;
- 25 g butter;
- 1 garlic clove;
- 15 g rosemary;
- stock;
- salt and pepper.
Method:
- Prepare the pork loin by removing the lower portion, leaving just the short-cut ribs;
- make a number of incisions in the meat and push the pieces of thick-cut lard into these holes;
- season the pork loin with salt, pepper and olive oil;
- blanch the spring onions for approximately 2 minutes in salty water with a little vinegar, then fry on a high heat with plenty of oil;
- add some of the red wine and finish cooking;
- cook the roast at 180° for 45 minutes with garlic and rosemary, basting from time to time with red wine and then stock;
- cook for approximately one hour, slice and serve with the onions in red wine.
Chocolate ganache with figs and ginger
A great Valentine’s Day dinner can only end with a dessert worthy of such an occasion. We’re proposing a chocolate ganache with figs and ginger to end the meal with a creamy triumph of flavours.
Ingredients:
- 150 g dark chocolate;
- 110 g cream;
- 3 figs;
- 50 g brown sugar;
- 10 g fresh figs.
Method:
- Grate the chocolate to make shavings and heat the cream in a saucepan;
- when the cream is sufficiently hot, remove from the heat and add the chocolate shavings, blending until the mixture is smooth and creamy;
- peel and finely chop the ginger before adding it to the other ingredients;
- pour the mixture into glasses and place in the fridge for approximately one hour;
- peel the figs, divide into 4 and place on a lined baking tray before sprinkling with sugar and cooking at 220° for 7 minutes;
- serve the ganache topped with the figs.
This completes your menu: enjoy your meal and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
