Valentine’s Day is still the perfect opportunity to let little romantic gestures shine. Why not use the occasion to celebrate love in the comfort of your home? We have the perfect ‘recipe’ for an evening of romance.
The Menu (Dinner for 2)
Rossini Aperitif
Ingredients
- 3/10 Nettare di fragole (strawberry juice)
- 7/10 Spumante Brut
Method
- Build it directly in a glass, pouring strawberry juice first and then Spumante Brut. No decorations unless you feel very creative
Risotto alla Parmigiana
Ingredients
- 160 g risotto
- 80 ml white wine
- Half stock cube
- Quarter onion
- 50 g of Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- Olive oil
Method
- Chop quarter onion finely
- Put half cube of beef stock into pot of water and heat up
- Put small layer of olive oil in pot
- Fry the onion until golden brown
- Add risotto and keep stirring for about 30-40 seconds
- Add wine and stir until wine is evaporated
- Once wine is evaporated, add broth until risotto is covered
- Stir sparingly but make sure the risotto is always covered with broth
- After 15 min allow broth to begin to evaporate
- As broth evaporates start stirring vigorously
- The creaminess of the risotto depends on how much you stir
- Once creaminess is at your liking add grated parmesan and mix until melted
- Risotto is now ready to plate. Add some more parmesan for visual effect
Credit
Orazia Cremona Jnr’s traditional risotto is from his home town Mantova in the North of Italy
“Belfiore Italian Deli” Northlands Deco Park, North Riding, Johannesburg
Fritto Misto con Verdure (Assortment of fried fish with vegetables)
Ingredients
- ½ large pepper
- 1 carrot, cut into 5cm sticks
- 1 zucchini (courgettes), cut into 5cm sticks
- ½ eggplant, white part removed, cut into 5cm sticks
- 4 champignon mushrooms, cut in half
- 150 g mixed shellfish such as scallops and mussels, shells removed
- 2 sardines, heads removed
- 2 baby red mullets, gutted and scaled
- 1 large calamari, cleaned and cut into 2cm rings
- 4 prawns, tails peeled (or 55 g baby calamari tubes)
- 1 lemon
- 75 g flour
- 1 egg white (optional)
- 100 ml beer
- sea salt, to taste
- ½l frying oil (quantity varies according size of the pan)
Method
- Place 50 g of flour, beer and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly until you obtain a smooth consistency. Cover with cling film and let rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. You will only need the batter for the vegetables.
- Wash and thoroughly dry all the seafood. Dust all the fish and the seafood with a little flour, shaking off any excess.
- Cut all your vegetables.
- Take the batter out of the fridge, whisk egg white until stiff, if you are using it, and incorporate.
- Heat the oil to 170°C in a pan or wok.
- Dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Do not fry too many items at a time as this will cause the temperature of the oil to drop and you’ll end up with very greasy vegetables.
- Once fried, place the vegetables on paper towels to remove all the excess oil.
- Once all the vegetables are fried, repeat with the fish and seafood.
- Place all your fritto misto on a serving dish with a few paper towels and sprinkle generously with sea salt flakes. Add a few lemon wedges.
- Serve with salad.
Credit
Recipe taken from ‘Venice on a Plate, But what a Plate!’ by Enrica Rocca.
Available on our online shop
Panna Cotta Ice-Cream with Strawberries
Ingredients
- 500 g cream
- 40 g sugar
- 3 sheets gelatine
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 8 – 10 strawberries
Method
- Bring the cream, ground cinnamon and sugar to the boil. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthwise, scrape the pulp into the cream, add the pod and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Soak the gelatine in cold water. Take the vanilla pod out of the cream, squeeze out the gelatine and stir into the cream to dissolve. Pour the mixture into moulds and put into the freezer for about 3 hours.
- To serve, dip the moulds briefly in hot water and turn the Panna Cotta ice cream out on to plates; serve garnished with strawberries.
Credit
Fine Dining Lovers
The Setting
Definitely candles, fine cutlery and table décor, whether on your dining table or even the lounge rug to create the Valentine’s magic for two.
DIY Flower Arrangement: Wine glass Rose Display.
Use stemless wine glasses to create this easy and colourful floral display. Cut rose stems close to the bloom and place in an inch of water in each glass and arrange on the dining table. Go for deep reds or bright pinks, while lighter shades lend a subtler look.
Music
You can’t go wrong with this one. Set the tone to the evening with some Italian music such as Andrea Bocelli (Ed Sheeran with Andrea Bocelli – Perfect Symphony), Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini and Zucchero.
Stream or download this version: https://ad.gt/perfectyt
÷. Out Now: https://atlanti.cr/yt-album
Subscribe to Ed’s channel:
Sign-up to Andrea Bocelli’s mailing list: https://decca.lnk.to/BocelliSignUpID
Dress Code
Just because you have decided to keep your Valentine’s Day dinner at home does not mean you should not look the part. Dress stylishly to continue with the romantic and elegant tone of the evening. The finishing touch, a rose in the hair and jacket pocket.
We hope this inspires you to try something a little different this year!
SARAI IL MIO VALENTINO?
