Recipe Ideas For Your Valentine’s Menu
Food | 9th February 2018
Valentine’s is a special time of the year where couples flock to restaurants around the country. Having the right options on your menu for that special night may just be the factor that gets you the business and keeps customers coming back throughout the year. With that in mind, our Head Development Chef, Clement Pavie, has put together 3 courses for you to try in your restaurant this Valentine’s.
The Starter: Fresh Salmon and Fivemiletown Goats Cheese Croquette with Wholegrain Mustard Mayonnaise
Clement’s Comment: “This is an easy light starter that can be made in advance and kept frozen ready, and then deep fried when needed. The meaty texture of the salmon and the creaminess of the goats cheese works very well with the anise flavour of the dill.”
Makes 18 croquettes, 244 Kcal per 45gr croquettes.
This recipe contains Eggs, Fish, Mustard, Oats (gluten), Sulphur dioxide and sulphites, Wheat (gluten).
What you’ll need:
- 600gr of fresh salmon diced in large pieces
- 100gr of baby spinach wash and pat dried
- 50gr of oat flakes
- 2 grated lemons
- 2 cloves of garlic finely crushed
- 10gr of fresh dill
- Salt and pepper
- 150gr of goats cheese
- 2 whole eggs beaten
- 400gr of Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg yolk
- 20gr of wholegrain mustard
- 100ml of rapeseed oil
- 5 ml of red wine vinegar
Creating The Starter:
Place the oat, diced salmon, baby spinach, dill, grated rind of lemon and finely crushed garlic into a food processor.
Blend the ingredients until it makes a coarse paste. Keep aside.
In a different bowl, mix the goats cheese seasoned with cracked black pepper and salt, until smooth and creamy. Keep aside.
The Croquettes:
Roll down a few layers of cling film on top of your worksurface.
Spoon the salmon mix, from the blender, into the centre of the cling film in a 5cm wide band.
Place the goats cheese mix in the centre of the salmon band.
Roll up the cling film tight, making small boudins, and leave to set in the freezer. Set for two hours minimum.
Once solid, cut the boudin into 5 or 6 cm long croquette.
Remove the cling film, dip each piece in the beaten egg and then into the bread crumb. Repeat to get a nice coating.
Deep-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the croquettes are golden brown.
The Wholegrain Mustard Mayonnaise:
Put egg yolk, vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper, and mustard in a bowl.
Whisk until smooth. Add in the oil gradually and slowly until firm.
Serve the croquette piping hot with a few seasonal leaves and the mayonnaise.
The Main Course: Cinnamon and Liquorice Tea Infused Duck Fillets, Cinnamon Beetroot Puree and Celeriac Fondant, Tea Infused Meat Jus
Clement’s Comment: “Celeriac and beetroot are some of my favourite root vegetables. The nuttiness of the celeriac cooked in butter will reinforce the meaty rich flavour of the duck while the slight sweetness of the beetroot and cinnamon will mellow it.”
Serves 4 , 864 Kcal per serving.
This recipe contains Celery and Milk.
What you’ll need:
- 2 duck breasts
- 20gr of liquorice and cinnamon tea (Lily’s cinnamon and mint tea)
- 300gr of red beetroot
- 2gr of ground cinnamon
- 200gr of fresh orange juice
- 400gr of celeriac cut in fondant
- 200gr of butter
- 1 cloves of garlic
- 1 sprig of thyme
- Juice of an orange
- 1 lime rind grated
- 300ml of strong chicken stock
- 12gr of liquorice and cinnamon tea
Creating The Main Course:
Season the duck fillets by sprinkling 10gr of tea on each flesh side. Vacuum and cook in steamed oven for 45minutes at 56°C. Cool down and keep aside.
Beetroot Puree:
Cook the beetroot in water with salt and cinnamon.
Once cooked, peel and blend in food processor adding the orange juice gradually.
Check the seasoning and pass through a tamis.
Tea Infused Juice:
In a small pot reduce the orange juice and grated lime to dry.
Add in the chicken stock, bring to the boil and reduce slightly.
Remove from the hob and add in the rest of the tea and let infuse for 4 minutes.
Pass through a chinois.
Celeriac Fondant:
Cut the celeriac into 5cm x 5cm cube shape.
In a pan, melt half the butter, seared the celeriac on all sides, until golden brown.
Add in the rest of the butter, crushed garlic and thyme and cook in a hot oven at 180 °C for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through.
Final Touches:
Remove the duck fillets from the bag and rinse under water to remove the tea leaves.
Cook the duck fillets in a hot pan, skin down and cook in a hot oven at 180 °C for about 6 minutes.
Leave to rest for one minute before serving.
Dessert: Apple, Lime and Ginger Soufflé
Clement’s Comment: “This is a lovely light dessert to finish off a classy meal. It’s refreshing acidity will lift up the evening.”
Serve 4, 393 Kcal per serving.
This recipe contains Eggs and Milk.
What you’ll need:
- 3 apples – Granny Smith
- 1 lime , grated ring and juice
- 2 gr of fresh grated ginger
- 100gr of water
- 120 gr of sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 8 egg whites
- 40gr of sugar
- Ramekins
- 80gr of butter
- 40gr of caster sugar
Creating the Dessert:
Using a pastry brush, brush the soft butter evenly around the inside of the ramekin dish. Place in the fridge until butter sets and repeat the action.
Divide the sugar between the dishes, tilt and rotate the dish to coat them fully and evenly. Tap out any excess sugar.
Apple, Lime and Ginger Compote:
Wash the lime, and peel the zest.
Blanch the zest and cut in very fine julienne.
In a pot bring the sugar, ginger and water to the boil, cook the lime zest julienne in the syrup for 6 minutes.
Drain the zest and keep the cooking juice.
Peel the apple, cut in medium dice and cook slowly in a larger pot until soft.
Mash and leave to cool down.
Once cooled, whisk in the lime juice, yolks and lime zest.
Whisk the egg white to a soft peak, add in the remaining sugar and whisk to a firm peak.
Gently incorporate the egg white into the apple mix.
Put the mix into the ramekin. Place on a hot tray and cook in a hot oven at 200 °C for 8 minutes. Once cooked, dust with a little icing sugar and serve straight away.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
