Everyone knows the secret to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well either that or something expensive from Victoria’s Secret. Show your partner what he means to you and serve up these delicious aphrodisiac filled recipes courtesy of Farah Sawaf from cookingwithamanicure.com
All servings, of course, are for two
Starter | Sweet and Savory Raspberry Salad
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups finely torn clean baby spinach leaves or dark green leaves like rocket, thoroughly rinsed and drained
¼ cup red radish, thinly sliced
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup raw whole almonds, loosely broken up
¼ cup fennel, roughly chopped
½ cup raspberries, cleaned
½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup honey, a light honey such as clover or orange blossom
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
Preparation:
In a large serving bowl, toss greens, radish, red onion, almonds, and fennel together. Softly mix in raspberries as they break easily. Separate into serving bowls. In a small bowl whisk together oil, honey, vinegar, and poppy seeds. Pour this over the salad and toss.
First Course | Ravioli with Shrimp, Butternut and Bacon
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 package fresh ravioli from grocery store
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
¼ red onion sliced
2 slices beef bacon, pan-fried and cut in small pieces
½ cup butternut squash, chopped, you can buy ready chopped at the store or alternatively buy a small butternut-peel and chop
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground salt
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Great quality olive oil
200g shrimp, deveined/cleaned then boiled ready to eat
½ lemon
Preparation:
- • Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- • Drizzle olive oil over chopped butternut. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until tender.
- • Cook ravioli as per the instructions. Drain and place in a medium bowl. Mix in the garlic, red onion, bacon and butternut squash. Then season with nutmeg, salt, pepper and mix in well the Parmesan and basil. Lastly add in the shrimp and drizzle a touch of olive oil.
Second course | Fillets with brie over truffle mushrooms
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 x 300g fillet mignon
4 slices of good quality brie cheese
1tbsp butter
3 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped (a mix of button, chestnut and oyster)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1tbsp sage, chopped
Good quality rock salt and fresh grated black pepper for taste
Truffle oil
Preparation:
- • Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
- • Remove steaks from refrigerator and leave out in room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.
- • On oven top preheat a grill pan to highest heat. With a paper towel rub butter on pan. Wait until it is very hot.
- • Place the two steaks directly on the grill pan searing grids on the outside.
- • Remove from grill pan and place onto a small baking pan in the oven for approximately eight to 12 minutes, depending on how you like your steak. Leave for a few minutes before taking out of oven.
- • Place two pieces of brie over each steak. When finished take out of oven and place on plates, cover with the pan lid or loosely placed foil. This allows the beef to rest.
- • While the beef is resting, in a large skillet, dollop the tablespoon of butter over medium heat. After butter melts, place the mixed mushrooms in the pan, sautéing until they sweat. Mix in the garlic and sage. Crack salt and pepper into the mix. Take off heat. Drizzle with truffle oil.
- • Place mushrooms on the centre of a nice plate. Press flat with a spoon and lay the steak over the top. Repeat. Crack black pepper over finished plates. Enjoy!
Side Dish | Pizza Blanco
Serves 6 to 8
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
Ready made dough found in refrigerator section in the grocery store. I use Pillsberry pizza dough
Sauce:
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup soft ricotta cheese
4 tbsp light cream
2 green onion bottoms, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp grated lemon zest
¼ tsp kosher or sea salt
Topping
¼ cup soft fresh mozzarella
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
Truffle oil
Preparation:
- • Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
- • Sprinkle cornmeal/polenta on pizza brick pan or regular flat type pan, set aside.
- • Mix all ingredients together to make the sauce.
- • Roll out the dough on the pan with a rolling pin, roll out into a thin crust, dusting with flour if it gets sticky. Transfer over to the pizza pan giving it one more roll with the rolling pin.
- • On the rolled dough, spread the sauce evenly.
- • Spread the fresh mozzarella evenly over sauce mixture. Top with the shredded mozzarella evenly. Top off with basil.
- • Place in preheated oven for approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Keep monitoring not to burn. When finished allow at least 10 minutes to cool.
- • After cooling, sprinkle a touch of truffle oil all over the pizza. You don’t want to put too much as it’s a very strong taste.
Dessert
Create an interactive buffet of fruit, chopped brownies and cookies and dip in melted chocolate.
All ingredients are from MILK and honey milkandhoney.ae
